Natural vitamin E (d-α-tocopherol) supplementation in drinking water prevents oxidative stress in weaned piglets

Abstract

The influence of vitamin E supplementation (d-α-tocopherol) in drinking water administered concomitantly with the synthetic form in feed to sows during the lactation period and/or piglets post-weaned on tocopherol, and its transfer from sows to milk and piglet serum, as well as its antioxidant power and immune response, were investigated. Those piglets supplemented with natural α-tocopherol in drinking water and born from sows supplemented with the same form of vitamin E (SS-SP) had the highest serum α-tocopherol concentration at five days post-weaning, whereas the lowest serum α-tocopherol concentration was found for the group fed α-tocopheryl acetate and born from sows fed the same type of vitamin E (CS-CP). Intermediate values were found in those piglets provided with α-tocopheryl acetate born from sows supplemented with natural vitamin E in drinking water (SS-CP) and those provided with natural α-tocopherol in water born from sows supplemented with α-tocopheryl acetate (CS-SP) at five days post-weaning. From weaning to day 5, piglet serum α-tocopherol concentration decreased by 65% for CS-CP and SS-CP groups and 47% for groups CS-SP and SS-SP. The CS-SP and SS-CP groups had similar α-tocopherol concentrations in serum to the SS-SP group at 20days post-weaning. The FRAP was significantly affected by the natural vitamin E supplementation of piglets (P=0.037) which is in accordance with the differences observed in vitamin E concentration. The GSSH level in the SS-SP group was by approximately 20% and 25% lower (P=0.0023) with respect to the CS-CP group at 5 and 20days post-weaning, respectively. The immunoglobulin levels in piglet serum were not significantly affected by natural vitamin E supplementation in drinking water. The treatment effects observed were mainly due to vitamin E supplementation of piglets.