title: Effects of essential oil supplementation of a low-energy diet on performance, intestinal morphology and microflora, immune properties and antioxidant activities in weaned pigs.
abstract: A total of 144 weaned piglets were used to evaluate the effects of essential oil (EO) supplementation of a low-energy diet on performance, apparent nutrient digestibility, small intestinal morphology, intestinal microflora, immune properties and antioxidant activities in weaned pigs. Pigs received a low-energy diet (negative control, NC, digestible energy = 3250 kcal/kg), NC plus 0.025% EO or a positive control diet (PC, digestible energy = 3400 kcal/kg) for 28 days. Growth performance was similar between the EO group and PC group. However, EO supplementation increased (P < 0.05) average daily gain and the apparent digestibility of dry matter, crude protein and energy compared with pigs fed the NC diet. Greater (P < 0.05) villus height and lower (P < 0.05) counts of Escherichia coli and total anaerobes in the rectum in the EO group were observed compared with NC or PC groups. Pigs fed EO diet had higher (P < 0.05) concentrations of albumin, immunoglobulin A (IgA), IgG and total antioxidant capacity and lower fecal score than pigs fed the PC and NC diets. Above all, this study indicates that supplementation of EO to a low-energy pig diet has beneficial results and obtains similar performance compared with normal energy (PC) diet.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Ministry of Agriculture Feed Industry Centre, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Zhikai
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.forename: Xiao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Qiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Panfeng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Qingyun
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jundi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: XiangShu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Piao
mesh_terms: D000418:Albumins / Q000378:metabolism; D000821:Animal Feed; D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism*; D001421:Bacteria, Anaerobic; D058491:Bacterial Load; D031204:Caloric Restriction; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004063:Digestion / Q000502:physiology; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D004926:Escherichia coli; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000378:metabolism; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000378:metabolism; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism; D007422:Intestines / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D013552:Swine / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000502:physiology*; D014886:Weaning
chemical_list: D000418:Albumins; D000975:Antioxidants; D004044:Dietary Proteins; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D009822:Oils, Volatile
keywords: antioxidant activity; essential oils; microflora; performance; pig