scholarly journals Eucommia Ulmoides Flavones as Potential Alternatives to Antibiotic Growth Promoters in a Low-protein Diet Improve Growth Performance and Intestinal Health in Weaning Piglets

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daixiu Yuan ◽  
Jing Wang ◽  
Dingfu Xiao ◽  
Jiefeng Li ◽  
Yanhong Liu ◽  
...  

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 used as an antibiotic growth promoter 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 (75 mg/kg quinocetone, 20 mg/kg virginomycin and 50 mg/kg aureomycin, PC) or 0.01% EUF (EUF). Blood, intestinal contents and intestine were collected on d-15 and d-35 after weaning, respectively. Results: The results showed that the body weight on d-35, average daily gain and gain : feed ratio 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 the initial body weight among 3 treatments were consistent. 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 villus height : crypt depth ratio, 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 EUF, as the potential alternative to in-feed antibiotic growth promoter, could improve growth performance and intestinal morphology, decreasing colonization of coliform bacteria and diarrhea index in weanling piglets.

Animals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 1998
Author(s):  
Daixiu Yuan ◽  
Jing Wang ◽  
Dingfu Xiao ◽  
Jiefeng Li ◽  
Yanhong Liu ◽  
...  

Eucommia ulmoides flavones (EUF) have been demonstrated to attenuate the inflammation and oxidative stress of piglets. This study aimed to test whether EUF could be used as an alternative antibiotic growth promoter to support growth performance and maintain intestinal health in weanling piglets. Weaned piglets (n = 480) were assigned into three groups and fed with a low-protein basal diet (NC), or supplementation with antibiotics (PC) or 0.01% EUF (EUF). Blood, intestinal contents, and intestine were collected on days 15 and 35 after weaning. The results showed the PC and EUF supplementations increased (p < 0.05) body weight on day 35, average daily gain and gain: feed ratio from day 15 to day 35 and day 0 to day 35, whereas decreased (p < 0.05) the diarrhea index of weanling piglets. EUF treatment increased (p < 0.05) jejunal villus height: crypt depth ratio, jejunal and ileal villus height, and population of ileal lactic acid bacteria on day 15 but decreased (p < 0.05) the population of ileal coliform bacteria on day 15 and day 35. These findings indicated the EUF, as the potential alternative to in-feed antibiotic growth promoter, could improve growth performance and intestinal morphology, and decrease colonization of coliform bacteria and diarrhea index in weanling piglets.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daixiu Yuan ◽  
Jing Wang ◽  
Dingfu Xiao ◽  
Jiefeng Li ◽  
Yanhong Liu ◽  
...  

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.


2013 ◽  
Vol 58 (No. 10) ◽  
pp. 470-478 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Foltyn ◽  
V. Rada ◽  
M. Lichovníková ◽  
I. Šafařík ◽  
A. Lohniský ◽  
...  

The influence of different levels of extruded full-fat soybean (EFFSB) in the diet on growth performance, apparent ileal amino acids digestibility (AIAAD), intestinal morphology, and trypsin activity in digesta of broilers was determined. In the first experiment, two-hundred sixty ROSS 308 male chickens were used to investigate the effect of EFFSB on growth performance, intestinal morphology, and trypsin activity in the digesta and AIAAD. Five dietary treatments were used, containing 0, 40, 80, 120, and 160 g/kg of EFFSB. The experiment lasted from day 10 till day 38 of age. The inclusion of EFFSB at the level of 160 g/kg in the diet significantly (P &lt; 0.05) decreased final body weight (2443 g in 0 group vs. 2093 in 160 group) and worsened feed efficiency. AIAAD was lower when diet contained more than 40 g/kg EFFSB. But at the level of 160 g/kg AIAAD increased in several amino acids (threonine, isoleucine, leucine, histidine). Trypsin activity increased with increasing EFFSB in the diets. There were no significant (P &gt; 0.05) differences in AIAAD between groups 80, 120, and 160. Villus height (groups 0: 966.2; 4: 852.1; 8: 792.6; 12: 836.3; 16: 926.7 &micro;m) and crypt depth (groups&nbsp;0: 160.1; 4: 134.8; 8: 122.9; 12: 129.5; 16: 134.6 &micro;m) of ileum decreased with inclusion of EFFSB in the diet, but villi/crypt ratio increased. In the second experiment, male chickens ROSS 308 were divided into 4&nbsp;groups with 2 replicates per 100 chicks each. The groups were fed 0, 40, 80, and 120 g/kg of EFFSB. The experiment lasted from day 10 till day 38 of age. Final body weight (2594 g in 0 group vs. 2624 g in 120 group) was not significantly (P &gt; 0.05) affected by the diet. The study showed that EFFSB at the level of 120 g/kg in grower broiler diet had no adverse effect on performance. &nbsp;


Animals ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 226 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gervais Ndazigaruye ◽  
Da-Hye Kim ◽  
Chang-Won Kang ◽  
Kyung-Rae Kang ◽  
Yong-Jin Joo ◽  
...  

Dietary exogenous proteases (ENZ) can be used in poultry production to improve the growth of chickens fed low-protein (LP) diets. We hypothesized that ENZ supplemented in an LP diet would improve growth performance and physiological response in broilers for 8–35 days. To investigate this, we used a 2 × 2 factorial design with crude protein (CP, normal diet (NP) and LP) and ENZ. The LP diet contained low in 1% CP and ca. 8–12% amino acids compared to the NP diet and both NP and LP diets were added without or with (1 g/kg of diet) ENZ. We randomly allocated 720 1-week-old Ross 308 male chicks to 48 pens and experimental diets. At 21 days, dietary ENZ, but not CP, increased (p = 0.007) live body weight. Body weight gain from 8–21 days was affected (p = 0.006) by dietary ENZ, but was not affected (p = 0.210) by CP. The feed conversion ratio was affected by both CP and ENZ during the starter period (p < 0.05), by ENZ (p = 0.034) during the finisher period, and by CP (p < 0.001) during the whole period. However, the interaction between CP and ENZ did not significantly affect growth performance (p > 0.05). Dietary ENZ increased (p = 0.013) the relative weight of liver at 21 days. CP and ENZ affected (p = 0.043) total short-chain fatty acids at 21 days. However, this effect was not seen (p = 0.888) at 35 days. Dietary CP increased (p < 0.05) the serum concentrations of both uric acid and creatinine in broilers. We concluded that dietary ENZ is more beneficial to younger broilers, independent of CP levels, and that its effect was restricted to body weight and the feed conversion ratio.


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zehe Song ◽  
Kaihuan Xie ◽  
Yunlu Zhang ◽  
Qian Xie ◽  
Xi He ◽  
...  

The restriction and banning of antibiotics in farm animal feed has led to a search for promising substitutes for antibiotics to promote growth and maintain health for livestock and poultry. Ginsenoside Rg1, which is one of the most effective bioactive components in ginseng, has been reported to have great potential to improve the anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative status of animals. In this study, 360 Chinese indigenous broiler chickens with close initial body weight were divided into 5 groups. Each group contained 6 replicates and each replicate had 12 birds. The experimental groups were: the control group, fed with the basal diet; the antibiotic group, fed basal diet + 300 mg/kg 15% chlortetracycline; and three Rg1 supplementation groups, fed with basal diet + 100, 200, and 300 mg/kg ginsenoside Rg1, respectively. The growth performance, immune function, and intestinal health of birds were examined at early (day 1–28) and late (day 29–51) stages. Our results showed that dietary supplementation of 300 mg/kg ginsenoside Rg1 significantly improved the growth performance for broilers, particularly at the late stage, including an increase in final body weight and decrease of feed conversion ratio (P &lt; 0.05). Additionally, the integrity of intestinal morphology (Villus height, Crypt depth, and Villus height/Crypt depth) and tight junction (ZO-1 and Occludin), and the secretion of sIgA in the intestine were enhanced by the supplementation of Rg1 in chicken diet (P &lt; 0.05). The immune organ index showed that the weight of the thymus, spleen, and bursa was significantly increased at the early stage in ginsenoside Rg1 supplementation groups (P &lt; 0.05). Our findings might demonstrate that ginsenoside Rg1 could serve as a promising antibiotic alternative to improve the growth performance and gut health for broiler chickens mainly through its amelioration of inflammatory and oxidative activities.


Author(s):  
Mei Yang ◽  
Yexin Yin ◽  
Fang Wang ◽  
Xuetai Bao ◽  
Lina Long ◽  
...  

Abstract Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) extract (RE) has multiple pharmacological and biological activities, including use as a food additive and medicine. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary RE supplementation on the growth performance, nutrient digestibility, antioxidant capacity, intestinal morphology and microbiota of weaning piglets. A total of 192 crossbred weaned piglets [Duroc × (Large White × Landrace)] (initial body weight = 6.65 ± 0.33 kg, weaned days = 23 ± 1 d) were group housed (six pigs per pen; n = 8 pens/treatment). Pigs were fed a corn-soybean meal-based control diet or the basal diet supplemented with 100, 200 or 400 mg/kg RE. Pigs were allowed ad libitum access to fed for 21-d. The growth performance and apparent total tract digestibility of nutrients, and intestinal morphology and antioxidant status were evaluated. The components of the microbial microflora were also determined in the cecal samples. Compared with the control, dietary supplementation with RE increased the final body weight, average daily gain and average daily feed intake (linear, P = 0.038, 0.016, and 0.009, respectively), and decreased the diarrhea ratio in piglets (linear, P &lt; 0.05). The digestibility of crude protein (linear, P = 0.034) and gross energy (linear, P = 0.046) increased with treatment with RE. Piglets fed RE showed longer villus height (linear, P = 0.037 and 0.028, respectively) and villus height/crypt depth (linear, P = 0.004 and 0.012; quadratic, P = 0.023 and 0.036, respectively) in the jejunum and ileum, in addition to a lesser crypt depth in the jejunum (linear, P = 0.019) and ileum (quadratic, P = 0.042). The addition of RE increased the activity of superoxide dismutase (linear, P = 0.035 and 0.008 respectively) and glutathione peroxidase activity (linear, P = 0.027 and 0.039 respectively), and decreased the content of malondialdehyde (linear, P = 0.041 and 0.013; quadratic, P = 0.023 and 0.005 respectively) in the serum and liver. Dietary RE supplementation, compared with the control, increased the number of Bifidobacterium (linear, P = 0.034) and Bacteroidetes (linear, P = 0.029), while decreased Escherichia coli (linear, P = 0.008; quadratic, P = 0.014) in the cecal contents. Thus, dietary RE supplementation can improve growth performance, nutrient digestibility, antioxidant capacity, intestinal morphology and the microbiota in weaned piglets, and 200 mg/kg may be considered the optimum dosage.


2019 ◽  
Vol 97 (Supplement_3) ◽  
pp. 283-284
Author(s):  
Li Wang ◽  
Yunxia Xiong ◽  
Hongbo Yi ◽  
Xiaolu Wen ◽  
Kaiguo Gao ◽  
...  

Abstract Heat stress can affect growth performance and some physiological metabolism in finishing pigs. In this study, we investigated the effects of intermittent heat stress and arginine on the growth performance, intestinal health and liver metabolism of finishing pigs. Forty-eight Landrace barrow pigs (about 70kg) were randomly assigned to 6 groups, each group 8 pigs. The pigs were treated as follows: (1) LR (fed ad libitum at 22°C), (2) HR (ad libitum fed at 35°C), (3) LL(at 22°C, but fed the amount consumed by those kept at 35°C), (4) LR+1% Arg, (5) HR+1%Arg, (6) LL+1%Arg. The temperature of HR and HR+1%Arg groups was controlled for cycles of 35 ± 2 ℃ for 12 hours, 22 ± 2 ℃ for the other 12 hours. The experiment lasted for 30 days. The results showed that the ADFI and ADG of pigs in LR group were much higher than those in HR group or LL group, the latter having the highest F:G (P &lt; 0.05). Jejunal HE staining results showed that heat stress decreased the villus height of jejunum and villus height to crypt depth ratio, adding 1% arginine can alleviate the damage by heat stress (P &lt; 0.05). Heat stress decreased the abundance of transcripts of tight junction protein ZO-1, occludin and mucin-2 in the mucosa of the jejunum (P &lt; 0.05). Moreover, dietary arginine supplementation increased occludin transcripts (P &lt; 0.05). The results of hepatic metabolomics showed that heat stress significantly affected the metabolism of carbohydrate, energy and protein of liver (P &lt; 0.05). In conclusion, these data indicated that intermittent heat stress has negatively influence on the intestinal health and liver metabolism of finishing pigs, and adding 1% arginine had a positive effect on intestinal mucosal morphology caused by heat stress.


Animals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 703
Author(s):  
Jae-Cheol Jang ◽  
Kwang Kim ◽  
Young Jang ◽  
Yoo Kim

The experiment aimed to investigate the effects of dietary β-mannanase supplementation on growth performance, apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of nutrients, intestinal integrity, and the immunological and oxidative stress parameters in weaning pigs. A total of 64 newly weaning pigs (initial body weight: 6.96 ± 0.70 kg) were allotted to two dietary treatments in eight replicates per treatment with four pigs per pen based on body weight and sex. Dietary treatments were 1.) CON (control: corn-soybean meal based basal diet) and 2.) β-mannanase (basal diet +0.06% β-mannanase). The β-mannanase supplementation did not affect growth performance, concentrations of acute phase protein, superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase. However, the pigs fed the β-mannanase-supplemented diet had greater ATTD of ether extract, jejunum villus height, and villus height-to-crypt depth ratio, and lower crypt depth compared with those fed the CON diet (p < 0.05). The pigs fed the β-mannanase-supplemented diet tended to have the lower count of E. coli in cecum than those fed the CON diet (p = 0.08). In conclusion, dietary β-mannanase supplementation did not affect growth performance, immune response and oxidative stress of weaning pigs, whereas it increased fat digestibility and had positive effects on intestinal integrity and cecum microflora by reducing the count of E.coli.


2015 ◽  
Vol 87 (3) ◽  
pp. 411-418 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yanrong Long ◽  
Sen Lin ◽  
Jiatao Zhu ◽  
Xiaoxue Pang ◽  
Zhengfeng Fang ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
Yuxia Chen ◽  
Yining Xie ◽  
Ruqing Zhong ◽  
Hui Han ◽  
Lei Liu ◽  
...  

Abstract The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of xylo-oligosaccharides (XOS) supplementation on growth performance, serum parameters, small intestinal morphology, intestinal mucosal integrity, and immune function in weaned piglets. A total of 240 weaned piglets with an average body weight (BW) of 8.82 ± 0.05 kg (28 d of age) were assigned randomly to 4 dietary treatments in a 28-d trial, including a control diet (CON), 3 diets with XOS supplementation at the concentration of 100, 500 and 1000 mg/kg (XOS100, XOS500, and XOS1000). There were 4 replicates per treatment with 15 pigs per pen. From d 1 to 14, there were no differences (P &gt; 0.05) in average daily gain (ADG), average daily feed intake (ADFI), and gain to feed ratio (G:F) during the different treatments. The different doses of XOS showed a quadratic effect on BW on d 28, ADG and G:F d 1-28 of piglets (P &lt; 0.05). From d 15 to 28, ADG of pigs fed the XOS500 diet was higher (P &lt; 0.05) than pigs fed the CON diet. During the overall period (d 1 to 28), pigs fed the XOS500 diet had a higher BW, ADG and G:F than pigs fed the CON diet (P &lt; 0.05). In addition, compared with the CON group, the XOS500 group had significantly higher serum total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) and catalase (CAT) levels and lower malondialdehyde (MDA) levels on d 14 and 28 (P &lt; 0.05). The serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) concentration in the XOS500 group was also significantly higher compared with the CON group on d 14 and 28 (P &lt;0.05). However, serum immunoglobulin A (IgA) and immunoglobulin M (IgM) were not affected by the dietary treatments. Supplementation of XOS500 to the feed significantly increased the villus height (VH) and villus height to crypt depth ratio (VH:CD) in the jejunum and ileum in comparison with the CON and XOS1000 group. Moreover, the XOS500 group significantly elevated the expression levels of Occludin and zonula occludens protein-1 (ZO-1) in the ileum compared to the CON group. The ileal interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-8 and interferon (IFN)-γ mRNA expression levels in the XOS100 and XOS500 group were markedly lower than in the CON group. In contrast, the ileal IL-10 mRNA expression levels were remarkably higher in the XOS500 than CON group. In conclusion, xylo-oligosaccharides have a beneficial effect on growth performance by improving serum antioxidant defense system, serum IgG, small intestinal structure and intestinal barrier function in weaned piglets.


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