Nutritional and endocrine control of colostrogenesis

Colostrum plays an essential role in ensuring the health, survival, and growth of piglets by providing energy, immunoglobulins, growth factors and many other bioactive components. Both colostrum yield and composition are highly variable among sows, yet mechanisms and factors that regulate colostrogenesis are not tully known. Unlike sow milk yield, sow colostrum yield is not highly determined by litter size and suckling intensity but is largely driven by sow-related factors. Colostrum synthesis is under hormonal control, with prolactin and progesterone concentrations prepartum having, respectively, positive and negative influences on colostrum yield. Less is known about the endocrine control of the end of colostrogenesis, which is characterized by the closure of tight junctions in the mammary epithelium and the cessation of immunoglobulin G transfer into lacteal secretions. Recent studies indicate that exogenous hormones may influence colostrogenesis. lnducing parturition by injecting prostaglandin F2alpha in combination with an oxytocin-like molecule reduced colostrum yield, and injection of prostaglandin F2alpha alone either reduced colostrum yield or had no effect. lnjecting a supraphysiological dose of oxytocin to sows in the early postpartum period delayed the tightening of mammary tight junctions, thereby prolonging the colostral phase and increasing concentrations of IGF-1, immunoglobulins G and A in early milk. The development of strategies to improve colostrum composition through maternai feeding has been largely explored whereas very few attempts were made to increase colostrum yield. This is most likely because of the difficulty in measuring colostrum yield. The fatty acid content of colostrum greatly depends on the amount of lipids provided in the sow diet during late gestation, whereas the fatty acid profile is largely influenced by the type of lipid being fed to the pregnant sow. Moreover, various ingredients that presumably have immune-modulating effects (such as fish oil and prebiotics mannan or short-chain fructo-oligosaccharides) increased concentrations of lgG, lgA and/or lgM in sow colostrum when they were provided during the last weeks of gestation. Finally, there is sorne evidence that sow nutrition during late gestation may influence colostrum yield but this clearly warrants more research

Nutritional and endocrine control of colostrogenesis in swine

Colostrum plays an essential role in ensuring the survival, growth and health of piglets by providing energy, nutrients, immunoglobulins, growth factors and many other bioactive components and cells. Both colostrum yield and composition are highly variable among sows, yet mechanisms and factors that regulate colostrogenesis are not fully known. Unlike sow milk yield, sow colostrum yield is not highly determined by litter size and suckling intensity but is largely driven by sow-related factors. Colostrum synthesis is under hormonal control, with prolactin and progesterone concentrations prepartum having, respectively, positive and negative influences on colostrum yield. Less is known about the endocrine control of the end of colostrogenesis in swine, which is characterized by the closure of tight junctions in the mammary epithelium and the cessation of transfer of immunoglobulin G (IgG) into lacteal secretions. Recent studies indicate that exogenous hormones may influence colostrogenesis. Inducing parturition by injecting prostaglandin F2α on day 114 of gestation in combination with an oxytocin-like molecule reduced colostrum yield, and injection of prostaglandin F2α alone either reduced colostrum yield or had no effect. Injecting a supraphysiological dose of oxytocin to sows in the early postpartum period delayed the tightening of mammary tight junctions, thereby prolonging the colostral phase and increasing concentrations of IGF-I and IgG and IgA in early milk. The development of strategies to improve colostrum composition in swine through maternal feeding has been largely explored but very few attempts were made to increase colostrum yield. This is most likely because of the difficulty in measuring colostrum yield in swine. The fatty acid content of colostrum greatly depends on the amount of lipids provided in the sow diet during late gestation, whereas the fatty acid profile is largely influenced by the type of lipid being fed to the pregnant sow. Moreover, various ingredients that presumably have immuno-modulating effects (such as fish oil, prebiotics and probiotics) increased concentrations of IgG, IgA and/or IgM in sow colostrum when they were provided during the last weeks of gestation. Finally, there is some evidence that sow nutrition during late gestation may influence colostrum yield but this clearly warrants more research. This review emphasizes that although progress has been made in understanding the control of colostrogenesis in swine, and that strategies exist to manipulate fat and immunoglobulin contents of colostrum, ways to increase colostrum yield are still lacking

Peut-on augmenter la quantité de colostrum disponible pour les porcelets naissants ?

National audienc

8. Colostrum and milk production

absen

Stress during gestation alters immune cell numbers but not immunoglobulins in mammary secretions of sow

Maternal stress during gestation can deteriorate offspring health at birth and later on. This influence of prenatal stress is assumed to rely on developmental metabolic, neuroendocrine and immune alterations in the offspring. Whether immune protection of the neonate via mammary secretions might play a role is not known. This study involved sows raised during gestation in a conventional stressful housing system on slat (SL, n=18) or in an enriched welfare-friendly system (on straw with larger pens, E, n=19). In these two systems, pre-weaning piglet mortality was steadily different (E: 17% vs. SL: 26%, P<0.001 in this experiment). Salivary samples were collected on the days of gestation (DG) 35 and 105 (gestation length: 114-115 days) and 4 days after farrowing (L4). Colostrum was collected at farrowing (L0) and milk at L4 (after 1 ml oxytocin administration). Maternal salivary cortisol was greater in SL sows on DG35 and 105, and the difference had disappeared at L4, when sows were housed in comparable farrowing pens. In mammary secretions, the absolute numbers of neutrophils (polynuclear CD172+ cells), monocytes (mononuclear CD172+ cells), cytotoxic (CD2+CD8+high), memory (CD2+CD8+low) and other T-cells (CD2+CD8-) increased between L0 and L4 (P < 0.001), and were lower in SL than E sows at L4 (P < 0.1 for CD172+ cells, P < 0.05 for others). Concentrations of IgG and IgA were comparable in both groups at L0 and L4. Thus, immune protection provided by the mother in the milk, in particular the transfer of maternal immune cells, might be decreased by maternal stress during gestation, with unknown consequences for neonate health. Research has received funding from the EU FP7 Prohealth program (no. 613574)

Conséquences du stress maternel pendant la gestation sur l'immunité et la santé des nouveau-nés en élevage

La mortalité des jeunes avant le sevrage est élevée chez les mammifères de rente. En France, elle varie de 11 à 14% en moyenne selon les espèces (poulains, chevreaux, agneaux, porcelets, veaux), mais peut être inférieure à 5% ou supérieure à 20% dans certains élevages. Environ la moitié de cette mortalité survient pendant les 48 premières heures suivant la naissance. Les femelles gestantes sont exposées à de nombreux facteurs de stress, dont des conditions de logement inadaptées, qui remettent également en question l’acceptabilité de l’élevage industriel. Cette synthèse présente les résultats de la littérature scientifique visant à déterminer si le stress des femelles gestantes peut affecter ultérieurement la santé et la survie de leur progéniture. Elle porte essentiellement sur les porcs et les ruminants et montre que l’impact du stress prénatal pourrait passer à la fois par des mécanismes liés à une altération du comportement maternel, du développement fœtal et de l’acquisition par le nouveau-né de l’immunité passive puis de son immunité propre.The rate of mortality before weaning is high in farm mammals. In France, it varies between 11 and 14% depending on the species (foals, kids, lambs, piglets, calves), but it can be lower than 5% or exceed 20% in some farms. Approximately half of the mortality occurs during the 48 first hours after birth. Gestating females have to face numerous environmental stressors, including inappropriate housing conditions, which also question industrial farming acceptability. The present review synthesizes data from the scientific literature aiming at determining if stress in gestating females can impair health and survival of their offspring. It mainly focuses on pigs and ruminants and shows that prenatal stress might act through mechanisms related to alterations in maternal behaviour, foetal development and acquisition of the neonate passive and active immunity

Influence des fibres alimentaires données à la truie en fin de gestation sur la production de colostrum et les performances des porcelets pendant la lactation

Chez la truie, la consommation de fibres alimentaires pendant la fin de la gestation peut augmenter le gain de poids des porcelets durant le début de la lactation. La présente étude vise à évaluer si les fibres alimentaires données en fin de gestation influencent la production de colostrum des truies et les performances des porcelets. Vingt‐neuf cochettes Large White x Landrace ont reçu pendant les neuf derniers jours de gestation un aliment contenant 7,9% (lot FIBRES, n = 15) ou 3,3% de cellulose brute (lot TEM, n = 14). Le traitement alimentaire n’a influencé ni les concentrations plasmatiques de progestérone et de prolactine (P > 0,10) ni le volume de colostrum produit par les truies (3,9 ± 0,2 kg ; P > 0,10). La consommation moyenne de colostrum des porcelets ne différait pas dans les deux lots (P > 0,10) mais celle des petits porcelets (< 900 g) issus des truies FIBRES était supérieure à celle des porcelets des truies TEM (respectivement 216 et 137 g ; P = 0,02). Pendant la lactation, le gain de poids des porcelets n’a pas été affecté par le traitement mais le taux de mortalité a été diminué dans les portées des truies FIBRES (6 vs 14% pour TEM ; P = 0,01). Les concentrations d’immunoglobulines A dans le colostrum étaient réduites (P = 0,02) chez les truies FIBRES comparativement aux truies TEM. En conclusion, bien que les fibres n’aient pas affecté le volume de colostrum produit par les truies, elles ont augmenté la survie des porcelets pendant la lactation.In sows, dietary fibre given during late gestation may increase the body weight gain of piglets during early lactation. The aim of this study was to determine whether dietary fibre given in late gestation influences colostrum production and piglet performance during lactation. Twenty‐nine Large White x Landrace primiparous sows were fed, during the last 9 days of gestation, diets containing 7.9% (FIBRE, n=15) or 3.3% crude fibre (TEM, n = 14). The feeding treatment did not influence sow plasma concentration of progesterone and prolactin (P > 0.10) or sow colostrum yield (3.9 ± 0.2 kg; P > 0.10). Mean colostrum intake by piglets did not differ between groups (P > 0.10) whereas the colostrum intake of low birth weight piglets (< 900 g) was greater in the FIBRE group than in the TEM group (216 and 137 g, respectively; P = 0.02). During lactation, although the body weight gain of piglets was not influenced by dietary treatment, the mortality rate was lower in the FIBRE group than in the TEM group (6 vs 14%; P = 0.01). Immunoglobulin A concentrations in colostrum were lower (P = 0.02) in the FIBRE group compared with the TEM group. In conclusion, although dietary fibre did not increase sow colostrum yield, it decreased piglet mortality

Regulation of cell number in the mammary gland by controlling the exfoliation process in milk in ruminants

Presented as part of the Lactation Biology: Mammary Gland Biology Revisited Symposium at the ADSA-ASAS Joint Annual Meeting, Orlando, Florida, July 2015.Milk yield is partly influenced by the number of mammary epithelial cells (MEC) in the mammary gland. It is well known that variations in MEC number are due to cell proliferation and apoptosis. The exfoliation of MEC from the mammary epithelium into milk is another process that might influence MEC number in the mammary tissue. The rate of MEC exfoliation can be assessed by measuring the milk MEC content through light microscopy, flow cytometry analysis, or an immuno-magnetic method for MEC purification. Various experimental models have been used to affect milk yield and study the rate of MEC exfoliation. Reducing milking frequency from twice to once daily did not seem to have any effect on MEC loss in goat and cow milk after 7 d, but increased MEC loss per day in goats when applied for a longer period. An increase in MEC exfoliation was also observed during short days as compared with long days, or in response to an endotoxin-induced mastitis in cows. Other animal models were designed to investigate the endocrine control of the exfoliation process and its link with milk production. Suppression of ovarian steroids by ovariectomy resulted in a greater persistency of lactation and a decrease in MEC exfoliation. Administering prolactin inhibitors during lactation or at dry-off enhanced MEC exfoliation, whereas exogenous prolactin during lactation tended to prevent the negative effect of prolactin inhibitors. These findings suggest that prolactin could regulate MEC exfoliation. In most of these studies, variations of MEC exfoliation were associated with variations in milk yield and changes in mammary epithelium integrity. Exfoliation of MEC could thus influence milk yield by regulating MEC number in mammary tissue

Regulation of cell number in the mammary gland via the control of the exfoliation process in milk in ruminants

Milk yield is partly influenced by the number of mammary epithelial cells (MEC) in the mammary gland. It is well known that MEC number varies due to cell proliferation and apoptosis. The exfoliation of MEC from the mammary epithelium into milk is another process which might influence MEC number in the mammary tissue. Yet, little is known about the control of MEC exfoliation process. The rate of MEC exfoliation can be assessed by measuring the milk MEC content through flow cytometry analysis or through an immuno-magnetic method for MEC purification. Various experimental models were used to affect milk yield and study the rate of MEC exfoliation. Reducing milking frequency from twice to once daily increased MEC loss per day in goat but not in cow milk. An increased daily rate of MEC exfoliation was also observed during short days as compared with long days or in response to an endotoxin-induced mastitis in cows. Other animal models were designed to investigate the endocrine control of the exfoliation process and its link with milk production. Suppression of ovarian steroids by ovariectomy resulted in a greater persistency of lactation and a decrease in MEC exfoliation.[br/] Administering prolactin inhibitors enhanced MEC loss while exogenous prolactin tended to prevent this negative effect of prolactin inhibitors. These findings suggest that prolactin could regulate MEC exfoliation. In most of these studies, variations of MEC exfoliation were associated with variations in milk yield and changes in mammary epithelium integrity. Exfoliation of MEC could be a process that regulates MEC number in the mammary tissue, and thereby could influence milk yield and lactation persistency