PSIV-B-24 Dietary supplementation of botanicals changed blood profiles and intestinal morphology of weaned pigs experimentally infected with a pathogenic Escherichia coli

Abstract

Abstract The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of dietary botanical supplementation on blood profiles and intestinal morphology of weaned piglets experimentally infected with a pathogenic F18 Escherichia coli (E. coli). Sixty weaned piglets (around 21 days old; 7.15 ± 0.97 kg) were individually housed and randomly allotted to one of five dietary treatments (n = 12): negative control (NC), positive control (PC), high dose of botanicals blend 1 (BB1, 100 mg/kg), and low or high dose of botanicals blend 2 (BB2, 50 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg). The experiment lasted 28 days: from day -7 to +21 relative to E. coli inoculation. All piglets except the NC group were orally inoculated with F18 E. coli (10 cfu per dose, 3 doses) for 3 consecutive days. Blood samples were collected on d 0, 5, 14, and 21 post-inoculation (PI) to perform complete blood count test. Intestinal segments were collected on d 5 and 21 PI for intestinal morphology analysis. Data were analyzed by ANOVA using PROC MIXED of SAS with a randomized complete block design. E. coli infection reduced (P < 0.05) neutrophils and lymphocytes, but increased (P < 0.05) monocytes on d 4 PI. Pigs supplemented with 100 mg/kg BB2 had less (P < 0.05) lymphocytes than pigs in PC on d 4 PI. Pigs fed with 50 mg/kg BB2 had lower (P < 0.05) lymphocytes and monocytes then pigs in PC on d 21 PI. Pigs supplemented with 100 mg/kg BB2 had the greatest (P < 0.05) duodenal villi width, jejunum villi height and area, and colon crypt depth then pigs in PC on d 5 PI. In conclusion, dietary supplementation of botanicals tended to affect systemic immunity and enhance intestinal morphology of weaned pigs infected with E. coli.