Hongyao Lin and Professor Adam Moeser, Director of the Gastrointestinal Stress Biology Laboratory at Michigan State University, discuss the long-term effects of stress on gut health and productivity in swine.  

The stress response is a normal, beneficial mechanism and some stressors are inherent in the production process, argues Professor Moeser. However, it is clear from studies that too much stress makes animals more susceptible to disease.  

The Professor emphasises that producers should note that stress negatively affects production. Research suggests early life stress has a profound effect on young pigs’ development, as highly stressed early weaners can develop nutrient transport systems that divert resources away from growth.  

In this Pigcast we consider the function of the GI tract as nutrition absorber and significant barrier to disease, looking at the stress mechanisms that make the gut more ‘leaky’. They examine the impact of biological sex on stress response and it’s fascinating implications for disease immunity and effective vaccination.