Evaluation of 2’fucosyllactose and Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis Supplementation to Formula on Growth, Organ Weights, and Intestinal Development of Piglets

Human milk contains both prebiotic oligosaccharides and live bacteria, which are thought to bring health benefits to breastfed infants. Herein, we investigated the impact of formula supplementation with 2'-fucosyllactose (2'FL) and Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis (Bi-26) alone or in combination on growth, organ weights, and intestinal development of neonatal piglets. Two-day-old intact male piglets (N = 53) were randomized to be fed a nutritionally-adequate milk replacer ad libitum without (CON) or with 1.0 g/L 2'FL (FL). Pigs were further stratified to receive either 12% glycerol solution alone or Bi-26 (109 CFU) in glycerol orally once daily (BI and FLBI). Body weights and food intake were monitored from postnatal day (PND) 2 to 33/34. On PND 34/35, animals were euthanized, intestine, liver and brain weights were assessed, and intestinal samples were collected for morphological analyses and disaccharidase activity. Dry matter of intestinal contents was also measured. Growth and food intake were analyzed as a 3-way, repeated-measures ANOVA with fixed effects of prebiotic, probiotic, and day, whereas all other variables were analyzed by a 2-way ANOVA with fixed effects of prebiotic and probiotic. Level of significance was set at P ≤ 0.05 and trends are reported at 0.05 > P < 0.1. All diets were well tolerated and food intake did not differ among the treatment groups. Daily body weights were affected by 2’FL, Bi26, and day, but no interaction was observed. However, there was a trend (p = 0.075) for greater body weight gain in CON vs. all other groups. No differences were observed for intestine, liver, or brain weight per kg body weight, jejunal or ileal lactase or sucrase activities, or fecal dry matter among the groups. Histomorphological outcomes in jejunum, ileum, and ascending colon were similar in all groups, except for a trend (p = 0.069) for larger ileal crypt volume in FL vs. CON piglets. The addition of 2'FL and/or Bi-26 to milk replacer supported piglet growth with no detrimental effects on body and organ weights, or intestinal structure and function. DuPont Nutrition & Biosciences.