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Agriculture
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Regulation of Gut Microbiota to Improve Pig Health and Growth
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Regulation of Gut Microbiota to Improve Pig Health and Growth

A special issue of Agriculture (ISSN 2077-0472). This special issue belongs to the section "Farm Animal Production".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 October 2026 | Viewed by 1613

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Jianping Quan

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
Interests: gut microbiota; pig growth; pig health; microbiota modulation; host-microbe interaction; probiotics and postbiotics; bacteriophage
Dr. Gong Li

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor Assistant
College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
Interests: transmission mechanisms and prevention of antimicrobial resistance; synthetic microbiomes; disease-resistant nutrition research based on precise intervention of gut microbiomes

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The gut microbiota is increasingly recognized as a pivotal factor influencing pig growth, feed efficiency, immune function and overall health. Accumulating evidence has shown that targeted modulation of the gut microbial composition can provide effective strategies to enhance productivity and disease resistance in pig production. Historically, approaches to manipulate the microbiota focused on dietary interventions and probiotics, but recent advances now allow precise modulation at multiple levels, including host genetics, specific microbial strains and bacteriophages.

This Special Issue aims to provide a comprehensive platform for exploring innovative strategies to modulate the gut microbiota for improving pig growth and health. We welcome studies that investigate the mechanisms underlying host–microbiota interactions, as well as interventions that leverage diet, functional microbes, microbial consortia and phage-based approaches to achieve desirable microbiota composition and function.

Cutting-edge research employing multi-omics, integrative modeling and mechanistic studies that reveal causal links between microbiota modulation and host performance is highly encouraged. We are soliciting original research articles, review papers, and opinions that contribute to understanding and developing effective microbiota-targeted interventions. This Special Issue seeks to highlight both fundamental insights and applied strategies that support sustainable, efficient, and health-oriented pig production, fostering a multidisciplinary exchange among animal science, microbiology, nutrition and veterinary fields.

Dr. Jianping Quan
Guest Editor

Dr. Gong Li
Guest Editor Assistant

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Agriculture is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • gut microbiota
  • pig growth
  • pig health
  • microbiota modulation
  • host-microbe interaction
  • probiotics and postbiotics
  • bacteriophage

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Review

24 pages, 2587 KB  
Review
Regulating Gut Microbiota in Post-Weaned Pigs: The Role of Digestive Capacity and Substrate Flow
by Kathryn Ruth Connolly, Shane Maher, Torres Sweeney and John V. O’Doherty
Agriculture 2026, 16(11), 1244; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture16111244 - 5 Jun 2026
Viewed by 331
Abstract
In commercial pig production systems, early weaning imposes abrupt nutritional, environmental and social challenges before full gastrointestinal maturation has occurred, increasing susceptibility to post-weaning diarrhoea (PWD) and impaired growth performance. Although enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) is frequently implicated in PWD, pathogen presence alone [...] Read more.
In commercial pig production systems, early weaning imposes abrupt nutritional, environmental and social challenges before full gastrointestinal maturation has occurred, increasing susceptibility to post-weaning diarrhoea (PWD) and impaired growth performance. Although enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) is frequently implicated in PWD, pathogen presence alone does not adequately explain variation in disease expression among pigs and production systems. Increasing evidence indicates that gastrointestinal stability following weaning is determined by interactions among digestive capacity, substrate flow, microbial metabolism, epithelial integrity and host immune responses. In this review, substrate flow refers to the quantity, composition and regional distribution of undigested dietary and endogenous substrates moving through the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) and becoming available for microbial fermentation. The review proposes substrate flow as the central mechanistic interface linking digestive physiology with microbial metabolic activity during the post-weaning transition. Commercial weaning frequently occurs before complete adaptation to cereal- and plant-based diets has developed. Reduced feed intake, elevated gastric pH, incomplete pancreatic adaptation and reduced brush-border enzyme activity impair nutrient digestion during this transition, increasing nutrient overflow to the distal intestine. Under these conditions, microbial metabolism shifts from predominantly saccharolytic fermentation towards proteolytic pathways associated with production of ammonia, phenols, indoles and branched-chain fatty acids. These metabolites impair epithelial integrity, alter luminal conditions and favour proliferation of opportunistic bacteria. Conversely, effective digestion supports saccharolytic fermentation, short-chain fatty acid production, epithelial integrity and microbial stability. Microbial dysbiosis is therefore more accurately interpreted as a metabolic consequence of altered substrate availability and fermentation dynamics rather than solely as a compositional imbalance of bacterial taxa. By integrating digestive physiology, microbial ecology and nutritional management, the substrate-flow concept provides a mechanistic framework for development of more biologically coherent nutritional strategies aimed at improving gastrointestinal resilience and reducing antimicrobial reliance in modern pig production systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Regulation of Gut Microbiota to Improve Pig Health and Growth)
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22 pages, 1131 KB  
Review
Biological Function of Melatonin in the Gut and Its Systemic Effects in Swine Production: A Review
by Xie Peng, Zhengfen Ai, Huiyu Liu, Weihuang Tan, Zhifu Cui, Jiaman Pang, Yetong Xu, Zhenguo Yang and Zhihong Sun
Agriculture 2026, 16(6), 632; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture16060632 - 10 Mar 2026
Viewed by 871
Abstract
Melatonin, an indoleamine hormone, not only regulates circadian rhythms but also exhibits antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, and metabolic regulatory properties. It has attracted significant global research attention due to its well-documented potential in cancer prevention, anti-aging effects, alleviating insomnia, and mitigating metabolic disorders. In [...] Read more.
Melatonin, an indoleamine hormone, not only regulates circadian rhythms but also exhibits antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, and metabolic regulatory properties. It has attracted significant global research attention due to its well-documented potential in cancer prevention, anti-aging effects, alleviating insomnia, and mitigating metabolic disorders. In recent years, the functional significance of intestinal melatonin has emerged as a focal point, driven by the discovery that its concentration in the gut exceeds that found in the pineal gland by at least 400-fold. In addition, melatonin has been widely studied in animal husbandry for its potential to enhance growth performance, improve reproductive outcomes, and maintain intestinal homeostasis. This review article summarizes the localization, synthesis, and biological functions of melatonin in the gut, along with the latest research advances and their application in swine production. This review is expected to serve as a reference for the potential application of melatonin as an experimental nutritional intervention in livestock production and to outline future research directions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Regulation of Gut Microbiota to Improve Pig Health and Growth)
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