title: Effect of lactoferrin on the growth performance, intestinal morphology, and expression of PR-39 and protegrin-1 genes in weaned piglets.
abstract: A total of 90 weaned female pigs (Duroc x Landrace x Yorkshire) were used in a 15-d growth experiment to investigate the effect of lactoferrin on growth performance, intestinal morphology, and expression of PR-39 and protegrin-1 genes. The pigs were allocated on the basis of BW and litter to 3 dietary treatments in a randomized complete block design. There were 3 replicate pens per treatment, and the pigs were grouped with 10 pigs per pen. The dietary treatments were (1) basal diet; (2) basal diet + 20 mg of flavomycin/kg + 110 mg of aureomycin/kg; (3) basal diet + 1.0 g of lactoferrin/kg. Six pigs, randomly selected from each treatment (2 piglets/pen) were slaughtered for intestinal morphology and expression of PR-39 and protegrin-1 genes at the end of the experiment. Supplementation with lactoferrin improved growth performance; it increased ADG by 41.80% (P < 0.01) and efficiency of gain (G:F) by 17.20% (P < 0.05). Intestinal villus height was increased by 15.30% (P < 0.05), and crypt depth was decreased by 9.60% (P < 0.05). Supplemental lactoferrin increased the relative abundance of mRNA for PR-39 and protegrin-1 by 143% (P < 0.01) and 217% (P < 0.01), respectively. The use of lactoferrin as an additive to improve nonspecific immunity and strengthen host defenses would be good a method of defending weaned pigs from infections and weanling stress.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Feed Science, Zhejiang University, The Key Laboratory of Molecular Animal Nutrition, Ministry of Education, No. 164 Qiutao North Road, Hangzhou 310029, P. R. China. yzwang@zju.edu.cn
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shan
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Feng
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000032:analysis; D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D001455:Bambermycins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D002751:Chlortetracycline / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000737:chemistry; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D006128:Growth / Q000187:drug effects; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects*; D007781:Lactoferrin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011506:Proteins / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D011897:Random Allocation; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D013552:Swine / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; D017931:DNA Primers; D011506:Proteins; C094880:protegrin-1; D001455:Bambermycins; C072212:PR 39; D007781:Lactoferrin; D002751:Chlortetracycline