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ARS Home » Plains Area » Lubbock, Texas » Cropping Systems Research Laboratory » Livestock Issues Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #410212
Research Project: Environmental and Management Influences on Animal Productivity and Well-Being Phenotypes

Location: Livestock Issues Research

Title: Changing immunity in piglets prior to birth

Author
item Sanchez, Nicole
item MITCHELL, TY - Texas Tech University
item Broadway, Paul
item PETRY, AMY - University Of Missouri
item LEGAKO, JERRAD - Texas Tech University
item Carroll, Jeffery - Jeff Carroll

Submitted to: National Hog Farmer
Publication Type: Popular Publication
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/19/2023
Publication Date: 1/9/2024
Citation: Sanchez, N.C., Mitchell, T., Broadway, P.R., Petry, A., Legako, J., Carroll, J.A. 2024. Changing immunity in piglets prior to birth. National Hog Farmer. January/February:13-15.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Over time, pigs have become more susceptible to pathogens that cause disease. A contributing factor is likely the increased focus on selection for lean tissue growth, which has redistributed energy towards growth and away from the immune system. This has led to more significant disease outbreaks, ultimately negatively impacting pig health and growth performance. Thus, methods that can be used to boost the immunity of pigs are needed. One alternative method may be through changing the immune system of pigs prior to birth. Previous work in our laboratory studied whether administering a low-dose immune stimulant (lipopolysaccharide; LPS) to pregnant cows would affect the immune response of their offspring after birth. This current study was designed to determine whether a similar method of low-dose LPS stimulation during gestation could alter the response of piglets to a subsequent LPS stimulation after birth. Results demonstrate that prenatal exposure to LPS altered the postnatal response to LPS in weaned barrows, demonstrated by a quicker temperature response as well as a reduction in the inflammatory immune response. This is one of the first studies where LPS has been administered to pregnant sows in the last third of gestation and recorded the effects of subsequent LPS administration on piglets after birth. Exposure of piglets to immune stimulants during gestation may influence their response after birth, which may serve as a method to positively influence pig health and growth performance.