Feeding Strategies to Improve the Health or Development of Piglets

Dear Colleagues,

It is well accepted that the early-life phase of piglets is a pivotal window for shaping their health, growth trajectory, and resilience to stressors, particularly during the challenging transition from suckling and weaning. This Special Issue focuses on cutting-edge nutritional interventions designed to address critical issues such as gut dysbiosis, immune immaturity, and metabolic disruptions. Contributions will highlight advances in functional feed additives (e.g., postbiotics, phytogenics, enzymes, etc.), precision-formulated diets, and strategies to enhance nutrient digestibility and health status of piglets. Emphasis is placed on the interplay between maternal dietary programming and offspring outcomes, as well as sustainable approaches to reduce reliance on antibiotics. By bridging foundational research with practical applications, this collection aims to empower producers and researchers to optimize piglet health, mitigate post-weaning morbidity, and support the global shift toward ethical, efficient swine production systems.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas include the following:

1. Gestation and lactation nutrition interventions on piglets’ development;
2. Functional feed additives or strategies to enhance nutrient digestibility or health status of piglets;
3. Sustainable approaches to reduce reliance on antibiotics;
4. Interventions on post-weaning diarrhea;
5. Environmental stressors (heat stress, poor sanitation, overcrowding, etc.) on the health status of piglets
6. Nutritional imbalances, such as deficiencies in vitamins (A-, D-, E-, and B-complex), minerals (iron and selenium), or amino acids, leading to anemia and poor immunity；
7. Precise feeding and gut microbiome manipulation in the early stages of life.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Chunyan Xie
Prof. Dr. Jing Wang
Guest Editors

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