Immunomodulating effect of a seaweed extract from Ulva armoricana in pig: Specific IgG and total IgA in colostrum, milk, and blood

Frederick Bussy; Le Goff Matthieu; Henri Salmon; José Delaval; Mustapha Berri; Nyvall Collén Pi

doi:10.1016/j.vas.2019.100051

Immunomodulating effect of a seaweed extract from Ulva armoricana in pig: Specific IgG and total IgA in colostrum, milk, and blood

Vet Anim Sci. 2019 Feb 10:7:100051. doi: 10.1016/j.vas.2019.100051. eCollection 2019 Jun.

Authors

Frederick Bussy¹, Le Goff Matthieu¹, Henri Salmon², José Delaval³, Mustapha Berri⁴, Nyvall Collén Pi¹

Affiliations

¹ Amadéite, ZA du Haut du Bois, 56580 Bréhan, France.
² INRA, Université Tours, 37380 Nouzilly, France.
³ LDA 37, Z.I. N°1 du Papillon, 3 Rue de l'Aviation, 37210 Parçay-Meslay, France.
⁴ ISP, INRA, Université Tours, 37380 Nouzilly, France.

Abstract

The transfer of passive immunity from sows to piglets can be improved through the administration of immuno-stimulating products before farrowing. This study evaluated the immuno-stimulating effect of an algal sulfated polysaccharide extract (MSP extract) from the green algae Ulva armoricana when administrated orally to sows at the end of gestation. Four diets were tested: Control (no MSP extract), MSP1 (2 g/day of MSP extract), MSP2 (8 g/day), and MSP3 (16 g/day). The experimental diets were provided in two periods: before the last atrophic rhinitis vaccine booster, and a week before farrowing. Anti-Bordetella IgG antibodies were recorded in blood, colostrum, and milk, and total IgA were measured in colostrum and milk. Titer kinetics between the blood sampled before farrowing and colostrum displayed an increase in specific IgG for MSP3. Moreover, the MSP2 diet increased the level of total IgA in milk compared to the control group. Although the immuno-stimulating effect of MSP extract on piglet performance was not concurrent across the different supplementation levels, the present study supports the use of natural algae extract (MSP) as an immunomodulating solution in swine production.

Keywords: Atrophic rhinitis; Immuno-stimulators; Piglets; Seaweed polysaccharides; Sows; Ulvans.