Ethanol extract of mango seed is a suitable plant-based replacement for synthetic antioxidants in pig grower–finisher diets

Abstract

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the inclusion of ethanol extracts of mango seed (EEMS) in growing–finishing pig diets on lipid stability and antioxidant potential of feed, animal performance, carcass traits as well as haematological and biochemical parameters in the serum. Thirty-two barrows that were 60 days old and weighed 20.20 ± 1.34 kg were used in a randomised-block design with four treatments and eight replicates. The treatments consisted of the following: diet without antioxidant addition (negative control); diet with 200 mg of butylate hydroxytoluene/kg (positive control); diet with 200 mg EEMS/kg (EEMS200); and diet with 400 mg EEMS/kg (EEMS400). Diet with synthetic (butylate hydroxytoluene) and natural antioxidants presented better oxidative stability and antioxidant potential than did the negative control. Animals fed 400 mg EEMS/kg presented greater weight gain up to 110 days (P < 0.05). Pigs fed diet containing 200 mg EEMS/kg showed a decrease in red blood cells (P < 0.001) and a higher average corpuscular volume (P < 0.0001), whereas pigs fed control diet had lower average corpuscular haemoglobin concentration than did those in other treatments (P < 0.01). At 140 days of age, dietary addition of 400 mg EEMS/kg decreased malondialdehyde and increased antioxidant potential (2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl hydrazyl method) in serum, with the highest phenolic compound concentration found in the serum of pigs fed diet with 200 mg EEMS/kg. The total antioxidant activity in the serum was not influenced by the treatments (P > 0.05). Ethanol mango extracts can be used as an antioxidant in growing–finishing pig diets at levels of 200 and 400 mg/kg without impairment of performance, carcass traits, serum and biochemical parameters. The dietary addition of EEMS at 400 mg/kg improves the performance of pigs at growing phase and contributes to an increase in circulating phenolic compounds, improving the lipid stability and the antioxidant potential of the serum.