scholarly journals Dietary Supplementation With Bacillus subtilis Promotes Growth and Gut Health of Weaned Piglets

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhilong Tian ◽  
Xiaodan Wang ◽  
Yehui Duan ◽  
Yue Zhao ◽  
Wenming Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bacillus Subtilis ◽  
Dietary Supplementation ◽  
Basal Diet ◽  
Intestinal Morphology ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Gut Health ◽  
Weaned Piglets ◽  
Villus Height ◽  
Expression Of Genes ◽  
Group A

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation with different types of Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis) on the growth and gut health of weaned piglets. A total of 160 piglets were randomly assigned into four groups: control group (a basal diet), BS-A group (a basal diet supplemented with B. subtilis A at 1 × 106 CFU/g feed), BS-B group (a basal diet supplemented with B. subtilis B at 1 × 106 CFU/g feed), and BS-C group (a basal diet supplemented with B. subtilis C at 1 × 106 CFU/g feed). All groups had five replicates with eight piglets per replicate. On days 7, 21, and 42 of the trial, blood plasma and intestinal tissues and digesta samples were collected to determine plasma cytokine concentrations, intestinal morphology, gut microbiota community and metabolic activity, and the expression of genes related to gut physiology and metabolism. The results showed that dietary B. subtilis supplementation improved (P < 0.05) the body weight and average daily gain (in BS-B and BS-C groups) of weaned piglets and decreased (P < 0.05) the diarrhea rates (in BS-A, BS-B, and BS-C groups). In the intestinal morphology analysis, B. subtilis supplementation improved (P < 0.05) the size of villus height and villus height to crypt depth ratio in the ileum of weaned piglets. Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, and Tenericutes were the most dominant microflora in piglets' colon whatever the trial group and time of analysis. Dietary BS-C supplementation increased (P < 0.05) the relative abundances of Anaerovibrio and Bulleidia and decreased (P < 0.05) the relative abundances of Clostridium and Coprococcus compared with the control group. In addition, dietary B. subtilis supplementation increased (P < 0.05) the indicators of intestinal health, including plasma levels of interleukin (IL)-2 and IL-10, as well as the colonic levels of short-chain fatty acids. Furthermore, dietary B. subtilis supplementation also up-regulated (P < 0.05) the expression of genes involved in metabolic pathways related to intestinal microbiota maturation. In conclusion, these findings suggest that a diet containing BS-B or BS-C can efficiently promote growth performance, decrease diarrhea incidence, and ameliorate several indicators of intestinal health through the modulation of gut microbiota composition and metabolic activity in weaned piglets.

scholarly journals PSVI-40 Effects of dietary glucan on intestinal morphology, immunity response, barrier function and antioxidant capacity in weaning pigs

2019 ◽  
Vol 97 (Supplement_3) ◽  
pp. 212-213
Author(s):  
xia xiong ◽  
Lvliang Wu ◽  
Yirui Shao ◽  
Jian zou ◽  
Yulong Yin
Keyword(s):  
Antioxidant Capacity ◽  
Growth Performance ◽  
Mrna Expression ◽  
Dietary Supplementation ◽  
Basal Diet ◽  
Intestinal Morphology ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Gut Health ◽  
Weaned Piglets ◽  
Weaning Piglets

Abstract Glucan has been studied as a potential alternative to antibiotics for animals in recent years. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of dietary glucan on growth performance and gut health of weaning piglets, which is a water-soluble extracellular ꞵ-glucan produced by Agrobacterium sp. ZX09. A total of 108 weaned piglets (21 d of age; 6.05 ± 0.36 kg) were randomly assigned (6 pens/diet; 18 piglets/pen) to 3 dietary treatments consisting of a basal diet (control group) or the basal diet supplemented with 20 ppm olaquindox or 200 ppm glucan for 14 days, respectively. The results showed that piglets fed with glucan had greater (P < 0.05) body weight and average daily gain than piglets in control group. Piglets fed with glucan or antibiotic had greater villus height to crypt depth ratio on duodenum compared with control group (P < 0.05). The mRNA expression of Claudin-1 on duodenum or ileum was higher (P < 0.05) in glucan group than that on the other groups. The mRNA expression of TLR4, MYD88 and NFκB on jejunum were lower (P < 0.05) in glucan or antibiotic group than those in control group. Dietary supplementation with glucan tended to increase the IL-10 and SIgA concentration on ileum (0.05 < P < 0.1). Dietary supplementation with glucan tended to increase the total antioxidant capacity on jejunum (P = 0.093). In conclusion, 200 ppm glucan or 20 ppm olaquindox can improve the growth performance of weaning piglets. The glucan may can accelerate the growth of weaned piglets by improving gut health. This research will provide guidance for the olaquindox alternative on growing piglets.

scholarly journals Dietary supplementation with Bacillus mixture promotes the gut health of weaned piglets

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaodan Wang ◽  
Zhilong Tian ◽  
Yue Zhao ◽  
Wenming Zhang ◽  
Zhanbin Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gut Microbiota ◽  
Dietary Supplementation ◽  
Intestinal Morphology ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Gut Health ◽  
Intestinal Health ◽  
Weaned Piglets ◽  
Villus Height ◽  
Crypt Depth ◽  
Relative Abundances

Abstract This study was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation with a mixture of Bacillus on the intestinal health of weaned piglets. We randomly assigned 120 piglets to three groups; a control group (basal diet), a probiotics group (supplemented with 4 × 109 CFU/g Bacillus licheniformis-B. subtilis mixture; BLS mix), and an antibiotics group (supplemented with 0.04 kg/t virginiamycin, 0.2 kg/t colistin, and 3000 mg/kg zinc oxide). All groups had five replicates with eight piglets per replicate. On days 7, 21, and 42 of the trial, intestine and digesta samples were collected to determine the intestinal morphology, gut microbiota and metabolites, and the expression of genes related to gut health. The results showed that the BLS mix decreased the jejunum crypt depth, increased the ileum villus height, and increased the jejunum and ileum villus height to crypt depth ratio. The BLS mix also increased the expression levels of E-cadherin and Occludin in the colon and pro-inflammatory cytokines and TLR4 in ileum and colon. The BLS mix also increased Simpson’s diversity index in the gut microbiota and the relative abundances of o_Bacteroidetes and f_Ruminococcaceae, but it decreased the relative abundances of Blautia, and Clostridium. Collectively, these findings suggested that dietary BLS mix supplementation efficaciously promotes intestinal health through the modulation of gut microbiota in weaned piglets.

scholarly journals PSVIII-18 Dietary supplementation with trihexanoin enhances intestinal function of weaned piglets

2019 ◽  
Vol 97 (Supplement_3) ◽  
pp. 302-303
Author(s):  
Tao Wu
Keyword(s):  
Fat Metabolism ◽  
Dietary Supplementation ◽  
Basal Diet ◽  
Intestinal Morphology ◽  
Mucosal Barrier ◽  
Mrna Levels ◽  
Intestinal Function ◽  
Weaned Piglets ◽  
Villus Height ◽  
And Function

Abstract Trihexanoin is a short-chain triglyceride (SCT). Many studies have reported that SCTs play important roles in the maintenance of intestinal epithelial structure and function. The present work was to investigate the effects of trihexanoin on growth performance, carbohydrate and fat metabolism, as well as intestinal morphology and function in weaned piglets. Twenty weaned piglets (21 ± 2 d) were randomly allocated to one of two treatment groups: the control group (basal diet supplemented with 0.5% soya oil); the TH group (basal diet supplemented with 0.5% trihexanoin). Dietary trihexanoin supplementation significantly reduced diarrhea rate (P < 0.05); increased the concentrations of LDL, HDL and total protein, decreased cholesterol concentrations (CHOL) and glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) activity in plasma (P < 0.05); increased villus height, surface area, and the ratio of villus height to crypt depth (P < 0.05); altered the mRNA levels and abundances of proteins related to glycogen and fat metabolism (gene LIPE, LPL, PPARG, ACACA, FASN, SLC27A2, INSR, PCK1 and ASS1), mucosal barrier function (protein claudin-1, and occludin), antioxidant capacity (protein HSP70 and gene Nrf2, NOX2 and GSTO2) and water transport capacity (protein AQP3 and gene AQP8 and AQP10) (P < 0.05); altered the gene abundance of intestinal bacteria (Enterobacteriaceae, Enterococcus, Clostridium, Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium) (P < 0.05). In conclusion, dietary supplementation of trihexanoin improved the intestinal function and health of weaned piglets by regulating nutrient metabolism, improving intestinal function of mucosal barrier, transport, absorption and antioxidant, and altering the community of microbiota.

scholarly journals Effects of Dietary Zinc Sources on Growth Performance and Gut Health of Weaned Piglets

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hui Diao ◽  
Jiayou Yan ◽  
Shuwei Li ◽  
Shengyao Kuang ◽  
Xiaolan Wei ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Growth Performance ◽  
Mrna Expression ◽  
Dietary Supplementation ◽  
Basal Diet ◽  
Expression Level ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Mrna Expression Level ◽  
Gut Health ◽  
Weaned Piglets ◽  
Zinc Sources

The present study aimed to investigate the effects of dietary zinc sources on the growth performance and gut health of weaned piglets. In total, 96 Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire (DLY) weaned piglets with an initial average body weight of 8.81±0.42kg were divided into four groups, with six replicates per treatment and four pigs per replicate. The dietary treatment groups were as follows: (1) control group, basal diet; (2) zinc sulphate (ZnSO4) group, basal diet +100mg/kg ZnSO4; (3) glycine zinc (Gly-Zn) group, basal diet +100mg/kg Gly-Zn and (4) zinc lactate group, and basal diet +100mg/kg zinc lactate. The whole trial lasted for 28days. Decreased F/G was noted in the Gly-Zn and zinc lactate groups (p<0.05). The zinc lactate group had a lower diarrhea rate than the control group (p<0.05). Moreover, the ZnSO4, Gly-Zn, and zinc lactate groups had significantly higher apparent total tract digestibility of dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), ether extract (EE), crude ash, and zinc than the control group (p<0.05). The Gly-Zn and zinc lactate groups had higher jejunal villus height and a higher villus height:crypt depth ratio than the control group (p<0.05). In addition, the ZnSO4, Gly-Zn and zinc lactate groups had a significantly lower mRNA expression level of jejunal ZRT/IRT-like protein 4 (ZIP4) and higher mRNA expression level of jejunal interleukin-1β (IL-1β) than the control group (p<0.05). The mRNA expression level of jejunal zinc transporter 2 (ZNT2) was higher and that of jejunal Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax) was lower in the Gly-Zn and zinc lactate groups than in the control group (p<0.05). Moreover, the zinc lactate group had a higher count of Lactobacillus spp. in the cecal digesta and higher mRNA expression levels of jejunal occludin and mucin 2 (MUC2) than the control group (p<0.05). In conclusion, dietary supplementation with 100mg/kg ZnSO4, Gly-Zn, or zinc lactate could improve the growth performance and gut barrier function of weaned piglets. Dietary supplementation with organic zinc, particularly zinc lactate, had the best effect.

scholarly journals Effects of Xylo-Oligosaccharides on Growth and Gut Microbiota as Potential Replacements for Antibiotic in Weaning Piglets

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuxia Chen ◽  
Yining Xie ◽  
Ruqing Zhong ◽  
Lei Liu ◽  
Changguang Lin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gut Microbiota ◽  
Basal Diet ◽  
Intestinal Morphology ◽  
Short Chain ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Rrna Gene ◽  
Weaned Piglets ◽  
Villus Height ◽  
Crypt Depth ◽  
Weaning Piglets

Xylo-oligosaccharides (XOS) is a well-known kind of oligosaccharide and extensively applied as a prebiotic. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of XOS supplementation substituting chlortetracycline (CTC) on growth, gut morphology, gut microbiota, and hindgut short chain fatty acid (SCFA) contents of weaning piglets. A total of 180 weaned piglets were randomly allocated to three treatments for 28 days, as follows: control group (basal diet, CON), basal diet with 500 mg/kg (XOS500) XOS, and positive control (basal diet with 100 mg/kg CTC). Compared with the CON group, the piglets in the XOS500 group improved body weight (BW) on days 28, average daily gain (ADG) and reduced feed: gain ratio during days 1–28 (P < 0.05). The XOS500 supplementation increased Villus height and Villus height: Crypt depth ratio in the ileum (P < 0.05). Villus Height: Crypt Depth of the ileum was also increased in the CTC treatment group (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, the XOS500 supplementation increased significantly the numbers of goblet cells in the crypt of the cecum. High-throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing revealed distinct differences in microbial compositions between the ileum and cecum. XOS500 supplementation significantly increased the bacterial diversity. However, CTC treatment markedly reduced the microbial diversity (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, XOS500 supplementation in the diet significantly increased the abundance of Lactobacillus genus compared to the CON and CTC group in the ileum and cecum (P < 0.01), whereas the level of Clostridium_sensu_stricto_1, Escherichia-Shigella, and Terrisporobacter genus in the XOS500 group were markedly lower than the CON and CTC group (P < 0.05). In addition, dietary supplementation with XOS500 significantly increased the total short-chain fatty acids, propionate and butyrate concentrations and decreased the acetate concentration compared to the CON group in the cecum (P < 0.05). In summary, dietary supplemented with XOS500 could enhance specific beneficial microbiota abundance and decrease harmful microbiota abundance to maintain the structure of the intestinal morphology and improve growth performance of weaned piglets. Thus, XOS may potentially function as an alternative to in-feed antibiotics in weaned piglets in modern husbandry.

scholarly journals Intestinal Morphology in Broiler Chickens Supplemented with Propolis and Bee Pollen

Animals ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 301 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ivana Prakatur ◽  
Maja Miskulin ◽  
Mirela Pavic ◽  
Ksenija Marjanovic ◽  
Valerija Blazicevic ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Beneficial Effect ◽  
Broiler Chickens ◽  
Dietary Supplementation ◽  
Basal Diet ◽  
Intestinal Morphology ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Villus Height ◽  
Bee Pollen ◽  
Crypt Depth ◽  
Surface Areas

The aim of this study was to determine the influence of dietary supplementation with propolis and bee pollen on the intestinal morphology and absorptive surface areas of chickens. Two hundred day-old Ross 308 chickens (100 male and 100 female) were equally allocated into five groups. Throughout the whole study, the control group of chickens was fed with a basal diet, while the experimental groups of chickens were fed with the same diet supplemented with propolis and bee pollen: P1 = 0.25 g of propolis/kg + 20 g of bee pollen/kg; P2 = 0.5 g of propolis/kg; P3 = 1.0 g of propolis/kg; P4 = 20 g of bee pollen/kg. The duodenal villi of chickens from all experimental groups were significantly higher and wider (p < 0.001), while their duodenal villi crypts were significantly deeper (p < 0.001) in comparison with these parameters in chickens from the control group. The villus height to crypt depth ratio, as well as the absorptive surface areas of broiler chickens, were significantly increased (p < 0.001) in experimental groups of chickens in comparison with the control group. These findings suggest that dietary supplementation with propolis and bee pollen has a beneficial effect on broilers chickens’ intestinal morphophysiology.

Effect of grapeseed procyanidins on small intestinal mucosa morphology and small intestinal development in weaned piglets

2020 ◽  
Vol 60 (16) ◽  
pp. 1894
Author(s):  
Huishi Yan ◽  
Wenwei Gao ◽  
Qinghong Li ◽  
Hongquan Li ◽  
Ruirong Hao
Keyword(s):  
Intestinal Mucosa ◽  
Dietary Supplementation ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Small Intestinal Mucosa ◽  
Intestinal Development ◽  
Weaned Piglets ◽  
Villus Height ◽  
Crypt Depth ◽  
Expression Of Genes ◽  
Small Intestinal

Context Grapeseed procyanidins (GSP) are widely recognised to have potential biological properties, and dietary supplementation with GSP could reduce diarrhoea incidence in weaned piglets. Aims This trial was conducted to investigate the effect of GSP on small intestinal mucosa morphology and small intestinal development in weaned piglets. Methods Seventy-two weaned piglets were randomly allocated into four dietary groups with three replicate pens per group and six piglets per pen. Each group received one of the following diets: a basal maize–soybean meal diet; or basal diet supplemented with 50, 100 or 150 mg GSP/kg. Small intestinal mucosa morphology and the expression of genes involved in improving small intestinal development were determined. Key results Morphological observations obtained by optical microscopy showed that the villus height of the duodenum and ileum increased in all groups receiving GSP, significantly (P &lt; 0.05) so in the group receiving 100 mg GSP/kg compared with the control group. Crypt depth of the duodenum and ileum in the groups receiving 100 and 150 mg GSP/kg decreased compared with the control group. Similarly, the crypt depth of the jejunum in the group receiving 100 mg GSP/kg was significantly (P &lt; 0.05) lowered. Moreover, the villus height/crypt depth ratio of each small intestinal segment in the group receiving 100 mg GSP/kg increased significantly (P &lt; 0.01). Morphological observations obtained by scanning electron microscopy indicated that dietary supplementation with GSP was favourable for growth of small intestinal villi. Specifically, the villi of the small intestine in the group receiving 100 mg GSP/kg were most closely aligned, most uniform in size and clearest in structure. Furthermore, dietary supplementation with GSP increased the expression of genes encoding epidermal growth factor receptor, insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) and IGF-1 receptor in the duodenum, the group receiving 100 mg GSP/kg showing a significant (P &lt; 0.05) increase. Conclusions Dietary supplementation with GSP could improve small intestinal mucosa morphology and promote small intestinal development. Dietary supplementation of 100 mg GSP/kg could be recommended for weaned piglets. Implications Dietary supplementation with GSP generated a beneficial role in small intestinal health in weaned piglets.

scholarly journals Dietary Lasia spinosa Thw. Improves Growth Performance in Broilers

2022 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lang Zhang ◽  
Yongxing Hong ◽  
Yuying Liao ◽  
Kui Tian ◽  
Haodong Sun ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Growth Performance ◽  
Antioxidant Status ◽  
Dietary Supplementation ◽  
Basal Diet ◽  
Intestinal Morphology ◽  
Breast Muscle ◽  
Villus Height ◽  
Crypt Depth ◽  
Α Diversity ◽  
Group A

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of dietary Lasia spinosa Thw. (LST) powder supplementation on growth performance, blood metabolites, antioxidant status, intestinal morphology, and cecal microbiome in broiler chickens. A total of 400 1-day-old male Guangxi partridge broilers (initial body weight: 42.52 ± 0.06 g) were randomly allotted to 4 dietary treatments: LST0 group (a basal diet), LST1 group (a basal diet with 1% LST powder), LST2 group (a basal diet with 2% LST powder), LST4 group (a basal diet with 4% LST powder), 10 replicates for each treatment, and 10 broilers in each treatment group. Results indicated that the average daily feed intake of broilers during 22–42 days and the average daily gain of chickens during 1–42 days significantly increased by dietary supplementation of LST powder (p &lt; 0.01), while the feed conversion ratio during the overall periods was decreased by dietary supplementation of LST powder (p &lt; 0.01). Except for the levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in liver (p &gt; 0.05), the levels of SOD, catalase (CAT) and GSH-Px in serum, liver, and breast muscle were significantly increased in the LST supplemented groups (p &lt; 0.05), while the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in serum, liver, and breast muscle were significantly decreased in the LST supplemented groups (p &lt; 0.05). Furthermore, the levels of triglyceride (TG) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) were significantly decreased by the addition of dietary LST powder (p &lt; 0.01), while the levels of HDL-C, Ca, Fe, Mg, and P were linearly increased by the addition of dietary LST powder (p &lt; 0.01). With respect to the gut morphometric, crypt depth was significantly decreased by LST supplementation (p &lt; 0.05), while villus height and the ratio of villus height to crypt depth were notably increased by LST supplementation (p &lt; 0.05). Sequencing of 16S ribosomal RNA (16S rRNA) from the cecal contents of broilers revealed that the composition of the chicken gut microbiota was altered by LST supplementation. The α-diversity of microbiota in broilers was increased (p &lt; 0.05) in the LST1 group, but was decreased (p &lt; 0.05) in the LST2 and LST4 groups compared with the LST0 group. The differential genera enriched in the LST1 group, such as Bacillus, Odoribacter, Sutterella, Anaerofilum, Peptococcus, were closely related to the increased growth performance, antioxidant status, intestinal morphology, Ca, Mg, and reduced blood lipid in the treated broilers.

scholarly journals Effects of Bacillus subtilis on growth performance, serum parameters, digestive enzyme, intestinal morphology, and colonic microbiota in piglets

AMB Express ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bo Deng ◽  
Jie Wu ◽  
Xiaohui Li ◽  
Cheng Zhang ◽  
Xiaoming Men ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bacillus Subtilis ◽  
Growth Performance ◽  
Digestive Enzyme ◽  
Basal Diet ◽  
Intestinal Morphology ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Promising Alternative ◽  
Serum Parameters ◽  
Colonic Microbiota ◽  
Diet Supplementation

AbstractThe present study was conducted to investigate effects of Bacillus subtilis on growth performance, serum parameters, digestive enzymes, intestinal morphology, and colonic microbiota in piglets. A total of 72 piglets were weighed and randomly allotted into three treatments (four replication pens per treatment with six piglets/pen) for a 28-day experiment. The dietary treatments were as follows: basal diet (control group, CTR), basal diet supplementation with antibiotic (antibiotic group, ABT), and basal diet supplementation with 0.1% Bacillus subtilis (probiotic group, PBT). The average daily gain of body weight increased in both the ABT and PBT groups, and dietary antibiotics decreased the feed:gain ratio (F:G), as compared to the CTR group (P < 0.05). Both ABT and PBT piglets had increased serum triglycerides and lipase, amylase, maltase activities and villus height:crypt depth ratio (V/C) in ileum (P < 0.05). The PBT group also showed an increase in serum glucose and villus height in the ileum (P < 0.05). Dietary antibiotics increased Lactobacillus johnsonii, as compared to the CTR group, but decreased bacterial diversity and increased Escherichia coli, as compared to the PBT group (P < 0.05). Piglets dietary with B. subtilis modulated the microbiota by increasing the abundance of Firmicutes (L. johnsonii, L. reuteri) and decreasing the abundance of E. coli, as compared to the control group (P < 0.05). These results indicate that dietary of B. subtilis improves growth performance and intestinal health and can be a promising alternative to antibiotics in piglets diet.

scholarly journals Dietary Supplementation with Trihexanoin Enhances Intestinal Function of Weaned Piglets

2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (10) ◽  
pp. 3277
Author(s):  
Tao Wu ◽  
Kang Li ◽  
Dan Yi ◽  
Lei Wang ◽  
Di Zhao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Antioxidant Capacity ◽  
Fat Metabolism ◽  
Dietary Supplementation ◽  
Basal Diet ◽  
Intestinal Morphology ◽  
Mucosal Barrier ◽  
Mrna Levels ◽  
Intestinal Function ◽  
Weaned Piglets ◽  
And Function

Trihexanoin is a short-chain triglyceride (SCT). Many studies have reported that SCTs play important roles in the maintenance of intestinal epithelial structure and function. The present work was to investigate the effects of trihexanoin on growth performance, carbohydrate and fat metabolism, as well as intestinal morphology and function in weaned piglets. Twenty weaned piglets (21 ± 2 d) were randomly allocated to one of two treatment groups: The control group (basal diet supplemented with 0.5% soya oil); the TH group (basal diet supplemented with 0.5% trihexanoin). Dietary trihexanoin supplementation significantly reduced diarrhea rate; increased the concentrations of LDL, HDL and total protein in plasma; decreased cholesterol concentrations and glutamyl transpeptidase activity in plasma; improved intestinal morphologic structure; altered the mRNA levels and abundances of proteins related to glycogen and fat metabolism, mucosal barrier function, antioxidant capacity and water transport capacity; and altered the community of intestinal microflora. These results indicate that dietary trihexanoin supplementation could reduce diarrhea, regulate carbohydrate and fat metabolism, exert beneficial effects on the intestinal mucosal barrier, protect the intestinal mucosa from injuries, improve intestinal transport and absorption, and enhance antioxidant capacity. In conclusion, dietary supplementation with 0.5% trihexanoin improves the intestinal function and health of weaned piglets.

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