Abstract
BackgroundBiomarkers are useful tools in research and clinical practice where they are often used to detect and monitor differences in the physiological state of an animal. The proteins IGF-1, IGFBP-3, GHR, CRP, SAA, Hp, IFN-α, IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, and IL-18 have been proposed as potential biomarkers for monitoring growth in livestock. The objective of this study was to determine whether hepatic gene expression of these proposed biomarkers is associated with growth performance in nursery pigs. Herd information and growth parameters were collected for 168 piglets from 8 commercial farms in southern Ontario. From these pigs, a subset of liver tissue samples (n = 74) was used for gene expression analysis of the proposed biomarkers. Multivariable linear regression methods were used to determine whether genetic expression of the proposed biomarkers was associated with growth performance in the nursery.ResultsModelling the herd information and individual piglet traits in relation to growth performance revealed that the weight at weaning and the age at weaning are significantly associated with nursery performance. Average daily gain (ADG) was significantly associated with hepatic IGFBP-3 and GHR expression in the liver (P < 0.05), and tended to be associated with hepatic IGF-1 expression (P = 0.071). Similarly, 9-week body weight was significantly associated with hepatic expression of IGFBP-3 and GHR expression (P < 0.05), and tended to be associated with hepatic expression of IGF-1 (P = 0.055).ConclusionThe age and weight at which pigs are weaned is an important determinant for nursery performance. Hepatic gene expression of IGF-1, IGFBP-3, and GHR can be useful biomarkers for monitoring growth performance in nursery pigs.
Highlights
Biomarkers are useful tools in research and clinical practice where they are often used to detect and monitor differences in the physiological state of an animal
Additional studies have demonstrated that the insulin-like growth factor (IGF) system is important for postnatal maturation and the development of desirable carcass traits [9,10,11]. These findings demonstrate that the IGF system plays an important role in development, it is not clear to what extent differences in gene expression affect growth performance in pigs, and whether these genes can be used as biomarkers to monitor growth performance across different commercial farms
The objective of this study was to investigate the association between the hepatic gene expression of potential biomarkers, including Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), IGF binding proteins (IGFBPs)-3, growth hormone receptors (GHR), C-reactive protein (CRP), serum amyloid A (SAA), Hp, IFN-α, IFN-γ, tumor necrosis factorα (TNF-α), IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, IL-18, and growth performance in nursery pigs across diverse commercial farm conditions
Summary
Biomarkers are useful tools in research and clinical practice where they are often used to detect and monitor differences in the physiological state of an animal. The proteins IGF-1, IGFBP-3, GHR, CRP, SAA, Hp, IFN-α, IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, and IL-18 have been proposed as potential biomarkers for monitoring growth in livestock. The objective of this study was to determine whether hepatic gene expression of these proposed biomarkers is associated with growth performance in nursery pigs. Herd information and growth parameters were collected for 168 piglets from 8 commercial farms in southern Ontario From these pigs, a subset of liver tissue samples (n = 74) was used for gene expression analysis of the proposed biomarkers. The objective of this study was to investigate the association between the hepatic gene expression of potential biomarkers, including IGF-1, IGFBP-3, GHR, CRP, SAA, Hp, IFN-α, IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, IL-18, and growth performance in nursery pigs across diverse commercial farm conditions. A secondary objective of this study was to determine extraneous factors which may influence growth performance in the nursery as such factors are critical for assessing the association between potential biomarkers and nursery performance
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
