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The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of drinking water alkaline mineral complex (AMC) supplementation on growth performance, intestinal morphology, inflammatory response, immunity, antioxidant defense system, and barrier functions in weaned piglets. In a 15-day trial, 240 weaned piglets (9.35 ± 0.86 kg) at 28 days of age (large white × landrace × Duroc) were randomly divided into two groups: the control (Con) group and the AMC group. Drinking water AMC supplementation improved (P<0.01) final body weight (BW) and average daily gain (ADG) in weaned piglets compared to the Con group. Importantly, AMC reduced (P<0.01) the feed-to-gain (F:G) ratio. AMC water improved the physical health conditions of piglets under weaning stress, as reflected by the decreased (P<0.05) hair score and conjunctival score. Moreover, there was no significant (P>0.05) difference in relatively small intestinal length, organ (liver, spleen and kidney) indices, or gastrointestinal pH value in weaned piglets between the two groups. Of note, AMC significantly promoted the microvilli numbers in the small intestine and effectively ameliorated the gut morphology damage induced by weaning stress, as evidenced by the increased (P<0.05) villous height (VH) and ratio of VH to crypt depth. Additionally, AMC lessened the levels of lipopolysaccharide (LPS, P<0.01) and the contents of IL1β (P<0.05), and TNF-α (P<0.05) in the weaned piglet small intestine. Conversely, the gut immune barrier marker, secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) levels in serum and small intestine mucosa were elevated after AMC water treatment (P<0.01). Furthermore, AMC elevated the antioxidant mRNA levels of (P<0.05) SOD 1-2, (P<0.01) CAT, and (P<0.01) GPX 1-2 in the small intestine. Likewise, the mRNA levels of the small intestine tight junction factors Occludin (P<0.01), ZO-1 (P<0.05), Claudin 2 (P<0.01) and Claudin 5 (P<0.01) in the AMC treatment group were notably higher than those in the Con group. In conclusion, drinking water AMC supplementation has an accelerative effect on growth performance by elevating gut health by improving intestinal morphology, the inflammatory response, the antioxidant defense system, and barrier function in weaned piglets.

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Background Stress, herd transfer, and food changes experienced by nursery and fattening pigs can lead to reduced performance, reduced digestion and absorption, and impaired intestinal health. Given the role of essential oils in relieving stress and improving animal welfare, we hypothesized that essential oils may improve pig performance via promoting gut health and gut homeostasis laid by EOs supplementation during nursery continuously impacts performance in fattening pigs. Results A total of 100 piglets (Landrace × Large White; weighted 8.08 ± 0.34 kg, weaned at d 28) were randomly selected and divided into 2 treatments: (1) basal diet (Con); (2) basal diet supplement with 0.1% complex essential oils (CEO). The experiment period was 42 days. Then weaned piglets’ growth performance and indications of intestinal health were assessed. Compared to the Con group, dietary supplemented CEO enhanced BW at 14 d (P < 0.05), and increased ADG during 1 ~ 14 d and 1 ~ 42 d (P < 0.05). Furthermore, CEO group had lower FCR during 1 ~ 42 d (P < 0.05). The CEO group also showed higher VH and VH:CD in duodenum and ileum (P < 0.05). Additionally, dietary CEO supplementation improved gut barrier function, as manifested by increased the mRNA expression of tight-junction protein and decreased serum DAO, ET and D-LA levels (P < 0.05). Finally, CEO supplementation alleviated gut inflammation, increased the activity of digestive enzymes. Importantly, piglets supplemented with CEOs during nursery also had better performance during fattening, suggesting that the establishment of intestinal health will also continuously affect subsequent digestion and absorption capacity. In short, dietary supplemented CEO improved performance and gut health via modulating increased intestine absorptive area, barrier integrity, digestive enzyme activity, and attenuating intestine inflammation. Meanwhile, essential oil supplementation during the nursery period also had a favorable effect on the performance of growing pigs. Conclusions Therefore, the strategy of adding CEO to pig diets as a growth promoter and enhancing intestinal health is feasible.

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