| With more and more insecure factors knew, urgent affairs are founding safeand no infectant feedstuff addtive. Chinese herbal medicine was enrichment in our country,and which of function and security have been certificated, and many products have beenused in yield. The study was conducted to determine the effects of Chinese herbal formulaas dietary additives on growth performance and diarrhea index, and its mechanism inweaned piglets in order to open up a high-effect and green antibiotics substitutes forweaned piglets.A total of 60 piglets weaned at 21 days of age were randomly assigned to 3 treatmentgroups fed maize and soybean meal-based diets containing 0 or 2 g/kg of Chinese herbalformula, or 0.2 g/kg of colistin (n=20 per group). Growth performance was observed perweek. On days 7, 14 and 28 after the initiation of additive, five piglets were sampledrandomly from each group, and blood sample was collected by venepuncture of venajugularis for analysis of serum biochemical parameters, the routine blood parameters,antioxidant levels and immune responses, and then the contents from the jejunum, ileumand cecum were collected for estimating the levels of lactobacillus and E. coli by in vitroculturing methods and assessing globally the gut microflora by Denaturing Gradient GelElectrophoresis technique, and the immune apparatus index of spleen and groin's lymphwere determined.The results showed that the formula increased ADG and reduced F/G (P＜0.05), andeffectively prevent piglets from diarrhea (P＜0.05), of which functions were equal to orstronger than colistin's. The concentrations of TP, ALB, TCHO and activities of GOT, GPT,AMY and LPS were higher (P＜0.05), while the concentrations of GLU and TG, and theactivity of CK were lower (P＜0.05) compared with the supplement-free group. During Week 1, the percent of MID was higher (P＜0.05) compared with the other two groups; PLT,PCT, MPV, MDA and NO in the formula group were lower (P＜0.05), while PDW higher(P＜0.05) than which in the supplement-free group. During Week 2, MID in the formulagroup was significantly higher, while MVP lower compared with the control group(P＜0.05). HGB and MDA in the formula group were lower (P＜0.05) than the other twogroups. During Week 4, MID and GRA in the formula group was lower (P＜0.05) thanwhich in the supplement-free group, while LYM and SOD were higher (P＜0.05) than thecontrol group.The formula increased the immune function of weaned piglets. On day 7, dietarysupplementation with the formula increased (P＜0.05) the concentrations of serum IL-2 andIL-6 compared with the control groups. The concentration of serum IL-2 was higher(P＜0.05) while of IL-6 and TNF were lower (P＜0.05) in the formula-supplemented pigletsthan those of the colistin groups. On day 14, the concentration of serum IL-6 decreased(P＜0.05) compared with the other two groups. On day 28, dietary supplementation with theformula increased (P＜0.05) the concentrations of serum IgG and IgM compared with theother two groups. The higher (P＜0.05) proliferation conversion efficiencies of peripheral Tlymphocytes in the formula-supplemented piglets were observed on days 14 and 28compared with the other two groups.The formula increased (P＜0.05) the number of lactobacillus, while reduced (P＜0.05) ofE. coli in the contents; the profiles of DGGE became more complex and multiplicity as theday of age prolonged after weaned, and the gut microflora of the formula group had morediversity than the other 2 groups.Collectively, these findings suggested that the Chinese herbal formula could reduce thestress of weaned piglets and be effective in strengthening weaning-associated resistibilityand improving growth performance in piglets. It could improve serum biochemical androutine blood parameters, and increase the activity of antioxidant enzyme, as well aspromoting the development of the normal gut microflora and supperssing bacterialpathogens, and effectively promoting a healthy intestinal environment. |
