Effects of dietary valine chelated zinc supplementation on growth performance, antioxidant capacity, immunity, and intestine health in weaned piglets

Abstract

Abstract This study was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary valine chelated zinc (ZnVal) supplementation on growth performance, antioxidant capacity, immunity, and intestine health in weaned piglets. A total of 240 healthy 35-day-old weaned piglets [Duroc × (Landrace × Yorkshire), average weight 10.70 ± 0.14 kg] were randomly divided into five groups with six replicate pens and eight piglets per pen. Dietary treatments were a corn–soybean meal basal diet supplemented with 0, 25, 50, 75, and 100 mg/kg ZnVal, respectively. The experiment lasted for 28 days. Results showed that average daily gain (ADG) was increased (P < 0.05) by ZnVal with 75–100 mg/kg supplementation on days 15–28 and with 50–100 mg/kg supplementation on days 1–28. Supplementation of 25–100 mg/kg ZnVal reduced (P < 0.01) the diarrhea rate of weaned piglets at 1 to 14 days and 1 to 28 days. Dietary supplementation with 25–100 mg/kg ZnVal increased (P < 0.05) copper/zinc-superoxide dismutase (Cu/Zn-SOD) and decreased malonaldehyde (MDA) activities in the serum on day 14 and 28. Supplementation of 25–100 mg/kg ZnVal increased (P < 0.05) glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity in serum on day 14. In addition, supplementation of 75 mg/kg ZnVal increased (P < 0.05) the superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in liver and Cu/Zn-SOD, total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) with 25–100 mg/kg ZnVal supplementation in liver increased (P < 0.05). Higher (P < 0.05) concentrations of IgG in the serum were measured from piglets supplemented with 75–100 mg/kg ZnVal on day 14 and dietary supplementation with 25–100 mg/kg ZnVal increased the level of immunoglobulin G (IgG) in serum on in serum day 28 (P < 0.05). In addition, higher (P < 0.05) concentration of immunoglobulin A (IgA) in the duodenum and ileum were measured from piglets supplemented with 75 mg/kg ZnVal and the supplementation of 25–100 mg/kg ZnVal also showed a higher (P < 0.05) concentration of immunoglobulin G (IgG) in duodenum. Supplementation of 50–100 mg/kg ZnVal increased the villus height and villus height/crypt depth of jejunum (P < 0.05). Moreover, dietary supplementation with 75–100 mg/kg ZnVal showed a higher (P < 0.05) concentration of zinc in liver and supplementation of 50–100 mg/kg ZnVal increased (P < 0.05) the concentration of zinc in the heart, spleen and kidney. In conclusion, dietary supplementation with ZnVal improves ADG, antioxidant ability, and immunity in weaned piglets.