Acathopanas Senticosus Polysaccharides: Effects on Growth Performance, Serum Immune Indices and Microbial Flora in Feces of Weaner Piglets

This experiment was conducted to study the effects of Acathopanas senticosus polysaccharides(ASPS) on growth performance,serum immune indices and microbial flora in feces of weaner piglets.Ninety-six 28-day-old weaner piglets(Landrace×Yorkshire) with an average body weight of(7.125±0.576) kg were randomly allocated into 6 groups with 4 replicates in each group and 4 piglets in each replicate.Piglets in group Ⅰ(control) was fed a basal diet,and those in groups Ⅱ to Ⅵ were fed the basal diet supplemented with 150,300,500,800 and 1 000 mg/kg ASPS,respectively.Piglets were raised for 21 days.The results showed as follows: 1) the supplementation of ASPS significantly increased average daily gain(ADG) of weaner piglets in groups Ⅳ,Ⅴ and Ⅵ at 1 to 21 days of experiment(P0.05),and compared with the control group,feed/gain(F/G) of weaner piglets in groups Ⅲ,Ⅳ,Ⅴ and Ⅵ at 15 to 21 days of experiment and diarrhea rate of weaner piglets in groups Ⅱ to Ⅵ at 1 to 21 days of experiment were significantly decreased(P0.05),but no significant difference was found in average daily feed intake(ADFI) of weaner piglets at 1 to 21 days of experiment(P0.05).2) The supplementation of ASPS significantly increased serum immunoglobulin A(IgA) content of weaner piglets in groups Ⅲ,Ⅳ and Ⅴ at 1 to 21 days of experiment(P0.05),immunoglobulin G(IgG) content in groups Ⅲ,Ⅳ and Ⅴ at 1 to 14 days of experiment and in groups Ⅳ and Ⅴ at 1 to 21 days of experiment(P0.05),and immunoglobulin M(IgM) content in group Ⅴ at 1 to 21 days of experiment(P0.05).3) The supplementation of ASPS significantly increased the number of Lactobacilli and Bifidobacterium in feces of weaner piglets(P0.05),and significantly decreased the number of Escherichia coli(P0.05).It is concluded that 800 mg/kg ASPS in diets for piglets is the best.