Abstract
BackgroundPoor hygiene of housing induces a systemic inflammatory response. Because inflammation and oxidative stress are processes that can sustain each other, the ways pigs are able to activate their antioxidant defenses are critical for production performance and health during periods when the immune system is solicited. Selection for production performance can also influence reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and expression levels of genes involved in cellular response to oxidative stress in different tissues. To establish the extent by which poor hygiene and selection for feed efficiency affected redox status, pigs divergently selected for residual feed intake (RFI) were housed in poor or good hygiene during 6 weeks. At the end, blood was collected in all pigs, and half of them were killed for tissue sampling. The remaining pigs were reared in good hygiene conditions during a recovery period of 7–8 weeks.ResultsAt week 6, poor hygiene was associated with a lower total antioxidant capacity assessed by plasma ferric reducing ability in all pigs, and with greater plasma levels of hydrogen peroxides in the high RFI pigs (less efficient). Adipose tissue of high RFI pigs exhibited higher activities of catalase and glutathione reductase, and greater thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) concentrations when compared with the low RFI pigs (more efficient). Poor hygiene conditions activated the antioxidant enzymes activities (glutathione reductase, superoxide dismutase and catalase) in adipose tissue of both lines, but led to higher ROS production by mature adipocytes isolated from the high RFI pigs only. In liver and muscle, there were only minor changes in antioxidant molecules due to genetics and hygiene conditions. After the resilience period, adipose tissue of pigs previously challenged by poor hygiene maintained higher antioxidant enzyme activities, and for the high RFI line, displayed higher TBARS concentrations.ConclusionsPigs selected for improved feed efficiency showed a lower susceptibility to oxidative stress induced by poor hygiene conditions. This could led to a lower inflammatory response and less impaired growth when these pigs are facing sanitary challenges during the production period.
Highlights
Poor hygiene of housing induces a systemic inflammatory response
Pigs from two lines divergently selected for low (LRFI) or high (HRFI) residual feed intake (RFI) were housed either in good or poor hygiene conditions during the first 6 weeks (W) after their transfer in growing pens
Half of these pigs were killed at week 6 (W6), while another half were placed in good hygiene conditions until slaughter at W13 to W14
Summary
Poor hygiene of housing induces a systemic inflammatory response. Because inflammation and oxidative stress are processes that can sustain each other, the ways pigs are able to activate their antioxidant defenses are critical for production performance and health during periods when the immune system is solicited. Poor hygiene of housing impairs nutrient digestibility, feed intake, growth rate, and in fine, feed efficiency [3, 4]. It induces a systemic inflammatory response, so that elevated concentration of haptoglobin, an acute phase protein found in plasma during inflammation and infection, and higher numbers of lymphocytes and granulocytes have been observed in blood formula of pigs housed in poor hygiene conditions [4, 5]. Oxidative stress arises when the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) overwhelm the endogenous antioxidant defenses. These defenses rely on molecules of high (enzymes) and low (glutathione and vitamins) molecular weights, which can reduce the formation and/or scavenge oxidants and prevent oxidative stress
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
