title: Effects of proteinate complex zinc on growth performance, hepatic and splenic trace elements concentrations, antioxidative function and immune functions in weaned piglets.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the effects of proteinate complex zinc (PC-Zn) on growth performance, antioxidative function, trace element concentrations and immune function in weaned piglets.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three hundred newly weaned barrows (Duroc×Landrace×Yorkshire), 28 days of age, were randomly allotted to 3 dietary groups of 5 replicate pens per group for 4 weeks of feeding. Experimental diets were: i) zinc deficient diet (ZnD, 24 mg/kg Zn supplementation from ZnSO4), ii) inorganic Zn diet supplemented with 120 mg/kg of Zn from Zn sulfate (ZnSO4), and iii) organic Zn diet supplemented with 120 mg/kg of Zn from PC-Zn. The body weight of pigs were recorded at the beginning, at the middle and at the end of the experiment, and the amount of feed supplied each day was recorded. Five barrows from each dietary treatment group were selected to be anesthetized and euthanized at the end of the trial to determine the Zn, Cu, Fe, and Mn concentrations, the hepatic metallothionein content, the levels of methane dicarboxylic aldehyde (MDA), Mn, and Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in the spleen, the levels of interleukin (IL)-2, IL-4, IL-10, interferon (IFN)-γ, CD3+, CD4+, and CD8+T lymphocyte.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The accumulation of Zn in the spleen, levels of SOD, GSH-Px, IL-4, IL-10, the proportions of CD3+and CD4+T lymphocyte, and the ratio of CD4+/CD8+T lymphocyte were increased by organic Zn supplementation compared to ZnD, while the levels of MDA, IFN-γ, and proportion of CD8+T lymphocyte were lowered.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings indicate that Zn can improve the antioxidant potential and immune functions of weaned piglets.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Ministry of Agriculture Feed Industry Centre, ALLTECH-MAFIC Research Alliance, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
authors.forename: Yue
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: She
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Ministry of Agriculture Feed Industry Centre, ALLTECH-MAFIC Research Alliance, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
authors.forename: Qiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Ministry of Agriculture Feed Industry Centre, ALLTECH-MAFIC Research Alliance, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
authors.forename: Defa
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Ministry of Agriculture Feed Industry Centre, ALLTECH-MAFIC Research Alliance, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
authors.forename: Xiangshu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Piao
keywords: Atioxidative Function; Growth Performance; Immune Functions; Proteinate Complex Zinc; Trace Elements Concentrations; Weaned Piglets