Eucommia Ulmoides Flavones as Antibiotic Alternatives in a Low-protein Diet Improve Growth Performance and Intestinal Health in Weaning Piglets
Abstract Background Eucommia ulmoides flavones (EUF), have been demonstrated to attenuate the inflammation and oxidative stress of piglets. This study was designed to test whether EUF could be as an antibiotic alternative to support growth performance and maintain intestinal health in weanling-piglets. Weaned-piglets (n = 480) were assigned into 3 groups and fed with a low-protein basal diet (NC), or supplementation with antibiotics (PC) or 0.1‰ EUF (EUF). Blood, intestinal contents and intestine were collected on d-15 and d-35, respectively. Results The results showed that the body weight on d-35, average daily gain and gain : feed from d 15 to d 35 and d 0 to d 35 in piglets of PC and EUF treatments were higher than (p < 0.05) these in NC treatment, whereas PC and EUF treatments decreased (p < 0.05) the diarrhea index of weanling piglets. Dietary supplementation of EUF significantly enhanced (p < 0.05) the serum concentrations of total protein, alanine transaminase and the immunoglobulin G on d-15 of piglets compared to piglets in NC treatment. EUF supplementation increased (p < 0.05) the jejunal and ileal villus height and the population of ileal lactic acid bacteria on d-15 but remarkable decreased (p < 0.05) the population of ileal coliform bacteria on d-15 and d-35. Conclusion These findings indicated the antibiotic alternative capacity of EUF in piglets exhibiting by improving growth performance and intestinal morphology, decreasing colonization of coliform bacteria and diarrhea index in weanling piglets.