Effect of HCH Contamination of Diet on the Growth Performance and Immune and Antioxidant Ability in Growing/Finishing Pigs

Abstract

The effects of hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) on growth performance and immune and oxidative stress in growing/finishing pigs were studied. Seventy-two pigs, with equal numbers of barrows and gilts, of the same genotype (Duroc x Landrace x Large White), were randomly assigned to three groups receiving the same basal diet, exposed to 0, 0.4 and 0.8 mg/kg technical HCH, respectively, for 90 days. Six pigs from each group were randomly picked out and slaughtered on a finishing feeding trial. The result showed that addition of HCH did not affect the growth performance significantly but increased the weight of kidney and thymus significantly. Total serum IgG and IgM were elevated significantly, but there were no significant differences in serum IgA, C3 and C4 among the groups. Addition of HCH to feedstuff reduced superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione S-transferase (GST), glutathione reductase (GR) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activities in liver, reduced serum catalase (CAT) activity, and increased serum malondialehyde (MDA). Moreover, the activities of serum alanine aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase were increased significantly. Addition of 0.4 mg/kg or 0.8 mg/kg HCH did not affect the growth performance but affected the immune and antioxidant potential.

Dietary mulberry leaf powder affects growth performance, carcass traits and meat quality in finishing pigs

“…Therefore, the use of mulberry leaves in animal feed has attracted growing interest as an unconventional feed source for livestock. Several bioactive compounds in mulberry leaves, including 1‐deoxynojirimycin, c‐aminobutyric acid and phenolic compounds, have strong antioxidant properties (Liao et al, ), which suggest that mulberry leaves may be useful as a functional feed in improving the growth performance and health status of finishing pigs (Wang, Xu, & Su, ). In the present study, the pigs fed 3%, 6% and 9% mulberry diets had similar growth performance compared with the control group.…”

The Expression of Carnosine and Its Effect on the Antioxidant Capacity of <i>Longissimus dorsi</i> Muscle in Finishing Pigs Exposed to Constant Heat Stress

“… Azad et al (2010) and Mahmoud et al (2003) demonstrated that constant heat stress results in higher MDA levels in skeletal muscle of broiler chickens. Addition of hexachlorocyclohexane to feedstuff reduced liver SOD and serum CAT activity, increased serum MDA in growing/finishing pigs ( Wang et al, 2006 ). Hepatic and brain CAT activities decrease in rats exposed to chronic cold stress ( Kalaz et al, 2012 ).…”