Relationship of Specific Nutrient Deficiencies to Antibody Production in Swine

Studies were conducted with 48 pigs in two trials to determine the effect of deficiencies of pantothenic acid, pyridoxine or riboflavin upon antibody production in swine. Using a semisynthetic milk diet the pigs were fed either a complete diet or diets deficient in pantothenic acid, pyridoxine or riboflavin. The pigs were weaned at two weeks, supplied with a diet deficient in the three B-vitamins under study for two weeks and allotted to the 4 treatment diets at 4 weeks of age. Two weeks after allotment to treatment a series of Salmonella pullorum injections was begun in the first trial. In the second trial injections of human erythrocytes were initiated after three weeks on the respective treatment. Reciprocals of net serum antibody titers were determined one week after the last injection in each trial. Control pigs produced significantly greater ( P < 0.01) reciprocals of antibody titers than the deficient pigs regardless of the antigen used. A paired feeding study consisting of one pig from each treatment in a group showed that the control pigs on equal feed intake gained weight significantly faster ( P < 0.05), more efficiently ( P < 0.05) and produced significantly greater ( P < 0.01) reciprocals of net antibody titers than did any deficient group. The pyridoxine-deficient pigs displayed oligocythemia and oligochromemia and had significantly higher ( P < 0.01) urinary xanthurenic acid concentrations than the control pigs did. Following repletion, the pigs formerly deficient in B-vitamins had values of serum protein and antibody responses to either S. pullorum or human erythrocyte antigens which were similar to the control pigs. However, the formerly deficient pigs continued to gain weight more slowly than the control pigs.