Effect of Live Saccharomyces cerevisiae on Immune Response in EarlyWeaned Crossbred Piglets

摘要

A study was conducted to assess the effect of feeding live Saccharomyces cerevisiae on immune response of early weaned crossbred (Landrace x Desi) piglets, which were assigned into four different groups (T_1, T_2, T_3 and T_4), twelve piglets in eachgroup flowing completely randomized design. The piglets of T_1 and T_2 were weaned at 28 day of age while T_3 and T_4 were weaned at 42 day of age. They were fed concentrate mixture (NRC, 1998) consisting of crushed maize, deoiled soybean, wheat bran andfish meal as a major ingredient. T_1 and T_3 were fed basal diet without S. cerevisiae, however, T_2 and T_4 were supplemented with live S. cerevisiae (200 g/d/head on fresh basis containing 2-3x10~6 cfu/g). Humoral immunity of growing piglets was evaluated at day 0,14 and 28 against injecting SRBC (i/m). Antibody response to SRBC in group T_2 and T_4 was significantly (P<0.001) higher as compared to group T_1 and T_3. The DTH response to intra-dermal inoculation of PHA-P revealed that the skin thickness was increased over the post-inoculation (PI) periods at 6, 12 and 24 hours in all the four groups. When compared among the different groups, there was a significant (P<0.05) increase in skin thickness in group T_4 as compared to group T_1 and T_3 butthe value was comparable to T_2. The results revealed that S. cerevisiae feeding improved the immune response of the early weaned crossbred piglets.