animals Review The Potential for Sialic Acid and Sialylated Glycoconjugates as Feed Additives to Enhance Pig Health and Production Marefa Jahan, Nidhish Francis , Peter Wynn and Bing Wang *   Citation: Jahan, M.; Francis, N.; Wynn, P.; Wang, B. The Potential for Sialic Acid and Sialylated Glycoconjugates as Feed Additives to Enhance Pig Health and Production. Animals 2021, 11, 2318. https:// doi.org/10.3390/ani11082318 Academic Editor: Clive J. C. Phillips Received: 28 June 2021 Accepted: 3 August 2021 Published: 5 August 2021 Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affil- iations. Copyright: © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by/ 4.0/). Graham Centre for Agricultural Innovation, School of Agricultural, Environmental and Veterinary Sciences, Charles Sturt University, Locked Bag 588, Wagga Wagga, NSW 2678, Australia; mjahan@csu.edu.au (M.J.); nfrancis@csu.edu.au (N.F.); pwynn@csu.edu.au (P.W.) * Correspondence: biwang@csu.edu.au; Tel.: +61-2-6933-4549 Simple Summary: This review discusses the current challenges in the pig industry and the potential nutritional significance of sialic acid (Sia) and glycoconjugates (Sia-GC’s) for pig health and nutrition. Sia is a nine-carbon acidic sugar which is present in various organs and body fluids of humans and animals. Sias contribute to many beneficial biological functions including pathogen resistance, immunomodulation, gut microbiota development, gut maturation, anti-inflammation and neurode- velopment. The role of Sias in regulating the metabolism of pigs has seldom been reported. However, we have documented significant beneficial effects of specific Sia-GC’s on health and production performance of sows and piglets. These findings are reviewed in relation to other studies while noting the beneficial effects of the inclusion of Sia, Sia containing oligosaccharide or the sialo-protein lactoferrin in the diets of gilts and sows. The importance of the passive transfer of of Sia and Sia-GC’s through milk to the young and the implications for their growth and development is also reviewed. This information will assist in optimizing the composition of sow/gilt milk replacers designed to increases the survival of IUGR piglets or piglets with dams suffering from agalactia, a common problem in pig production systems worldwide. Abstract: Swine are one of the most important agricultural species for human food production. Given the significant disease challenges confronting commercial pig farming systems, introduction of a new feed additive that can enhance animal performance by improving growth and immune status represents a major opportunity. One such candidate is sialic acid (Sia), a diverse family of nine-carbon acidic sugar, present in various organs and body fluid, as well as an essential structural and functional constituent of brain ganglioside of humans and animals. Sias are key monosaccharide and biomarker of sialylated milk oligosaccharide (Sia-MOS’s), sialylated glycoproteins and glycolipids in milk and all vertebrate cells. Sias accomplish many critical endogenous functions by virtue of their physiochemical properties and via recognition by intrinsic receptors. Human milk sialylated glycoconjugates (Sia- GC’s) are bioactive compounds known to act as prebiotics that promote gut microbiota development, gut maturation, pathogen resistance, immunomodulation, anti-inflammation and neurodevelopment. However, the importance of Sia in pig health, especially in the growth, development, immunity of developing piglet and in pig production remains unknown. This review aims to critically discuss the current status of knowledge of the biology and nutritional role of Sia and Sia-GC’s on health of both female sow and newborn piglets. Keywords: sialic acids; oligosaccharide; lactoferrin; ganglioside; pig; health; production 1. Introduction In the swine industry, several factors including neonatal mortality, weaner ill-thrift, infectious and non-infectious diseases can negatively affect pig populations worldwide. In addition, improvements in management practices, disease control and vaccination programs, nutritional supplementation is an effective strategy that can be implemented to Animals 2021, 11, 2318. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11082318 https://www.mdpi.com/journal/animals