SHORT COMMUNICATION
The effect of β-carotene and nucleotide base
supplementation on haematological, biochemical
and certain immunological parameters
in weaned pigs
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1
Pannon University of Agriculture, Faculty of Animal Science,
7400 Kaposvdr, Hungary
2
University of Veterinary Science,
P.O. Box 2, 1400 Budapest, Hungary
3
Gödöllö University of Agriculture, Department of Animal Physiology,
H-2103 Gödöllö, Hungary
Publication date: 1998-08-22
J. Anim. Feed Sci. 1998;7(Suppl. 1):245-251
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
The effect of synthetic β-carotene and of synthetic nucleotide bases was investigated in this
experiment. Beginning one week prior to weaning, the diet fed to one experimental group of piglets
was supplemented with 10% Rovimix β-carotene at 875 mg/kg diet (10 times the recommendation
of the NRC, 1988). Synthetic uracil and adenine (98%, Sigma-Aldrich) were mixed into the diet for
the other experimental group at quantities of 500 mg/kg diet of each substance. During the
3-week period of the experiment changes in the daily weight gain of the animals, their feed consumption and certain blood parameters were examined. Changes which could be observed with the
progress of time in the haematological parameters (RBC, WBC, Hb, HTC, MCV, MCH, MCHC), in
the ESR and in certain biochemical parameters (TP, ALB, CHOL, TRIG, UREA, ALT and AST) can
be regarded as physiological. The LST values given for Phytohaemagglutinin and Concanavalin-A
increased in the experimental groups by 50 and 130%, respectively (nucleotide), and by 60 and 30%,
respectively, (carotene) respectively, while the blastic transformation of the lymphocytes did not vary
in the control group. The supplements applied exerted no positive effect on in vivo cellular immune
response. No significant degree of difference was observed between the plasma retinol concentrations
determined at the end of the experimental period, (control: 376 ± 183, nucleotide: 412 ± 268 and
carotene: 349 ± 251 µg/L) while there was a decrease in plasma E-vitamin concentration due to carotene supplementation (control: 5.58 ± 2.36, nucleotide: 5.83 ± 3.01 and carotene: 2.12 ± 1.60 mg/L).
CITATIONS (1):
1.
Reduced Use of Antibiotic Growth Promoters in Diets Fed to Weanling Pigs: Dietary Tools, Part 2
Hans H. Stein, Dong Y. Kil
Animal Biotechnology