Abstract
The objective of this experiment was to compare the effects of green tea by-product and green tea probiotics on the growth performance, meat quality and immune response of finishing pigs. A total of 72 crossbred Landrace×Yorkshire finishing pigs with an average of 76 kg body weight were assigned to 4 dietary treatments in a completely randomized design. Each treatment had 3 replications with 6 pigs per replication. The four dietary treatments were control, antibiotics (control diet with 0.003% chlortetracycline added), and diets containing 0.5% green tea by-product or 0.5% green tea probiotic supplementation. Weight gain was increased in 0.5% green tea probiotics treatment compared to others, but there was no significant difference (p>0.05). The incorporation of 0.5% green tea probiotics to diets reduced the feed conversion ratio in finishing pigs (p>0.05). The incorporation of 0.5% green tea by-product into the pig diet reduced the crude protein and fat contents of the meat (p>0.05). Pigs fed diets containing 0.5% green tea probiotic supplementation had lowered meat TBA values compared to those fed 0.5% green tea by-product (p<0.05). The proliferation of spleen cells stimulated with Con A (concanavalin: 0.1, 0.3, and 1.0 μg/ml) significantly increased with 0.5% green tea by-product treatment compared to antibiotic treatment (p<0.05), but was significantly decreased in 0.5% green tea probiotics treatment compared to the antibiotic treatment (p<0.05). When stimulated with 1.0 μg/ml Con A, splenocyte production of IL-6 from pigs treated with 0.5% green tea by-product or green tea probiotics was significantly increased compared to the antibiotic treatment group (p<0.05). Splenocyte production of TNF-α after treatment with 1.0 μg/ml Con A was significantly higher following 0.5% green tea probiotics treatment (p<0.05), while TNF-α production after 10.0 μg/ml LPS (lipopolysaccharide) was significantly higher in the 0.5% antibiotic treatment group (p<0.05). (Key Words : Green Tea By-product, Green Tea Probiotics, Growth Performance, Meat Quality, Immune Response, Pig)
Highlights
There has been extensive use of antibiotics to prevent diseases and improve growth performance in the animal industry
The spleen cells of pigs were cultured for 24 h with LPS (10 μg/ml) and Con A (1.0 μg/ml) together and the amount of IL-6 and TNF-α included in the upper fluid was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)
There were no significant differences in final body weight, weight gain, feed intake or feed conversion ratio in groups containing 0.5% of green tea by-product and green tea probiotic treatments, and antibiotic treatment (p>0.05)
Summary
There has been extensive use of antibiotics to prevent diseases and improve growth performance in the animal industry. Due to the occurrence of antibioticresistant bacteria and antibiotic residue in livestock products, the use of probiotics has been strongly recommended instead of antibiotics (Snyder and Champness, 1997). Probiotics are viable microorganisms that improve gut microflora by enzymes, organic acids, vitamins and nontoxic anti-bacterial substances that the microbes secrete once ingested (Jun et al, 2002). Probiotic supplementation seeks to repair these deficiencies and. Another method that is developing together with probiotics is the recently developed non-antibiotic use of functional medicinal plants
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
