title: Immunocompetence of fattening pigs fed organic versus conventional diets in organic versus conventional housing.
abstract: The effect of organic or conventional feeding on the immune response of pigs was determined using organic or conventional housing in a pig fattening unit. The experimental design involved four pens of four animals per housing and diet combination (organic housing and organic nutrition; organic housing and conventional nutrition; conventional housing and organic nutrition and conventional housing and conventional nutrition). The IgM, IgA and IgG responses against intramuscularly injected bovine thyroglobulin were determined as indicators of the antigen-specific immune responsiveness. Some general health and welfare related parameters were evaluated by measuring haptoglobin concentrations at selected times; blood lactate concentration was measured at slaughter. Conventional housing led to a higher IgG response three weeks after the first immunisation. Organic housing led to lower haptoglobin and lactate concentrations at slaughter, indicating a higher stress resistance in these pigs. No major differences between the two feeding types were found. We conclude that the immune responses following either a conventional or an organic diet are comparable, whereas organic housing can increase stress resistance at slaughter compared to conventional housing.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Department of Animal Nutrition, Genetics, Breeding and Ethology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Heidestraat 19, B-9820 Merelbeke, Belgium. Sam.Millet@UGent.be
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Millet
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cox
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Buyse
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Goddeeris
authors.forename: G P J
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Janssens
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D000906:Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D003252:Construction Materials; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D058870:Food, Organic; D006242:Haptoglobins / Q000378:metabolism; D006799:Housing, Animal; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000097:blood; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D013552:Swine / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D006242:Haptoglobins; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M