Dietary Prebiotic Oligosaccharides and Arachidonate Alter the Fecal Microbiota and Mucosal Lipid Composition of Suckling Pigs

Prebiotic supplementation during the first 22 days of life altered the gut microbiota of piglets and increased the abundance of specific bacterial genera. These changes correlated with increased SCFA, which may benefit intestinal development. Although dietary ARA did not alter the microbiota, it increased the ARA content of the colonic mucosa, which may support intestinal development and epithelial repair. Prebiotic supplementation also increased unsaturation of fatty acids in the colonic mucosa. Although the mechanism requires further investigation, it may be related to altered microbial ecology or biohydrogenation of fatty acids.