UC Davis Scientists Explore Probiotic Solutions for Healthier Piglets

Alejandra Meija-Caballero is a postdoctoral researcher in the Food Science department at University of California, Davis. She is collaborating with professor at UC Davis, Maria Marco, who is also the Chair of the Nutrition Pillar in the PIG-PARADIGM research project funded by Novo Nordisk Foundation.

"The overall goal of my research is to identify probiotics that can be used to prevent post-weaning diarrhea in piglets," says Mejia-Caballero. "We are trying to find probiotics endogenous from the pigs’ microbiome that have functional properties to prevent diarrhea. Currently, I am isolating lactic acid bacteria from fecal samples and evaluating their functionality in vitro. The next step will be to evaluate these bacteria in a pig study."

Mejia-Caballero is hopeful about the potential of these bacteria. "Hopefully, we can find bacteria with probiotic properties that can be used in pigs," she says. "In general, it has been proven that probiotics can prevent post-weaning diarrhea by competing with pathogens such as E. coli or by promoting the proliferation of intestinal stem cells.

Probiotics are live microorganisms that, when administered in adequate amounts, confer health benefits to the host. Leveraging lactobacilli from the piglet’s gut before weaning to boost the proliferation of intestinal stem cells, aiding in better epithelial regeneration during the weaning phase. In pig nutrition, probiotics play a crucial role in maintaining gut health and improving overall performance.

If we can identify probiotics with these functionalities, they can serve as an alternative to traditional methods for managing post-weaning piglets."

This research is crucial as it aims to improve the health and well-being of piglets, potentially reducing the need for antibiotics and enhancing sustainable farming practices.