Effect of dietary inclusion of Sea – buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides) on health and productivity of mink

The objective of this study was to assess the effect of Sea-buckthorn (SB) on mink productivity and health. The experiment lasted 10 months and was divided into reproductive and growing periods. 100 brown female mink were randomly assigned to two groups (n=50): SB (1%SB) and Con (control). Body weight (BW) of animals during reproduction period was measured. Mating (MR) and whelping rate (WR), litter size (LS) and kit mortality (KM) were recorded. BW of SB group was higher until the end of mating (p<0.05). MR, WR, LS, and KM were similar between groups (p>0.05), however SB group weaned more kits. Post weaning, 100 offspring from each group (50 males:50 females) were randomly selected and equally allocated to groups: A and B (1%SB) and C and D (control). Groups A and C descended from SB group, while B and D from Con. IL-4, IL-8 and IFN-γ levels in blood serum and Tgf-β1, IL-1B, IFN- γ and IL-6 in spleen samples were determined. Immune cells (B-lymphocytes, granulocytes, T-lymphocytes) in colon, mesenteric lymph node (MLN) and spleen were counted. Blood serum cytokines levels were significantly higher in group B compared to D. Group A had higher IL-4 levels compared to D. The levels of IL-8 and IFN-γ decreased in A and C compared to D. In spleen samples Tgf-β1 was lower in B compared to the rest (p<0.05), while IL1-B in A was higher compared to C and D (p<0.05). Moreover, IL-6 was higher in group A compared to D (p<0.01). A reduction of T-lymphocytes in MLN of A compared to those of B was observed and, in the T-lymphocytes in colon of A compared to the rest groups (p<0.05). In spleen, B-lymphocytes were decreased in group A, compared to B and D, as also in C, compared to B and D (p<0.001). Microbiome analysis revealed enrichment of Lactobacillus in group A and higher abundance of Candidatus Arthromitus, Clostridium sensu stricto 1, and Escherichia-Shigella in D. The findings suggest that 1% SB affected the gut bacterial flora and the immune system tone of mink, while it presented limited effect on their productive traits.