Effects of Anti-diarrhoeal Herbs on Growth Performance, Nutrient Digestibility, and Meat Quality in Pigs

Abstract

Two studies were conducted to investigate the effects of anti-diarrhoeal herbs on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and meat quality in pigs. In Exp 1, 150 weanling-growing piglets (average BW = 7.5±0.24 kg, average age = 27±1 d) were allotted into one of the five dietary treatments, including: i) CON, basal diet, ii) DP, basal diet+1 g/kg date pits, iii) JH, basal diet+0.5 g/kg Japanese-honeysuckle, iv) HCT, basal diet+1 g/kg houttuynia cordata thunb, and v) LE, basal diet+1 g/kg laquer tree extract. From wk 0 to 5, the JH, HCT and LE groups presented higher (p<0.05) ADFI, ADG and gain/feed ratio (G/F) than CON and DP groups. During wk 5 to 10, Pigs fed JH, HCT and LE diets indicated higher (p<0.05) ADG and ADFI than the pigs fed CON and DP diets. During the entire experimental period, a significant increase of ADG appeared in JH, HCT and LE (p<0.05). Pigs fed JH, HCT and LE diets got a higher (p<0.05) ADFI than the pigs fed CON and DP diets. Pigs fed diets with supplementations of herb additives revealled lower (p<0.05) score of diarrhea pigs during d 2 to d 6 compared with pigs fed CON diet. In Exp 2, 60 growing-finishing barrows and gilts (average BW = 54.10±1.20 kg, average age = 54±3 d) were allotted to three treatments: i) CON, basal diet; ii) YG, basal diet+1 g/kg yellow ginger and iii) HR, basal dietary+1 g/kg hoantchy root, respectively. From wk 0 to 5, Dietary supplementation of YG and HR enhanced (p<0.05) ADG. No difference was found between YG and HR treatments. During, wk 5 to 10, ADG also was observed higher in YG and HR treatments than CON group (p<0.05). Additional, YG had the highest ADG (p<0.05) among treatments. There was always an increase of ADG in YG and HR (p<0.05) through all periods. HR treatment showed a lower (p<0.05) score of diarrhoeal pigs on d 1and d 2 compared with CON treatment. Pigs fed YG and HR diets had a higher (p<0.05) longissimus muscle area (LMA) than pigs fed CON diet. In conclusion, anti-diarrhoeal herbs can improve growth performance, and prevent diarrhea incidence in pigs, it can also increase LMA in finishing pigs.

Effects of dietary supplementation of natural and fermented herbs on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, blood parameters, meat quality and fatty acid composition in growing-finishing pigs

“…However, in the present experiment, no significant differences on RBC, WBC, Lymphocyte, TNF-a, IL-1b and IL-6 concentrations were detected. In agreement with our results, Cho et al (2012) reported that dietary supplementation with herbs (yellow ginger or hoantchy root) did not affect WBC, RBC or lymphocyte concentrations in growingfinishing pigs. In the present study, the lack of effect on WBC RBC, lymphocyte, TNF-a, IL-1b and IL-6 concentrations could be due to the maturation of pigs' immune system in finishing phase or the low concentrations of herbs used.…”

Effect of plant extracts on growth performance and insulin-like growth factor 1 secretion in growing pigs

“…Ra et al (2003) reported that the plant extracts-administered group showed higher (49.3% and 52.3%) growth promotion than the control group (46.2%), by the increase in the GH and IGF-1 levels in rats. Antidiarrheal herbs can improve growth performance and prevent diarrhea in pigs (Cho et al, 2012). Klindt et al (1998) reported that the injected pigs showed greater BW gain than those on the control treatment, and backfat deposition rate was not influenced by the administration of IGF-1.…”

Effects of dietary supplementation with detoxified Rhus verniciflua sap on egg production, yolk lipid and intestinal microflora in laying hens

“…Among them, urushiol is an oily organic component and exerts several beneficial effects such as antimicrobial [ 7 ], and antioxidant [ 8 ] activities. Due to the afore-mentioned effects [ 7 , 8 ], RV and urushiol were tested as the feed supplements to enhance health and/or productivity in pigs [ 9 , 10 ] and broiler chickens [ 11 ]. However, it is reported that urushiol might have toxic effects as it is the main antigen of Rhus and exhibits strong antigenicity in animals [ 12 ].…”