Scutellaria baicalensis and Lonicera Japonica Herbal Extracts enhanced the Performance and Physiological responses of pigs subjected to Hot and Dry season
This project investigates the effects of dietary herbal extract mixture (HEM; Scutellaria baicalensis and Lonicera japonica) on growth performance and gut microbiome composition in growing-finishing pigs under heat stress conditions. Fecal samples were collected from pigs fed a basal diet and a diets supplemented with 0.05% or 0.10% HEM over a 10-week feeding trial.Microbial community structure was analyzed using sequencing-based approaches to assess alpha and beta diversity, as well as taxonomic composition. While no significant differences were observed in diversity indices, HEM supplementation altered microbial composition, increasing the relative abundance of Firmicutes and Bacteroidota and decreasing Prevotella. These changes were associated with improved growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and reduced physiological stress in pigs.This data set provides insight into diet-induced modulation of the swine gut microbiome and its relationship with host performance and stress responses under high-temperature conditions.