Journal
JOURNAL OF THE SCIENCE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE
Volume 97, Issue 12, Pages 4103-4109Publisher
WILEY
DOI: 10.1002/jsfa.8277
Keywords
phytosterols; growth; immunity; anti-inflammatory activity; weaned piglets
Funding
- Special Fund for Agro-scientific Research in the Public Interest of China [201403047]
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Science Project [2015C03006, 2015C02G2010061]
Ask authors/readers for more resources
BACKGROUNDPhytosterols (PS), plant-derived natural steroid compounds, are novel feed additives to regulate immune function and promote pig growth. This study was conducted to determine the effects of PS on the immune response of weaned piglets. RESULTSOne hundred and twenty crossbred (DurocxLandracexYorkshire) piglets with an average initial weight of 9.580.26kg were randomly allotted to three treatments. Treatments consisted of a control, PS (0.2gkg(-1)) and polymyxin E (0.04gkg(-1), antibiotic control) treatment. The results showed that PS or polymyxin E supplementation remarkably decreased diarrhea rate and elevated CD3(+)CD4(+)/CD3(+)CD8(+) ratio in piglets compared with the control (P < 0.05). PS increased basophil and serum interleukin-4, and caused a shift towards Th2 profile by decreasing Th1/Th2 ratios in piglets compared with control (P < 0.05). Polymyxin E contributed to an increase in interleukin-10 compared with the control (P < 0.05). No significant difference was observed in the amount of Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium or Escherichia coli of jejunum among the three treatments (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION These results suggest that PS supplementation has no significant effect on growth but could remarkably decrease diarrhea rate, and improve immunity and anti-inflammatory activity in weaned piglets. In addition, PS supplementation had similar effects on growth, anti-inflammation and intestinal microorganisms as supplementation with polymyxin E in piglets. (c) 2017 Society of Chemical Industry
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available