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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Microbiol.
Sec. Microorganisms in Vertebrate Digestive Systems
Volume 15 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1459188

Effects of supplemental feeding of Chinese herbal mixture to perinatal sows on the antioxidant capacity and gut microbiota of sows and their offspring piglets

Provisionally accepted
Xuelei Duan Xuelei Duan Xiao Wang Xiao Wang Zhaonian Li Zhaonian Li Chenggong Liu Chenggong Liu Yongzhan Bao Yongzhan Bao Wanyu Shi Wanyu Shi *Xinghua Zhao Xinghua Zhao *
  • Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    A total of 60 healthy sows (Large white) at fourth parity were randomly assigned to five treatment groups. The control group received a basal diet, while the TRT1 group received a basal diet supplemented with 2 kg/t Bazhen powder (BZP). The TRT2, TRT3, and TRT4 groups were fed a basal diet supplementation with 1 kg/t, 2 kg/t, and 3 kg/t Qi-Zhu-Gui-Shao soothing liver and replenishing blood powder (QZGSP), respectively. The trial lasted for 5 weeks, starting from day 100 of gestation until day 21 of delivery. The results demonstrated that the inclusion of 2 kg/t and 3 kg/t QZGSP significantly enhanced the antioxidant capacity of sows and their offspring piglets to different degrees, thereby effectively alleviating oxidative stress. Analysis of gut microbiota revealed that QZGSP influenced the composition of gut microbiota in both sows and their offspring piglets. Specifically, at the genus level, the abundance of Christensenellaceae_R-7_group in the gut microbiota of sows in the TRT4 group was significantly lower than that in the TRT1 group (p < 0.05), while the relative abundance of Lactobacillus in the gut microbiota of sows in the TRT4 group was significantly higher than that in the CON group (p < 0.05). Furthermore, at the genus level, compared to those in the TRT1 group, piglets from the TRT4 group exhibited a significant decrease in relative abundance of Escherichia-Shigella, Parabacteroides, and Methanobrevivacter (p < 0.05), but a significant increase in Phascolarctobacterium (p < 0.05). Spearman correlation analysis indicated a positive correlation between relative abundance of Christensenellaceae_R-7_group and serum contents of T-AOC and CAT (p < 0.05), as well as a negative correlation with serum concentration MDA (p < 0.05). Additionally, there was a positive correlation between relative abundance Lactobacillus and serum levels SOD (p < 0.01) and GSH-Px (p < 0.05). Therefore, supplementation of 3 kg/t QZGSP in the periparturient sow diet significantly augmented antioxidant capacity in both sows and offspring piglets, while concurrently modulating the composition and structure of their intestinal microflora.

    Keywords: antioxidant capacity, Gut Microbiota, piglets, QZGSP, sows QZGSP, Sows

    Received: 04 Jul 2024; Accepted: 26 Aug 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Duan, Wang, Li, Liu, Bao, Shi and Zhao. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence:
    Wanyu Shi, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, China
    Xinghua Zhao, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, China

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