Evaluation of 6′-Sialyllactose Sodium Salt Supplementation to Formula on Growth and Clinical Parameters in Neonatal Piglets

Abstract

Oligosaccharides are complex, non-digestible glycans found in large abundance in human milk. The abundance and the profile of bovine milk oligosaccharides and bovine milk based in infant formula differ from those in human milk. Recently, some human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) have been supplemented to infant formula, however, not all forms have been available in large scale. The objective of the study was to investigate the dose-dependent effects of an enzymatically-synthesized 6′-sialyllactose (6′-SL) sodium salt supplemented to swine milk replacer on growth, hematological parameters, and organ microscopic assessment in our pre-clinical neonatal pig model. Two-day-old male and female pigs (n = 47) were provided one of four experimental diets for 21 days. Diets were formulated to contain 0 (CON), 300 (LOW), 600 (MOD), or 1200 (HIGH) mg/L of 6′-SL sodium salt. On days 8 and 22, samples were collected for hematological and histological analyses. Supplemental 6′-SL sodium salt at all doses supported growth and development comparable to those observed in control animals. In addition, serum chemistries, hematology, and organ microscopic structure were unaffected by 6′-SL (p > 0.05). Thus, addition of enzymatically-synthesized 6′-SL to a milk replacer formula supported growth and clinical outcomes similar to the control formula in the neonatal piglet.