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Effects of essential oil supplementation of a low‐energy diet on performance, intestinal morphology and microflora, immune properties and antioxidant activities in weaned pigs
Author(s) -
Zeng Zhikai,
Xu Xiao,
Zhang Qiang,
Li Ping,
Zhao Panfeng,
Li Qingyun,
Liu Jundi,
Piao XiangShu
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
animal science journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.606
H-Index - 38
eISSN - 1740-0929
pISSN - 1344-3941
DOI - 10.1111/asj.12277
Subject(s) - dry matter , antioxidant , zoology , biology , feces , food science , immunoglobulin a , immune system , chemistry , immunoglobulin g , immunology , biochemistry , microbiology and biotechnology
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 E scherichia 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.