Effects of essential oil supplementation of a low‐energy diet on performance, intestinal morphology and microflora, immune properties and antioxidant activities in weaned pigs. (9th October 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zeng, Zhikai; Xu, Xiao; Zhang, Qiang; Li, Ping; Zhao, Panfeng; Li, Qingyun; Liu, Jundi; Piao, XiangShu
• Is Part Of: Animal science journal. Volume 86:Number 3(2015:Mar.)
• Page Start: 279
• Page End: 285
• Publication Date: 2014-10-09
• Subjects: Animal culture -- Periodicals; Livestock -- Periodicals; 636
• DOI: 10.1111/asj.12277
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1344-3941

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title>Abstract</title> <p>A total of 144 weaned piglets were used to evaluate the effects of essential oil (EO) supplementation of a low‐energy diet on performance, apparent nutrient digestibility, small intestinal morphology, intestinal microflora, immune properties and antioxidant activities in weaned pigs. Pigs received a low‐energy diet (negative control, NC, digestible energy = 3250 kcal/kg), NC plus 0.025% EO or a positive control diet (PC, digestible energy = 3400 kcal/kg) for 28 days. Growth performance was similar between the EO group and PC group. However, EO supplementation increased (<italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.05) average daily gain and the apparent digestibility of dry matter, crude protein and energy compared with pigs fed the NC diet. Greater (<italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.05) villus height and lower (<italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.05) counts of <italic>Escherichia coli</italic> and total anaerobes in the rectum in the EO group were observed compared with NC or PC groups. Pigs fed EO diet had higher (<italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.05) concentrations of albumin, immunoglobulin A (IgA), IgG and total antioxidant capacity and lower fecal score than pigs fed the PC and NC diets. Above all, this study indicates that supplementation of EO to a low‐energy pig diet has beneficial results and obtains similar performance compared with normal energy (PC) diet.</p> </abstract>