scholarly journals Dietary Saccharomyces cerevisiae Cell Wall Extract Supplementation Alleviates Oxidative Stress and Modulates Serum Amino Acids Profiles in Weaned Piglets

2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gang Liu ◽  
Lei Yu ◽  
Yordan Martínez ◽  
Wenkai Ren ◽  
Hengjia Ni ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oxidative Stress ◽  
Saccharomyces Cerevisiae ◽  
Amino Acids ◽  
Cell Wall ◽  
Growth Performance ◽  
Basal Diet ◽  
Intestinal Morphology ◽  
Weaned Piglets ◽  
Final Body Weight ◽  
Cell Wall Extract

This research aims to evaluate the effects of dietary supplementation with Saccharomyces cerevisiae cell wall extract (SCCWE) on growth performance, oxidative stress, intestinal morphology, and serum amino acid concentration in weaned piglets. Utilizing a completely randomized design, 40 healthy piglets weaned at 21 d were grouped into 4 experimental treatments with 10 pigs per treatment group. Treatments consisted of a basal diet (T0), a basal diet with a 0.05% SCCWE (T1), a basal diet with a 0.10% SCCWE (T2), and a basal diet with a 0.15% SCCWE (T3). SCCWE supplementation increased the average daily gain and final body weight compared with T0 (P<0.05). SCCWE in T2 and T3 improved the average daily feed intake and decreased the feed/gain ratio compared with T1 and T2 (P<0.05). SCCWE decreased serum malondialdehyde (MDA) and increased activities of catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) significantly compared to T0 (P<0.05). SCCWE increased the concentration of Ile compared to T0 (P<0.05). Moreover, the concentrations of Leu, Phe, and Arg were higher in T2 and T3 (P<0.05). These findings indicate beneficial effects of SCCWE supplementation on growth performance, the concentration of some essential amino acids, and alleviation of oxidative stress in weaned piglets.

scholarly journals Effects of Dietary Taurine Supplementation to Gilts during Late Gestation and Lactation on Offspring Growth and Oxidative Stress

Animals ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 220 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mengmeng Xu ◽  
Long Che ◽  
Kaiguo Gao ◽  
Li Wang ◽  
Xuefen Yang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oxidative Stress ◽  
Protein Expression ◽  
Growth Performance ◽  
Barrier Function ◽  
Average Daily Gain ◽  
Basal Diet ◽  
Intestinal Morphology ◽  
Late Gestation ◽  
Villus Height ◽  
And Oxidative Stress

Birth is one of the most important events of animal production agriculture, as newborns are abruptly forced to adapt to environmental and nutritional disruptions that can lead to oxidative damage and delay in growth. Taurine (Tau) is an important regulator of oxidative stress and possesses growth-enhancing properties. In the present study, we investigated the effects of dietary Tau supplementation in gilts during late gestation and lactation on the growth performance of piglets by assessing intestinal morphology and barrier function, and oxidative stress status. Sixteen gilts were randomly allocated to the Con (basal diet) and Tau (basal diet with 1% Tau) groups from 75 d of gestation to weaning. Maternal dietary Tau supplementation significantly increased weaning weight and average daily gain weight in piglets. Piglets in the Tau group had higher villus height and villus height-to-crypt depth ratio (VCR), ZO-1 protein expression, and secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) content in the jejunum. Meanwhile, Tau bebeficial affected the milk quality of gilts, as indicated by decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration and increased total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD), total antioxidative capability (T-AOC), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and catalase (CAT) activity. Furthermore, Tau supplementation increased T-SOD activity in plasma and SOD2 protein expression in the jejunum in the piglets. In conclusion, this study provides evidence that dietary Tau supplementation to gilts improves growth performance in piglets, owing to improved intestinal morphology and barrier function, as well as inhibition of oxidative stress.

scholarly journals Effect of extruded full-fat soybeans on performance, amino acids digestibility, trypsin activity, and intestinal morphology in broilers

2013 ◽  
Vol 58 (No. 10) ◽  
pp. 470-478 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Foltyn ◽  
V. Rada ◽  
M. Lichovníková ◽  
I. Šafařík ◽  
A. Lohniský ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Body Weight ◽  
Growth Performance ◽  
Intestinal Morphology ◽  
Trypsin Activity ◽  
Villus Height ◽  
Isoleucine Leucine ◽  
Final Body Weight ◽  
Dietary Treatments ◽  
Different Levels

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;

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 &lt; 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 &lt; 0.05). The mRNA expression of Claudin-1 on duodenum or ileum was higher (P &lt; 0.05) in glucan group than that on the other groups. The mRNA expression of TLR4, MYD88 and NFκB on jejunum were lower (P &lt; 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 &lt; P &lt; 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 Effects of dietary supplementation with exogenous catalase on growth performance, oxidative stress, and hepatic apoptosis in weaned piglets challenged with lipopolysaccharide

2020 ◽  
Vol 98 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yang Li ◽  
Xilun Zhao ◽  
Xuemei Jiang ◽  
Ling Chen ◽  
Liang Hong ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oxidative Stress ◽  
Growth Performance ◽  
Mrna Expression ◽  
Rectal Temperature ◽  
Caspase 3 ◽  
Dietary Supplementation ◽  
Basal Diet ◽  
Weaned Piglets ◽  
Post Challenge ◽  
Blood Samples

Abstract Two experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of exogenous catalase (CAT) in the diet of weaned piglets on growth performance, oxidative capacity, and hepatic apoptosis after challenge with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). In experiment 1, 72 weaned piglets [Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire, 6.90 ± 0.01 kg body weight (BW), 21 d of age] were randomly assigned to be fed either a basal diet (CON group) or a basal diet supplemented with 2,000 mg/kg CAT (CAT group; dietary CAT activity, 120 U/kg) for 35 d. Blood samples were collected on day 21 and day 35. At the end of this experiment, 12 pigs were selected from each of the CON and CAT groups, and six pigs were injected with LPS (50 μg/kg BW), while the remaining six pigs were injected with an equal amount of sterile saline, resulting in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments (experiment 2). Blood samples and rectal temperature data were collected 0 and 4 h after challenge, and liver samples were obtained after evisceration. The gain-to-feed ratio was higher (P &lt; 0.05) in piglets in the CAT group than in those in the CON group from day 1 to 35. Catalase and total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) activities were higher (P &lt; 0.05), whereas malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations were lower (P &lt; 0.05), in piglets in the CAT group than in those in the CON group at day 35. During challenge, rectal temperature and liver MDA and H2O2 concentrations increased significantly (P &lt; 0.05), whereas plasma CAT and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activities and liver CAT activity decreased markedly (P &lt; 0.05), in LPS-challenged piglets 4 h post-challenge. Increased CAT activity and decreased MDA concentration were observed in the plasma and liver of piglets in the CAT group 4 h post-challenge (P &lt; 0.05). Dietary CAT supplementation markedly suppressed the LPS-induced decrease in plasma GSH-Px activity and liver CAT activity to levels observed in the CON group (P &lt; 0.05) as well as significantly decreasing the concentration and mRNA expression of caspase-3 and caspase-9 (P &lt; 0.05). LPS-induced liver injury was also attenuated by dietary CAT supplementation, as demonstrated by a decrease in liver caspase-3 mRNA expression (P &lt; 0.05). Overall, dietary supplementation with 2,000 mg/kg exogenous CAT (dietary CAT activity, 120 U/kg) improves growth performance and has a beneficial effect on antioxidant capacity in weaned piglets; alleviates oxidative stress and reduces liver damage by suppressing hepatic apoptosis in LPS-challenged piglets.

scholarly journals D-Galactose Induces Chronic Oxidative Stress and Alters Gut Microbiota in Weaned Piglets

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hui Han ◽  
Zemin Liu ◽  
Jie Yin ◽  
Jing Gao ◽  
Liuqin He ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oxidative Stress ◽  
Gut Microbiota ◽  
Growth Performance ◽  
Relative Abundance ◽  
Average Daily Gain ◽  
Intestinal Morphology ◽  
Weaned Piglets ◽  
Chronic Oxidative Stress ◽  
Daily Gain ◽  
Different Levels

Oxidative stress commonly occurs in pig production, which can severely damage the intestinal function of weaned piglets. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of D-galactose with different levels used to induce chronic oxidative stress on growth performance, intestinal morphology and gut microbiota in weaned piglets. The results showed that addition of 10 and 20 g/kg BW D-galactose reduced average daily gain and average daily feed intake from the first to the third week. 10 g/kg BW D-galactose increased the concentration of serum MDA at the second and third week. 10 g/kg BW D-galactose significantly influenced the jejunal and ileal expressions of GPx1, CAT1, and MnSOD. The results of 16S rRNA sequencing showed that compared with the control, 10 and 20 g/kg BW D-galactose significantly decreased the relative abundance of Tenericutes, Erysipelotrichia, Erysipelotrichales, and Erysipelotrichaceae, while increased the relative abundance of Negativicutes, Selenomonnadales, and Veillonellaceae. The results indicated that treatment with 10 g/kg BW/day D-galactose for 3 weeks could induce chronic oxidative stress, reduce the growth performance and alter gut microbiota in weaned piglets.

scholarly journals Effects of Dietary Ginsenoside Rg1 Supplementation on Growth Performance, Gut Health, and Serum Immunity in Broiler Chickens

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zehe Song ◽  
Kaihuan Xie ◽  
Yunlu Zhang ◽  
Qian Xie ◽  
Xi He ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
Growth Performance ◽  
Broiler Chickens ◽  
Basal Diet ◽  
Intestinal Morphology ◽  
Ginsenoside Rg1 ◽  
Gut Health ◽  
Villus Height ◽  
Final Body Weight ◽  
Crypt Depth

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.

scholarly journals Effects of Dietary Supplementation of Lactobacillus delbrueckii on Gut Microbiome and Intestinal Morphology in Weaned Piglets

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiao-Long Wang ◽  
Zhu-Ying Liu ◽  
Ying-Hui Li ◽  
Ling-Yuan Yang ◽  
Jie Yin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Growth Performance ◽  
Relative Abundance ◽  
Dietary Supplementation ◽  
Basal Diet ◽  
Isobutyric Acid ◽  
Intestinal Morphology ◽  
Lactobacillus Delbrueckii ◽  
Weaned Piglets ◽  
Experimental Time ◽  
And Performance

Lactobacillus delbrueckii is a Gram-positive bacterium mostly used in the dairy industry for yogurt and cheese. The present study was designed to evaluate the effects of Lactobacillus delbrueckii on serum biochemical parameters, intestinal morphology, and performance by supplementing at a dietary level of 0.1% in diets for weaned piglets. Eighty healthy weaned piglets (initial body weight: 7.56 ± 0.2 kg) were randomly divided into two feeding groups with four replicates in each group (n = 10 animals per replicate); piglets were fed with basal diet (CON) or basal diet containing 0.1% Lactobacillus delbrueckii (LAC). The results showed that dietary supplementation of Lactobacillus delbrueckii improved growth performance and increased serum HDL and insulin levels in piglets on the 28th day of the experimental time (p &lt; 0.05). The gut microbe analysis revealed that Lactobacillus delbrueckii significantly decreased the relative abundance of the phyla Bacteroidetes, but increased the relative abundance of the phyla Firmicutes. The Lactobacillus delbrueckii also significantly increased the relative abundance of Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus at the genus level of the bacterial community in the ileum, but decreased the relative abundance of unclassified Clostridiales. Moreover, Lactobacillus delbrueckii improved mucosal morphology by obtaining higher intestinal villus height (p &lt; 0.05), significantly increasing the concentrations of butyrate, isobutyric acid, and isovaleric acid in colonic chyme of piglets, but decreasing the intestinal pH at the duodenum and ileum on the 28th day of the experimental time. In conclusion, dietary supplementation of Lactobacillus delbrueckii in the diet of weaned piglets can improve intestinal morphology and modulate the microbiota community to promote growth performance.

scholarly journals PSIV-B-37 Late-Breaking: Dietary organic and medium chain fatty acids as antibiotic substitutes improve growth performance, immune function, intestinal morphology and microbiota of weaned piglets orally challenged with Escherichia coli K88

2019 ◽  
Vol 97 (Supplement_3) ◽  
pp. 325-326
Author(s):  
Junmin Zhang ◽  
Chaohua Tang ◽  
Yunsheng Han
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Fatty Acids ◽  
Immune Function ◽  
Growth Performance ◽  
Basal Diet ◽  
Intestinal Morphology ◽  
Weaned Piglets ◽  
Villus Height ◽  
Medium Chain ◽  
Medium Chain Fatty Acids

Abstract This study was conducted to determine the effects of organic and medium chain fatty acids (OMCFA) as antibiotic substitutes on growth performance, immune function, intestinal morphology, and ileum microbiota of weaned piglets challenged with Escherichia coli K88. Over 28 days, 150 weaned piglets (28-day old, 8.80 ± 0.19 kg) were allocated to five treatments (with five replicates of six piglets each): negative basal diet (NBD), positive basal diet (PBD), antibiotic growth promoters diet (AGPD, BD+0.04 g/kg zinc bacitracin, 0.03 g/kg chlortetracycline, and 0.05 g/kg kitasamycin), OMCFA 1 diet (BD+0.2% OMCFA, OMCFA is a synergistic blend of a phenolic compound, slow release C12, target release butyrates, formic, acetic, lactic, propionic, citric, sorbic acid), and OMCFA 2 diet (Day 1 to 14: BD+0.8% OMCFA, Day 15 to 28: BD+0.6% OMCFA). On the 15th day, piglets in the PBD, AGPD, OMCFA 1, and OMCFA 2 treatment groups were orally challenged with 20 mL Escherichia coli K88 (108 CFU/mL). Body weight on day 14 and average daily gain from 1st to 14th day of the subjects in the AGPD and OMCFA 1 groups were higher than those in the NBD and PBD groups (P &lt; 0.05). Diarrhea rate after challenge was lower in the AGPD group than PBD one, and there was no significant difference between the AGPD and OMCFA 1 group. OMCFA decreased total leukocytes and the percentage of neutrophils (P &lt; 0.05), increased the percentage of lymphocytes (P &lt; 0.05), on day 14, and increased villus height and villus height/crypt depth ratio in the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum, compared with PBD group. 16S rDNA sequencing showed that OMCFA might stabilize the ileum microbiota caused by E. coli K88 challenge. These results indicated that OMCFA could be used as potential alternatives to AGPs in weaned piglets.

scholarly journals Fermented Diet Liquid Feeding Improves Growth Performance and Intestinal Function of Pigs

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 1452
Author(s):  
Huailu Xin ◽  
Mingyu Wang ◽  
Zou Xia ◽  
Bing Yu ◽  
Jun He ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Acetic Acid ◽  
Growth Performance ◽  
Basal Diet ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Gastrointestinal Hormone ◽  
Intestinal Function ◽  
Weaned Piglets ◽  
Final Body Weight ◽  
Liquid Feeding ◽  
Fermented Feed

Accumulating evidences demonstrate that fermented feed and liquid feeding exerted a great beneficial influence on growth performance and health in the pig industry. This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of fermented liquid feeding on the growth performance and intestinal function of pigs. Two hundred and eighty-eight 27-day-old weaned piglets (8.21 ± 0.27 kg) were randomly allocated to a control group (basal diet (CON)), an antibiotic group (basal diet supplemented with antibiotics (AB)) and a fermented liquid feeding group (basal diet with fermented liquid feeding (FLF)), with 6 replicates per treatment and 16 weaned piglets per replicate. The experiment lasted for 160 days. Fresh fecal samples were collected to evaluate the apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of nutrients from the last 4 days of each stage. The results are shown as follows: (1) Compared with the CON group, in the whole stage, the FLF diet significantly increased the final body weight (BW) and ADG of pigs (P < 0.05), and had a tendency to increase ADFI (P = 0.086), but had no effect on F/G. (2) The ATTD of dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), ether extract (EE), crude ash (CA), crude fiber (CF), gross energy (GE), calcium (Ca) and total phosphorus (TP) in the FLF group was significantly elevated compared with those of the CON group at 8–20 kg stage (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, the ATTD of EE in the FLF group was significantly increased compared with that of the CON group at the 50–75 kg and 100–125 kg stages (P < 0.05), and the ATTD of Ca was higher than that of CON group at the 100–125 kg stage (P < 0.05). (3) Compared with that of the CON group, the level of serum leptin in the FLF group had a tendency to decrease (P = 0.054), the level of serum ghrelin in the FLF group was significantly elevated (P < 0.05) and the level of serum peptide YY in the FLF group was significantly decreased (P < 0.05). (4) The abundance of Lactobacillus in cecal and colonic digesta was observably enhanced in FLF group. Meanwhile, the abundance of Escherichia coli in cecal and colonic digesta were dramatically reduced in the FLF group compared with that in the CON and AB groups (P < 0.05). (5) The levels of acetic acid in colonic digesta were significantly increased in the FLF group (P < 0.05), and an increasing trend was observed in total VFA in colonic digesta compared with CON (P < 0.1). The levels of acetic acid in colonic digesta were significantly promoted in the FLF group compared with that of the AB group (P < 0.05). In conclusion, these results indicate that fermented liquid feeding improved the growth performance of pigs, which might be associated with gastrointestinal hormone and intestinal functions.

Effects of dietary rosemary extract supplementation on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, antioxidant capacity, intestinal morphology and microbiota of weaning pigs

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mei Yang ◽  
Yexin Yin ◽  
Fang Wang ◽  
Xuetai Bao ◽  
Lina Long ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
Antioxidant Capacity ◽  
Growth Performance ◽  
Biological Activities ◽  
Nutrient Digestibility ◽  
Intestinal Morphology ◽  
Weaned Piglets ◽  
Villus Height ◽  
Final Body Weight ◽  
Crypt Depth

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.

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