Authors : Junliang Li, Binlin Shi, Sumei Yan , Lu Jin , Tiyu Li , Yuanqing Xu and Yiwei Guo
Abstract: This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation of chitosan on stress hormones and antioxidative enzymes in weaned piglets. One hundred and eighty piglets weaned at 28 days (Duroc x Large white x Landrace) were assigned randomly to 5 dietary treatments with 6 repetitions in each treatment. The piglets in the 5 treatments were fed on the basal diet supplemented with 0 (control), 100, 500, 1000 and 2000 mg chitosan/kg feed. Results showed that dietary chitosan decreased serum Adrenocorticotropic Hormone (ACTH) concentrations in a linear dose-dependent manner (p<0.05) on day 28 and declined serum Cortisol (COR) concentrations in a linear or quadratic dose-dependent manner (p<0.05) on day 14 and 28. With increasing chitosan, serum Glutathione Peroxidase (GSH-Px) was enhanced both in a quadratic manner (p<0.05) on day 14 and a linear manner on day 28 (p<0.05) and Serum Glutathione Peroxidase (SOD) and Catalase (CAT) were improved quadratically on day 28 (p<0.05). These results implied that dietary chitosan mitigated weaning stress and improved the activity of antioxidative enzymes in weaned piglets.
Junliang Li, Binlin Shi, Sumei Yan , Lu Jin , Tiyu Li , Yuanqing Xu and Yiwei Guo , 2013. Effects of Dietary Supplementation of Chitosan on Stress Hormones and Antioxidative Enzymes in Weaned Piglets. Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances, 12: 650-654.