Adaptation of Piglets Using Different Methods of Stress Prevention

Abstract

Simple SummaryStressful events play a major negative role in the modern technology of weaned piglets. These events include but are not limited to weaning itself, lack of maternal milk, loss of maternal bonding, mixing of different litters, transportation to growing-finishing farms, and housing conditions. Various additives (phenazepam, aminazine, vitamins E and C, the extract Eleutherococcus senticosus, and ultraviolet irradiation) at different doses and combinations with or without ultraviolet irradiation were used to evaluate their effect on the viability and growth rate of piglets after weaning. Content of lipids in the blood and liver, antioxidant activity (AOA) and lipid peroxidation (LPO) significantly decreased or increased with the use of the additives. Feeding a mixture of additives increased survival rate, average daily gain, and live weight at the end of the experiment.AbstractThe purpose of this study was to evaluate the viability and growth rate of piglets after weaning, the content of lipids in the blood and liver, antioxidant activity (AOA) and lipid peroxidation (LPO) when various additives are used in feed. The experiments were performed on two crosses of piglets obtained from Large White breed sows and Landrace breed boars. Twenty to 28 animals were randomly assigned per group. The following additives were tested: the benzodiazepine phenazepam, the neuroleptic aminazine, vitamins E and C, and the extract Eleutherococcus senticosus (Araliaceae). Different doses and combinations of the additives against ultraviolet irradiation were used. The addition of these substances improved the growth rate and viability of piglets. AOA increased under the influence of all factors studied, especially with the addition of extract of Eleutherococcus in feed in combination with aminazine and UV-irradiation (p < 0.01). However, the addition of Eleutherococcus extract and aminazine intensified LPO (p < 0.01), but use of UV irradiation helped to decrease LPO values (p < 0.01). Feeding a mixture of additives per pig per day of 3 mL of Eleutherococcus extract, 80 mg of 25% tocopherol, and 500 mg of ascorbic acid increased survival rate, average daily gain, and live weight at the end of the experiment. Thus, the use of prophylactic antistress and sedative drugs during weaning helps AOA normalize LPO of red blood cells; enhance post weaning growth of the pigs by 4.8% to 24.6% and increases piglet survival rate by 5% to 5.1%.

Effects of dietary vitamin E (DL-α-tocopheryl acetate) and vitamin C combination on piglets oxidative status and immune response at weaning

“…The combination of both vitamins at different doses in the present study from day 28 to 68 did not modify the piglet growth. This result is in contrast to the results of the study of Bekenev et al (2015) in which a combination of 80 mg of 25% tocopherol, 500 mg vitamin C and 3 ml Eleutherococcus senticosus extract in piglets (at 22-26 and 31-36 days of age until they reached 12-15 weeks) increased average daily gain and live weight at the end of the experiment.…”

“…Supplementation of piglet diets with vitamin C is not essential since this vitamin is synthesised by these animals, nevertheless, the post-weaning stress may disturb this process (Lauridsen and Jensen, 2005). Hence, vitamin C supplementation in weaning piglets can increase immunoglobulin concentration (Zhao et al, 2002;Lauridsen and Jensen, 2005) and improve performance parameters (Bekenev et al, 2015). It was found that vitamin C is able to reduce stress effects in fish (Peng et al, 2013) and chicken (Chand et al, 2014).…”

“…Most of the studies in which the effects of both vitamins were examined aimed to improve meat quality parameters and lipid stability in growing pigs or during the fattening phase (Eichenberger et al, 2004;Gebert et al, 2006;Peeters et al, 2006). In a recent study conducted on piglets to prevent stress effects, it was found that the usage of both vitamins with Eleutherococcus senticosus extract may be useful to improve performance parameters (Bekenev et al, 2015). However, this study only tested one dose combination, hence additional investigations on these nutrient combination deserve more attention.…”

Effect of Dietary Hemp Seed on Oxidative Status in Sows during Late Gestation and Lactation and Their Offspring

“…The second step of this study was to assess the effect of the hemp diet on the oxidative status of piglets. Stressful events like weaning play a major negative role in modern livestock production [91]. It has been observed that if the diet of sows is rich in bioactive compounds, piglets better resist the challenges of the weaning period, such as transitory inflammation [62].…”

The Oxidative Stress Markers of Horses—the Comparison with Other Animals and the Influence of Exercise and Disease

“…In humans, it is well known that oxidative stress is associated with various diseases, including diabetes [1], obesity [2], inflammation, and cancer [3], and with lifestyle habits such as fitness activities [4], alcohol consumption [5] and smoking [6]. There have also been many studies in various animals using indexes related to oxidative stress and antioxidant activity such as 8-OHdG [7] and lipid peroxidation [8]. The aims of those studies were to cover a lot of ground, for example, animal welfare [9,10], produce of value-added animal product [11], efficient produce of animal product [7], and estimation of disease [12].…”