Dietary glyceryl polyethylene glycol ricinoleate as a nutritional strategy to improve microbiome in post weaning piglets

Abstract

This dataset corresponds to microbiota data from the study 'Dietary Glyceryl Polyethylene Glycol Ricinoleate as a Nutritional Strategy to Improve Intestinal Health in Post-Weaning Piglets.' Early weaning in intensive pig production induces stress, compromising gastrointestinal health. The underdeveloped digestive system of piglets leads to poor fat digestion. Dietary emulsifiers can enhance fat utilization, and glyceryl polyethylene glycol ricinoleate (GPGR) has been shown to improve piglet performance. This study assessed the effects of GPGR on intestinal health in weaned piglets at a commercial production farm. A total of 380 piglets, weaned at 21 days of age, were divided into two groups of 190 animals each (across four replicates). The groups received either a basal diet (control) or the basal diet supplemented with 350 g/ton of a commercial GPGR formulation as a top dress. Intestinal samples were collected 15 days post-weaning, and cecal microbiota were analyzed. Dietary GPGR increased the abundance of Firmicutes (P = 0.014) and Actinobacteria (P = 0.045) while reducing Proteobacteria (P < 0.001). In conclusion, dietary GPGR promotes a balanced microbiota, offering a promising strategy to support piglets during the early nursery phase.