The impact of maternal dietary supplementation with lysozyme oligomer on farrowing performance and placental inflammation in sows.

This study evaluated the effects of maternal lysozyme oligomer (LYZ) supplementation on sow reproductive performance and piglet growth performance. Multiparous sows were randomly allocated to two groups: control and 0.1 % dietary LYZ. The experiment spanned from day 85 of gestation to day 21 of lactation. Sows were evaluated for reproductive performance and placental inflammation. Maternal dietary supplementation with LYZ significantly reduced the stillbirth rate and weak piglet rate (P < 0.05), while increasing piglet birth weight, total litter birth weight and placental efficiency (P < 0.05). Analysis of health status revealed a significant attenuation in the tear staining scores and iron-spot deposition scores in LYZ-supplemented sows (P < 0.001). Immunological profiling revealed that LYZ-supplemented sows had elevated concentrations of immunoglobulin A (IgA) and lysozyme in colostrum. It also increased IgG, IgM and interleukin-10 (IL-10) levels in both colostrum and serum (P < 0.05). Furthermore, LYZ administration increased fecal concentrations of acetic acid (P < 0.01), butyric acid, valeric acid, total short-chain fatty acids and volatile fatty acids (P < 0.05). Placental tissue from LYZ-treated sows exhibited upregulated mRNA expression of platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 (CD31) and anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 (P < 0.01). Collectively, these findings demonstrate that dietary LYZ supplementation during late gestation and lactation enhances farrowing performance, placental efficiency and attenuates inflammatory responses in placentas.