The Effects of <i>Poria cocos</i> Polysaccharides on Growth Performance, Immunity, and Cecal Microflora Composition of Weaned Piglets
This paper aims to identify <i>Poria cocos</i> polysaccharides (PCPs) as a potential feed additive used for swine production; thus, we explored the effects of different dietary inclusion levels of PCP on growth performance, immunity, and cecal microflora composition in weaned piglets. Fo...
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MDPI AG
2024-04-01
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| Series: | Animals |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/14/7/1121 |
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| author | Jinzhou Zhang Heming Wang Shuaitao Meng Chuankuan Zhang Liping Guo Zhiguo Miao |
| author_facet | Jinzhou Zhang Heming Wang Shuaitao Meng Chuankuan Zhang Liping Guo Zhiguo Miao |
| author_sort | Jinzhou Zhang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This paper aims to identify <i>Poria cocos</i> polysaccharides (PCPs) as a potential feed additive used for swine production; thus, we explored the effects of different dietary inclusion levels of PCP on growth performance, immunity, and cecal microflora composition in weaned piglets. For this, a total of 120 28-day-old Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire weaned piglets (8.51 ± 0.19 kg; 28 ± 1 days of age) were randomly allocated to five groups that were fed a basal diet supplemented with 0, 0.025%, 0.05%, 0.1%, and 0.2% PCP, respectively, for 42 days. The results indicated that the average daily gain (ADG) and gain/feed ratio were higher in the PCP treatment groups than in the control group, with a linear effect. The serum concentrations of IgG, IgA, IL-2, IFN-γ, the number of CD4<sup>+</sup> T cells, and the CD4<sup>+</sup>-to-CD8<sup>+</sup> T-cell ratio (CD4<sup>+</sup>/CD8<sup>+</sup>) were increased, while the levels of IL-6 and TNF-α were decreased in the PCP supplementation groups compared with those in the control group. Furthermore, the cytokine mRNA expression levels exhibited a similar trend in the spleen. PCP supplementation also reduced the abundance of <i>Escherichia coli</i> and <i>Salmonella</i> and enhanced that of <i>Lactobacilli</i> and <i>Bifidobacteria</i> in the cecum. In summary, dietary PCP inclusion exerted positive effects on the growth performance, immunity, and cecal microbiota of piglets and showed potential for use as a feed additive for improving the health of weaned piglets, with 0.1% being the optimal dosage. |
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| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T10:49:31Z |
| publishDate | 2024-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj.art-00c51bbee47940ba9c3336ca549480ff2024-04-12T13:14:26ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152024-04-01147112110.3390/ani14071121The Effects of <i>Poria cocos</i> Polysaccharides on Growth Performance, Immunity, and Cecal Microflora Composition of Weaned PigletsJinzhou Zhang0Heming Wang1Shuaitao Meng2Chuankuan Zhang3Liping Guo4Zhiguo Miao5College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Henan Institute of Science and Technology, No. 90, East Section of Hualan Avenue, Xinxiang 453003, ChinaCollege of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Henan Institute of Science and Technology, No. 90, East Section of Hualan Avenue, Xinxiang 453003, ChinaCollege of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Henan Institute of Science and Technology, No. 90, East Section of Hualan Avenue, Xinxiang 453003, ChinaCollege of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Henan Institute of Science and Technology, No. 90, East Section of Hualan Avenue, Xinxiang 453003, ChinaSchool of Food Science, Henan Institute of Science and Technology, No. 90, East Section of Hualan Avenue, Xinxiang 453003, ChinaCollege of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Henan Institute of Science and Technology, No. 90, East Section of Hualan Avenue, Xinxiang 453003, ChinaThis paper aims to identify <i>Poria cocos</i> polysaccharides (PCPs) as a potential feed additive used for swine production; thus, we explored the effects of different dietary inclusion levels of PCP on growth performance, immunity, and cecal microflora composition in weaned piglets. For this, a total of 120 28-day-old Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire weaned piglets (8.51 ± 0.19 kg; 28 ± 1 days of age) were randomly allocated to five groups that were fed a basal diet supplemented with 0, 0.025%, 0.05%, 0.1%, and 0.2% PCP, respectively, for 42 days. The results indicated that the average daily gain (ADG) and gain/feed ratio were higher in the PCP treatment groups than in the control group, with a linear effect. The serum concentrations of IgG, IgA, IL-2, IFN-γ, the number of CD4<sup>+</sup> T cells, and the CD4<sup>+</sup>-to-CD8<sup>+</sup> T-cell ratio (CD4<sup>+</sup>/CD8<sup>+</sup>) were increased, while the levels of IL-6 and TNF-α were decreased in the PCP supplementation groups compared with those in the control group. Furthermore, the cytokine mRNA expression levels exhibited a similar trend in the spleen. PCP supplementation also reduced the abundance of <i>Escherichia coli</i> and <i>Salmonella</i> and enhanced that of <i>Lactobacilli</i> and <i>Bifidobacteria</i> in the cecum. In summary, dietary PCP inclusion exerted positive effects on the growth performance, immunity, and cecal microbiota of piglets and showed potential for use as a feed additive for improving the health of weaned piglets, with 0.1% being the optimal dosage.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/14/7/1121weaned pigletgrowth performanceimmunitymicroflora<i>Poria cocos</i> polysaccharide |
| spellingShingle | Jinzhou Zhang Heming Wang Shuaitao Meng Chuankuan Zhang Liping Guo Zhiguo Miao The Effects of <i>Poria cocos</i> Polysaccharides on Growth Performance, Immunity, and Cecal Microflora Composition of Weaned Piglets Animals weaned piglet growth performance immunity microflora <i>Poria cocos</i> polysaccharide |
| title | The Effects of <i>Poria cocos</i> Polysaccharides on Growth Performance, Immunity, and Cecal Microflora Composition of Weaned Piglets |
| title_full | The Effects of <i>Poria cocos</i> Polysaccharides on Growth Performance, Immunity, and Cecal Microflora Composition of Weaned Piglets |
| title_fullStr | The Effects of <i>Poria cocos</i> Polysaccharides on Growth Performance, Immunity, and Cecal Microflora Composition of Weaned Piglets |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Effects of <i>Poria cocos</i> Polysaccharides on Growth Performance, Immunity, and Cecal Microflora Composition of Weaned Piglets |
| title_short | The Effects of <i>Poria cocos</i> Polysaccharides on Growth Performance, Immunity, and Cecal Microflora Composition of Weaned Piglets |
| title_sort | effects of i poria cocos i polysaccharides on growth performance immunity and cecal microflora composition of weaned piglets |
| topic | weaned piglet growth performance immunity microflora <i>Poria cocos</i> polysaccharide |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/14/7/1121 |
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