Effects of essential oil supplementation of a low‐energy diet on performance, intestinal morphology and microflora, immune properties and antioxidant activities in weaned pigs

Abstract

A total of 144 weaned piglets were used to evaluate the effects of essential oil (EO) supplementation of a low-energy diet on performance, apparent nutrient digestibility, small intestinal morphology, intestinal microflora, immune properties and antioxidant activities in weaned pigs. Pigs received a low-energy diet (negative control, NC, digestible energy = 3250 kcal/kg), NC plus 0.025% EO or a positive control diet (PC, digestible energy = 3400 kcal/kg) for 28 days. Growth performance was similar between the EO group and PC group. However, EO supplementation increased (P < 0.05) average daily gain and the apparent digestibility of dry matter, crude protein and energy compared with pigs fed the NC diet. Greater (P < 0.05) villus height and lower (P < 0.05) counts of Escherichia coli and total anaerobes in the rectum in the EO group were observed compared with NC or PC groups. Pigs fed EO diet had higher (P < 0.05) concentrations of albumin, immunoglobulin A (IgA), IgG and total antioxidant capacity and lower fecal score than pigs fed the PC and NC diets. Above all, this study indicates that supplementation of EO to a low-energy pig diet has beneficial results and obtains similar performance compared with normal energy (PC) diet.

A carvacrol–thymol blend decreased intestinal oxidative stress and influenced selected microbes without changing the messenger RNA levels of tight junction proteins in jejunal mucosa of weaning piglets

“…Those increased performance may be caused by increased nutrient digestibility (Li et al, 2012a;Zeng et al, 2015). Moreover, all the animals in those studies are fed with experimental diet for 4 or 5 weeks, whereas only a 2-week feeding trial was performed in the current study.…”

“…In contrast, feeding the diet supplemented with 100 mg/kg essential oil blend containing 18% thymol and cinnamaldehyde increases daily weight gain of weaning pigs compared with those fed with unsupplemented basal diet (Li et al, 2012a and2012b;Zeng et al, 2015). Those increased performance may be caused by increased nutrient digestibility (Li et al, 2012a;Zeng et al, 2015).…”

“…In fact, feeding the 100 mg/kg essential oil blend containing 18% thymol and cinnamaldehyde for 1 week does not affect the performance of weaning pigs (Li et al, 2012b). In consistence with the effect of performance, the influence of nutrient digestibility is observed after 4 or 5 weeks of feeding the 100 mg/kg essential oil blend supplemented diet (Li et al, 2012a;Zeng et al, 2015).…”

Oregano Essential Oil in Animal Production

“…As in poultry production, results of the effects of the inclusion of OEO in the diets are contradictory in terms of productive performance [27,28]. However, positive effects link to dietary inclusion of OEO might be clearer in other areas, for example, immunmodulation [28] and changes in blood counts [29]; in sows, it increases their reproductive performance [30] and causes a reduction in the oxidative stress status and enhances the performance of their litters [31].…”

“…However, positive effects link to dietary inclusion of OEO might be clearer in other areas, for example, immunmodulation [28] and changes in blood counts [29]; in sows, it increases their reproductive performance [30] and causes a reduction in the oxidative stress status and enhances the performance of their litters [31]. Oregano essential oil can be used as well to alleviate stress due to transportation as it improved the antioxidant status [32,33].…”