Humoral and cell-mediated immune response and performance of weaned pigs fed four supplemental vitamin E levels and housed at two nursery temperatures.
Three trials using 80 Yorkshire x Hampshire x Duroc crossbred pigs (avg initial wt, 6.9 kg) were conducted to determine the effects of four dietary vitamin E levels (11, 110, 220 and 550 IU/kg of feed) on the humoral and cell-mediated immune response and performance of 4-wk-old weanling pigs housed at two nursery temperatures (19 or 30 degrees C). Interactive effects of temperature and vitamin E were not observed for any measurements. Serum and liver vitamin E levels increased linearly with increasing level of dietary vitamin E, but performance, cortisol, antibody levels and mitogen-induced stimulation indices were not affected by supplemental levels of vitamin E. Average daily gain and feed intake were higher (P less than .01) for pigs housed at 19 degrees C than for pigs housed at 30 degrees C, but feed:gain ratios, mitogen stimulation index of white blood cells, plasma cortisol levels and antibody titers were not altered. Although supplemental vitamin E above the NRC estimated requirement increased serum and liver vitamin E concentrations, no differences were observed in humoral and cell-mediated immune response, cortisol levels or performance for weanling pigs housed at either 19 or 30 degrees C temperatures.
Bonnette
E D
ED
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg 24061.
Kornegay
E T
ET
Lindemann
M D
MD
Hammerberg
C
C
D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation; D005260:Female; D006799:Housing, Animal; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D008099:Liver / Q000032:analysis; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D011897:Random Allocation; D013552:Swine / Q000254:growth & development / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D013696:Temperature; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D014886:Weaning; D015430:Weight Gain
D014810:Vitamin E; D006854:Hydrocortisone