Effects of Commercial Antioxidants in Feed on Growth Performance and Oxidative Stress Status of Weaned Piglets

摘要

Supplementation with high levels of vitamin E (Vit E) is usually recommended for diets used during the post-weaning (PW) period, when piglets show reduced growth rate and are more susceptible to disease. We tested two commercial antioxidants (AOX) in pre-starter and starter diets to evaluate the growth performance and oxidative status of weaned piglets. At the end of each feeding phase, growth data and serum samples were collected. Data analysed were body weight (BW), average daily gain (ADG), average daily feed intake, and feed conversion ratio (FCR). As oxidative stress indicators, total antioxidant capacity, total serum thiols, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), and Vit E (α-tocopherol) were determined in serum. At the end of the study, cortisol and interleukin-6 were also determined, as well as TBARS and α-tocopherol concentrations in liver and muscle. The lowest BW, ADG, and FCR were found in piglets fed a low Vit E diet without AOX for the starter period. The α-tocopherol levels in serum and liver and differences among treatments were in agreement with the experimental design. Using AOXs or usual Vit E levels in feed was shown to be a key factor in maintaining optimal performance in the PW period.