PubMed · 2026-06-15
A compound extracted from milkvetch (Astragalus membranaceus) acts as a prebiotic in sows, feeding gut bacteria that produce butyrate, which in turn reduces inflammation and metabolic stress around the time of birth. Supplementing sows with the extract improved piglet weaning weights, cut maternal fat loss, and shortened the interval before sows returned to reproductive cycling.
APS fermentation raised butyrate production to 22.04 mmol/L in vitro, enriching butyrate-producing genera including Muribaculaceae and Lachnospiraceae (P < 0.05)
Sows supplemented with 10 g/day APS from gestational day 90 had reduced postpartum IL-6 and reactive oxygen species, less backfat loss during lactation, and a shorter post-weaning estrus interval
A sodium butyrate rescue experiment confirmed butyrate as the key mediator linking APS-driven microbiome shifts to reduced perinatal metabolic syndrome
