PSIII-21 Impact of high zinc oxide supplementation or lignocellulose supplement on chronic markers of intestinal inflammation and growth of weaned piglets

Abstract The objective of this project was to study the effects of high zinc oxide (ZO) supplementation and fiber supplement from lignocellulose (LIGCEL) on chronic markers of intestinal inflammation and growth of weaned piglets. At weaning (21 d), 150 piglets (body weight = 6.39 ± 0.276 kg) were transferred from a farrowing farm to a nursery farm where they were divided into 30 pens of 5 piglets per pen according to their weanling weight. Each pen was assigned to one of the following three treatments: Control (CON, 150 mg/kg of zinc), ZO (2,500 mg/kg of zinc), and LIGCEL (CON+3% lignocellulose). The ZO and LIGCEL supplements were added to a phase 1 diet. The experimental diets (phase 1) were distributed for 14 d. Subsequently, all piglets received the same diets from phases 2 and 3 for two periods of 14 d. During the experiment, piglets were weighed upon arrival and after phases 1, 2, and 3. The feed was distributed every day and the total quantities calculated for each of the feeding phases. The average daily gain (ADG), average daily feed intake (ADFI) and feed conversion (FC) were subsequently calculated (Table 1). On d 6 and 13, the blood of two piglets per pen was collected to determine the content of D-lactate and diamine oxidase (DAO). Fecal samples from these two piglets were also taken to evaluate the calprotectin and neopterin contents. During phase 1, ADG was greater for ZO piglets compared with the CON animals with an intermediate value for the LIGCEL group (P 0.001). The ADFI was greater for the ZO compared with the CON and LIGCEL treatments (P 0.003). Piglets in the ZO and LIGNOCELL treatments had less FC than those in the CON group (P 0.001). During phase 2, only the FC was greater for the ZO and LIGCEL treatments compared with CON animals (P 0.013). During phase 3, growth performances were not affected by the dietary treatments. For the entire experiment, ZO piglets had greater ADG than those in the CON group with an intermediate value for LIGCEL treatment (P 0.019). D-lactate decreased from d 6 to 13 while DAO increased (P 0.001). The DAO was also greater for ZO and LIGCELL piglets compared with CON animals (P 0.001). Neopterin was greater for ZO treatment but only on d 13 (Trt × day, P 0.010). Finally, calprotectin decreased from d 6 to 13 (P 0.001) but was not affected by dietary treatments. In conclusion, ZO and LIGCEL fiber act positively on growth by modulating markers of intestinal inflammation. LIGCEL fiber could, therefore, be an alternative to ZO in the diet of weaned piglets.