title: Effects of supplementation of beta-glucans on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and immunity in weanling pigs.
abstract: Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the efficacy of beta-glucan on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and immunity in weanling pigs. In Exp. 1, 210 weanling pigs (6.38 +/- 0.92 kg of BW) were fed dietary beta-glucan (0, 0.01, 0.02, 0.03, or 0.04%) for 5 wk. In Exp. 2, 168 pigs (6.18 +/- 1.31 kg of BW) were fed no beta-glucan or antibiotics (T1), 0.02% beta-glucan (T2), only antibiotics (T3), or 0.02% beta-glucan with antibiotics (T4) for 8 wk. In Exp. 2, the antibiotics fed were apramycin and carbadox in phase I (0 to 2 wk) and carbadox and chlortetracycline in phase II (3 to 8 wk). During Exp. 2, the performance study was conducted for 5 wk, and the immune response was tested until 8 wk. In Exp. 1, there was a trend for a linear increase (P = 0.068) in ADG as the dietary beta-glucan concentration increased in the diet. The digestibilities of DM, GE, CP, ether extract, Ca, and P increased linearly (P < 0.05) in the beta-glucan-supplemented pigs. In Exp. 2, the overall ADG was greater (P < 0.05) in treatment T4 compared with the control group (T1). Also, except for P, this group showed greater (P < 0.05) nutrient digestibilities than the control group. In Exp. 2, at d 15, 24, and 46 antibody titers were measured by ELISA against Pasteurella multocida type A and D after vaccination with atrophic rhinitis, and they differed significantly (P < 0.05) with no particular trend. Flow cytometry was used to determine porcine lymphocyte subpopulations at 4 and 8 wk of Exp. 2. There was an increase in CD4 cells (P < 0.05) and a trend for an increase in CD8 cells (P < 0.10) at 8 wk in pigs fed the T2 diet compared with the other groups. Overall, increasing the dietary concentrations of beta-glucan did not improve ADG without antibiotic, and in weanling pigs antibiotics seem to be more effective in improving nutrient digestibilities and growth performance than beta-glucan.
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Resource Science, Kangwon National University, Chunchon-200-701, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: T-W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Hahn
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Lohakare
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: W K
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Moon
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Chae
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed; D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D002218:Carbadox; D004032:Diet; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004063:Digestion / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D008297:Male; D009328:Nebramycin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D016979:Pasteurella multocida / Q000276:immunology; D013552:Swine / Q000097:blood / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000276:immunology*; D014886:Weaning; D047071:beta-Glucans / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D047071:beta-Glucans; D009328:Nebramycin; C011666:apramycin; D002218:Carbadox