To our best knowledge, no studies have been conducted
to evaluate the effects of dietary inulin in gestating
and lactating sows. However, this aspect might be
interesting, since a modulation of the intestinal microbiota
of the mother sows might also affect the bacterial
community in the intestinal tract of their piglets. This
sow-piglet-axis is particularly relevant, since the physiological
condition of suckling piglets is closely connected
with the mother sows in the first weeks of life, including
energy and nutrient supply [10-12], immunological protection
[13] and the microbial colonisation of the gastrointestinal
tract [14]. Previous studies have demonstrated
that a probiotic treatment of sows altered the composition
of the intestinal microbiota in their offspring [15-17].
However, no study has evaluated the potential of prebiotics
with regard to the sow-piglet-axis up to now