A summary of the studies using the piglet model
| Author | Title | NEC protocol | Gestational age (days) | Area of study |
| Robinson et al30 | Prematurity reduces citrulline- arginine-nitric oxide production and precedes the onset of necrotizing enterocolitis in piglets | Piglets gavaged with formula, and tracer induced TPN for 42 hours, starting day 3 of life (DOL) | 103 | Effects of tracers including citrulline, arginine, and nitric oxide in lowering the Incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis |
| 110 | ||||
| 114 | ||||
| Zamora et al15 | Low abdominal near-infared spectroscopy values and elevated plasma intestinal fatty acid-binding protein in a premature piglet model of necrotizing enterocolitis | Piglets gavaged with 3–5 mL/kg/h of infant formula every 3 hours for 48 hours starting on day of life 3 | 103 | Detecting necrotizing enterocolitis prior to the onset of clinical symptoms through continuous abdominal near-infrared spectroscopy measurements |
| Burrin et al31 | Delayed initiation but not gradual advancement of enteral formula feeding reduces the incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis in preterm pigs | Early abrupt group: gavaged with formula every 3 hours starting day of life 2, late abrupt: gavaged with formula every 3 hours starting day of life 5 | 103 | Early versus late initiation and abrupt versus gradual advancement of enteral feeding of an intact versus hydrolyzed protein formula on incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis |
| Burrin et al32 | Near-infrared spectroscopy measurement of abdominal tissue oxygenation is a useful indicator of intestinal blood flow and necrotizing enterocolitis in premature piglets | Piglets gavaged with cow’s milk formula every 3 hours after 72 hours of life. Piglets attached to abdominal near-infared spectroscopy probe for continuous monitoring | 105–107 | Developing a non-invasive method for early detection for necrotizing enterocolitis using near-infrared spectroscopy probes |
| Sun et al33 | Necrotizing enterocolitis is associated with acute brain responses in preterm pigs | Gavaged with increasing doses of human donor milk for 8 days, starting day of life 0 | 106 | The effects of necrotizing enterocolitis lesions on the neuro development of the hippocampus |
| Jensen et al16 | Similar efficacy of human banked milk and bovine colostrum to decrease incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis in preterm piglets | Piglets gavaged with either human donor milk, bovine colostrum, and infant formula every 2 hours, starting day of life 3 | 105 | Developing supplemental replacements for formula |
| Bjornvad et al34 | Enteral feeding induces diet-dependent mucosal dysfunction, bacterial proliferation, and necrotizing enterocolitis in preterm pigs | Piglets gavaged with either porcine colostrum, bovine colostrum, or infant formula every 3 hours, starting day of life 0 for 20–40 hours | 105–108 | Effects of formula on the incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis |
| Buddington et al35 | The risk of necrotizing enterocolitis differs among preterm pigs fed formulas with either lactose or maltodextrin | Piglets gavaged with colostrum, lactose, and maltodextrin | 105 | Removing maltodextrin in formula to lower incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis |
| Good et al36 | Lactobacillus rhamnoses HN001 decreases the severity of necrotizing enterocolitis in neonatal mice and preterm piglets: evidence in mice for a role of TLR9 | Piglets were gavaged with 15 mL/kg of formula every 3 hours for 4 days containing Lactobacillus rhamnoses DNA or live Lactobacillus rhamnoses | 105–108 | Potential of lactobacillus rhamnoses in lowering the incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis |