The effects of supplementing diets with Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz rhizomes on growth performance and immune function in piglets
Journal Title: Journal of Animal and Feed Sciences - Year 2012, Vol 21, Issue 2
Abstract
The rhizome of Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz (baizhu in Chinese, AMK) is a well-known traditional Chinese medicine that has long been used as a digestive and tonic. The experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of baizhu powder on the growth performance and immune function of piglets. Duroc × Landrace×Yorkshire piglets (n=72, half males and half females, 42 days of age, liveweight 14.82±0.17 kg) were randomly allocated to three treatments: control, control+AMK either ground (GMD=180 μm), or micronized (GMD=5.59 μm), for 30 days. The results showed that supplementation with micronized baizhu significantly increased average daily gain (ADG) (P<0.05) and decreased (P<0.05) the feed/gain and diarrhoea ratios compared with the control group. Pigs given 80 mesh baizhu had a lower (P<0.05) diarrhoea ratio than those fed the control diet. Supplementation with 80 mesh baizhu and micronized baizhu significantly increased (P<0.05) both concanavalin- (ConA) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced splenocyte and peripheral lymphocyte proliferation, serum IgG, IL-1, and IL-2 concentrations (P<0.05) compared with the control group. In addition, supplementation with micronized baizhu significantly enhanced (P<0.05) PR-39 mRNA expression compared with the control group. The results indicate that baizhu could ameliorate metabolic status and regulate immune function to improve the growth performance of piglets, and that super-fine comminution may improve its medicinal efficiency.
Authors and Affiliations
C. L. Xu, Y. F. Zhao, X. Y. Shang, W. N. Niu
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP76206
- DOI -
- Views 96
- Downloads 0
Application of weighted goal programming in the optimization of rations for sport horses
The objective of this study was to develop a model to assess economical and balanced feed rations for sport horses. It was based on nonparametric modelling with a combination of linear programming and a multiobjective op...
The effects of dietary whey protein concentrate level on performance, selected intestinal tract and blood parameters, and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances in the liver and breast meat of broiler chickens
The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of two levels of whey protein concentrate (WPC, 80.35% protein, 5.86% lactose) added to diets and duration of these treatments on growth and slaughter value, haematolog...
Use of phytobiotics in broiler nutrition – an alternative to infeed antibiotics?
After the ban of antibiotic growth promoters (AGP) in the EU many alternative substances have been investigated for their potential to replace AGPs. Phytobiotics are discussed as one promissing alternative due to their h...
The effects of feed blocks containing tomato and cucumber by-products on in vitro ruminal fermentation, microbiota, and methane production
The aim of this work was to evaluate in vitro the effect of replacing 0%, 50%, 75% or 100% of cereal-based concentrate in diets based on lucerne hay with feed blocks containing barley grain or 650 g · kg–1 fresh matter o...
Effect of antioestrogens on proliferation, differentiation and telomerase activity of pig granulosa cells in vitro
The aim of the present work was to study the effect of oestrogen receptor inhibitors (ICI 164.384; ICI and cyclofenil; CF) on proliferation, oestradiol synthesis, aromatase expression and telomerase activity (TA) of pig...