Open AccessEffects of stocking density on growth performance, blood parameters and immunity of growing pigs
Author(s) -
Xue Li,
Xia Xiong,
Xin Wu,
Gang Liu,
Kai Zhou,
Yan Yin
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
animal nutrition
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.356
H-Index - 28
eISSN - 2405-6545
pISSN - 2405-6383
DOI - 10.1016/j.aninu.2020.04.001
Subject(s) - stocking , ileum , jejunum , albumin , medicine , zoology , duodenum , globulin , biology , alkaline phosphatase , blood urea nitrogen , immunoglobulin a , spleen , endocrinology , antibody , immunoglobulin g , immunology , biochemistry , kidney , enzyme
This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of different stocking densities on growth performance, blood parameters, intestinal morphology and intestinal immunity of growing pigs. A total of 288 male pigs (44.35 ± 0.50 kg) were randomly assigned to groups with stocking densities of 2.46, 1.23 and 0.82 m 2 /pig for a month. The results showed that there was no significant difference on growth performance among groups. Pigs in the stocking density of 0.82 m 2 /pig had the lowest backfat thickness and spleen weight index among groups ( P < 0.05). With increasing stocking density, the serum concentrations of blood urea nitrogen (BUN), transglutaminase (TGG), alkaline phosphatase (AKP) and immunoglobulin A (IgA) were increased, and albumin (ALB), albumin-to-globulin ratio (ALB:GLO), insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and immunoglobulin (IgM) were decreased ( P < 0.05), and cortisol tended to increase and glucose tended to decrease (0.05 < P < 0.1). Compared with the stocking density of 2.46 m 2 /pig, the ileal villus height and jejunal villus width decreased in stocking densities of 1.23 and 0.82 m 2 /pig ( P < 0.05). The duodenal villus height and ileal villus width in the stocking density of 0.82 m 2 /pig were the lowest among 3 groups ( P < 0.05). The content of immunoglobulin A in duodenum, jejunum and ileum mucosa increased along with increasing density ( P < 0.05). The contents of interleukin (IL)-2 in the spleen or liver and IL-10 in the spleen were higher in the stocking density of 0.82 m 2 /pig than in other 2 groups. These results showed that stocking density could affect the metabolism, intestinal morphology, and immunity of growing pigs and 1.23 m 2 /pig may be the suitable stocking density for the growing pigs in the present study.