Every swine producer understands the first few days of life are the most critical time for a piglet. These early days set the stage for the piglet’s growth, development, and overall performance.
Piglets are exposed to a variety of challenges when they are born, and at birth colostrum intake is critical for the overall health of the animal. Colostrum provides crucial antibodies and antimicrobial factors that help protect the animal from many of the health challenges common to piglets. MSP[RS] Resistant Starch plays a role in complementing colostrum intake.
MSP[RS] Resistant Starch complements colostrum by feeding the healthy bacteria in the hindgut, establishing and developing the microbiome. A well-established microbiome can help provide an additional layer of protection to the piglet, ensuring a healthier, more resilient animal.
MSP[RS] Resistant Starch is food for the microbial community in the hindgut. Feeding these healthy bacteria gets them established which has a positive impact on the growth and development of the animal. When these bacteria consume resistant starch, they grow and proliferate, physically taking up space which crowds out the pathogenic bacteria. These healthy bacteria produce Volatile Fatty Acid’s (VFA’s), like butyrate, and having a higher proportion of the healthy bacteria in the gut results in higher concentration of VFA’s. VFA’s also decrease the pH in the gut creating an unfavourable environment for pathogens.
Butyrate is fuel and energy for the colonocytes, which are the cells that line the colon. Ensuring the colonocytes have the fuel they need for growth is critical for a robust immune response. One of the functions of colonocytes includes producing a mucosal layer which traps pathogens. Healthy colonocytes result in another layer of protection for the animal. Mucus production is considered critical as a first line of defence, protecting the epithelial layer in the gut by physically trapping and deactivating pathogens. Feeding resistant starch results in more fuel for the colonocytes, which results in a overall healthier ecosystem in the gut and a more resilient animal.
MSP[RS] Resistant Starch can be sprinkled onto the mats and the piglets themselves to help familiarize them to the taste, and the piglets will ingest the powder as they lick it off themselves and each other. The powder can also be fed starting on the first day in small bowls in the farrowing crate, given to the piglets ad lib, or delivered directly to an individual piglet mixed with milk replacer or water. MSP[RS] Resistant Starch can be given to the piglets the first week of life to establish the microbiome and continued throughout each life stage to maintain the microbiome. MSP[RS] Resistant Starch can help with the transition to creep feed by top dressing the feed or mixing it into the gruel. The familiarity of the taste helps to ensure piglets are drawn to the creep feed and prepares them for the next stage of feeding.
Continue to feed MSP[RS] Resistant Starch in the starter feeds, mixed in at a rate of 1% to maintain the microbiome. Academic trials have demonstrated that feeding MSP[RS] Resistant Starch has a positive impact on the microbiome, improves fecal scores, and increases VFA’s in the hindgut. Animals with a well-developed microbiome have fewer challenges at weaning, are more productive, and have fewer treatment costs.
MSP[RS] Resistant Starch is a natural solution that is highly palatable, derived from potatoes, with no chemicals or other agents added to the fine powder. MSP[RS] Resistant Starch is a simple gut health solution that can be given to piglets through each life stage, ensuring a healthier more resilient animal.
