Abstract
This study evaluated the effects of maternal probiotics and synbiotics addition on several traits and parameters in offspring. A total of 64 Bama mini pigs were randomly allocated into the control (basal diet), antibiotic (50 g/t virginiamycin), probiotics (200 mL/day probiotics), or synbiotics (500 g/t xylo-oligosaccharides and 200 mL/day probiotics) group and fed with experimental diets during pregnancy and lactation. After weaning, two piglets per litter and eight piglets per group were selected and fed with a basal diet. Eight pigs per group were selected for analysis at 65, 95, and 125 days of age. The results showed that the addition of probiotics increased the average daily feed intake of the pigs during the 66- to 95-day-old periods and backfat thickness at 65 and 125 days of age, and that the addition of synbiotics increased backfat thickness and decreased muscle percentage and loin-eye area at 125 days of age. The addition of maternal probiotics increased the cooking yield and pH45min value at 65 and 95 days of age, respectively, the addition of synbiotics increased the meat color at 95 days of age, and the addition of probiotics and synbiotics decreased drip loss and shear force in 65- and 125-day-old pigs, respectively. However, maternal antibiotic addition increased shear force in 125-day-old pigs. Dietary probiotics and synbiotics addition in sows' diets increased several amino acids (AAs), including total AAs, histidine, methionine, asparagine, arginine, and leucine, and decreased glycine, proline, isoleucine, α-aminoadipic acid, α-amino-n-butyric acid, β-alanine, and γ-amino-n-butyric acid in the plasma and longissimus thoracis (LT) muscle of offspring at different stages. In the LT muscle fatty acid (FA) analysis, saturated FA (including C16:0, C17:0, and C20:0) and C18:1n9t contents were lower, and C18:2n6c, C16:1, C20:1, and unsaturated FA contents were higher in the probiotics group. C10:0, C12:0, and C14:0 contents were higher in 65-day-old pigs, and C20:1 and C18:1n9t contents were lower in the synbiotics group in 95- and 125-day-old pigs, respectively. The plasma biochemical analysis revealed that the addition of maternal probiotics and synbiotics decreased plasma cholinesterase, urea nitrogen, and glucose levels in 95-day-old pigs, and that the addition of synbiotics increased plasma high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and total cholesterol concentrations in 65-day-old pigs and triglyceride concentration in 125-day-old pigs. The addition of maternal probiotics and synbiotics regulated muscle fiber type, myogenic regulation, and lipid metabolism-related gene expression of LT muscle in offspring. In conclusion, the addition of maternal probiotics and synbiotics improved the piglet feed intake and altered the meat quality parameters, plasma metabolites, and gene expression related to meat quality.