Original text of the document:
https://doi.org/10.5713/ab.22.0290
The objective of this study was to determine whether dietary supplementation with a functional fatty acid blend (FA) that contains 31.4% butyric acid and 4.99% medium-chain FA improve growth performance, antioxidant capacity, immunity status, and anti-inflammatory ability in weaned piglets.
One hundred and forty-four healthy piglets (Duroc×Landrace×Yorkshire) with an average body weight (BW) of 7.98±3.43 kg were randomly divided into three groups with six replicate pens and eight piglets per pen: Normal control (NC): a corn-soybean basal diet; FA1: a basal diet supplemented with 1,000 mg/kg of a functional FA; FA2: a basal diet supplemented with 2,000 mg/kg of a functional FA. The experiment lasted for 28 d. On d 14 and 28, one piglet in each pen from NC and FA2 groups was randomly selected for antioxidative index and immunoglobulins. On d 28, one piglet in each pen from NC and FA2 groups was randomly selected for intestinal morphology and inflammatory factor.
The results show:
1. Compared with the control group, dietary functional FA blend did not affect the ADFI and G:F, while FA supplementation increased (p<0.05) linearly the ADG and the final body weight (BW) compared with the NC group.
Effects of dietary functional fatty acid blend (FA) on performances of piglets
2. In terms of antioxidant capacity in serum, dietary FA2 did not affect the serum T-AOC, SOD, MDA, GSH-Px. However, higher serum CAT level was observed (p<0.05) in the FA2 group compared with the NC group.
Effects of dietary functional fatty acid blend (FA) on serum antioxidant capacity in piglets
3. In terms of immunity status in serum, dietary FA2 increased (p<0.05) the serum IgA and IgM concentrations on d 28, while having no effect on serum concentration of IgG.
Effects of dietary functional fatty acid blend (FA) on serum immunity status in piglets
4.In terms of intestinal morphology, dietary FA2 reduced (p<0.05) crypt depth in the ileum compared with the NC group, while it did not affect other intestinal morphology parameters.
Effects of dietary functional fatty acid blend (FA) on small intestinal morphology in piglets
5.In terms of jejunal inflammatory factor, supplementation with FA2 reduced (p<0.05) the levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-8, and IL-10 compared with the NC group.
Effects of dietary functional fatty acid blend (FA) on jejunal inflammatory factor levels in piglets
Conclusion:
We observed that FA supplementation linearly increased (p<0.05) average daily gain and the final BW. There was higher (p<0.05) catalase on d 14, and immunoglobulin (Ig) A and IgM on d 28 in piglets supplemented with FA2 than in the NC group. Moreover, dietary FA2 reduced (p<0.05) crypt depth of ileum in piglets. The concentrations of tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-8, and IL-10 in jejunum were lower (p<0.05) in the FA2 group compared with the NC group.
Therefore, the overall results suggests that the FA may help to improve gut health, antioxidant status, and immune parameters resulting in the improvement of growth performance.
