The Effect of Lactobacillus paracasei and Raftilose P95 Upon the Non-specific Immune Response of Piglets

This work was focused on the effects of administration of Lactobacillus paracasei and the fructooligosaccharide (FOS) Raftilose P95 upon the immune system of piglets 10 days after birth and 10 days after weaning under standard farming conditions. The piglets were divided into three groups of 30 animals: F – combined application of Lc. paracasei and Raftilose P95; L – application of Lc. paracasei only; C – control group without treatment. In the first phase of the experiment, group L revealed a significantly higher value in total absolute leukocyte (Le) counts (P < 0.01) as well as in neutrophil counts (Ne), CD2⁺ , CD4⁺ T lymphocyte and B lymphocyte counts (P < 0.05) compared to group F. Significant differences (P < 0.05) were obtained in phagocyte activity of leukocytes (%PA Le) and in phagocyte activity of neutrophils (%PA Ne) when groups C and F were compared. At the time of weaning in comparison with newborn piglets a tendency to increase the parameters under observation was seen in group F with a simultaneous decrease of most indices in group L and in the control group. A significant difference (P < 0.05) in favour of the combined treatment compared to simple lactobacilli application was observed in absolute numbers of CD4⁺ T lymphocytes and B lymphocytes. In the second phase of the experiment – application after weaning – the counts of total anaerobes (TAn) and total aerobes (TA) in the faeces of animals receiving the combined treatment (F) were significantly higher (P < 0.05) when compared to the lactobacillus-only treated piglets (L) and to untreated piglets (C). In the case of total lactobacilli (TLc), the value in group F was significantly higher (P < 0.05) compared to group L (P < 0.01) and compared to the control group. Application of FOS Raftilose P95 seems to be a suitable method for fortification of the beneficial effects of probiotic bacteria especially during changes of the intestinal microflora composition, e.g. during weaning.