Data_Sheet_2_Lycium barbarum Polysaccharides as Antibiotic Substitutes Improve Growth Performance, Serum Immunity, Antioxidant Status, and Intestinal Health for Weaned Piglets.docx

The aim of the present study is to investigate the effects of dietary Lycium barbarum polysaccharides (LBPs) supplementation on the growth performance, immune response, serum antioxidant status, and intestinal health of weaned piglets. In total, 24 crossed healthy weaned piglets [Duroc × (Yorkshire × Landrace)], of similar body weight (7.47 ± 0.22 kg), were randomly allocated to three treatment groups: CON (basal diet); LBPs (basal diet plus 4,000 mg/kg LBPs); and antibiotic (ABO, basal diet plus 20 mg/kg flavomycin and 50 mg/kg quinocetone). There were eight pigs per group. The study lasted 28 days. When compared with CON, LBPs or ABO dietary supplementation increased average daily gain (P < 0.05), decreased the ratio of feed to gain and the diarrhea ratio (P < 0.05). Similarly, when compared with CON, LBPs dietary supplementation increased serum immunoglobulin G, immunoglobulin M, interleukin-10, interleukin-2, and tumor necrosis factor-α levels (P < 0.05). Dietary LBPs enhanced the activity of serum total antioxidant capacity and glutathione peroxidase, and decreased malondialdehyde levels (P < 0.05). Principal component analysis showed a distinct separation between CON and LBPs groups, but no differences between ABO and LBPs groups. LBPs addition increased Lactobacillus and Faecalibacterium (P < 0.05) levels, while it decreased Enterococcaceae and Enterobacteriaceae (P < 0.05) levels. Furthermore, when compared with the CON group, LBPs increased villus height (P < 0.05) and the villus height to crypt depth ratio in the duodenum and jejunum (P < 0.05). Thus, dietary supplementation with LBPs improved growth performance, antioxidant capacity and immunity, regulated intestinal microbial composition, and may be used as an efficient antibiotic alternative in weaned piglet feed.

本研究旨在探讨膳食中补充枸杞多糖（LBPs）对断奶仔猪生长性能、免疫反应、血清抗氧化状态及肠道健康的影响。研究共纳入24只体重相似（7.47 ± 0.22 kg）的健康断奶仔猪（杜洛克×（约克夏×兰德瑞斯）），随机分为三组：对照组（基础饲料）；LBPs组（基础饲料加4,000 mg/kg LBPs）；以及抗生素组（ABO，基础饲料加20 mg/kg黄霉素和50 mg/kg喹诺酮）。每组8头猪。研究持续28天。与对照组相比，LBPs或ABO饲料补充剂均能提高平均日增重（P < 0.05），降低料重比和腹泻率（P < 0.05）。同样，与对照组相比，LBPs饲料补充剂能提高血清免疫球蛋白G、免疫球蛋白M、白细胞介素-10、白细胞介素-2和肿瘤坏死因子-α水平（P < 0.05）。膳食LBPs增强了血清总抗氧化能力及谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶的活性，并降低了丙二醛水平（P < 0.05）。主成分分析显示，对照组与LBPs组之间存在显著差异，而ABO组与LBPs组之间无显著差异。LBPs的添加提高了乳酸杆菌和粪肠球菌（P < 0.05）的水平，同时降低了肠球菌科和肠杆菌科（P < 0.05）的水平。此外，与对照组相比，LBPs提高了十二指肠和空肠的绒毛高度（P < 0.05）及绒毛高度与隐窝深度的比值（P < 0.05）。因此，膳食中补充LBPs可改善生长性能、抗氧化能力和免疫力，调节肠道微生物组成，并可能作为断奶仔猪饲料中高效的抗生素替代品。