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RESEARCH ARTICLE

Effects of supplementation with 1,25(OH)2D3-glycoside of herbal origin in the diet of nursery piglets

Cristine Regina Gregory A , Liliana Bury de Azevedo A , Amanda Gabriela Bickel A , Dante Teixeira Valente Júnior B , Gustavo de Amorim Rodrigues B , Damares de Castro Fidelis Toledo B , Silvana Teixeira Carvalho A , Ricardo Vianna Nunes A , Luciana Navajas Rennó B , Silvana Martinez Baraldi Artoni C , Janaína Paolucci Sales de Lima D , Jansller Luiz Genova https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8000-2166 B * , Danyel Bueno Dalto E and Paulo Levi de Oliveira Carvalho A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Animal Science Department, Universidade Estadual do Oeste do Paraná, Marechal Cândido Rondon, PR 85960-000, Brazil.

B Animal Science Department, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, MG 36570-900, Brazil.

C Animal Science Department, Universidade Estadual Paulista, Jaboticabal, SP 14884-900, Brazil.

D Animal and Plant Production Department, Universidade Federal do Amazonas, Manaus 69067-005, AM, Brazil.

E Sherbrooke Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Sherbrooke, QC J1M 0C8, Canada.


Handling Editor: Cormac O’Shea

Animal Production Science 64, AN24162 https://doi.org/10.1071/AN24162
Submitted: 14 May 2024  Accepted: 28 November 2024  Published: 16 December 2024

© 2024 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing

Abstract

Context

To provide adequate dietary vitamin D in nursery piglets, 1,25(OH)2D3-glycoside could be a potential alternative to supplements currently in use.

Aims

The effect of this supplement on apparent total tract nutrient digestibility, growth performance, health status, and bone traits was assessed in nursery piglets.

Methods

Digestibility was assessed in 30 piglets (23.8 ± 3.32 kg), and growth performance in 135 weaned piglets (8.0 ± 0.53 kg). Both trials used randomized complete block designs based on bodyweight, with five treatments: −D3: no vitamin D supplementation; +D3: 100% of the vitamin D requirement supplied as cholecalciferol; and +D3 + 0.5, 1.0, or 1.5 μg of 1,25(OH)2D3-glycoside.

Key results

From Day 21 to 35, piglets fed D3 + 1.0 diet showed greater average daily gain compared to −D3 or D3 + 1.5, and a greater average daily feed intake was observed in piglets fed +D3, D3 + 0.5, and D3 + 1.0 compared to −D3 or D3 + 1.5. From Day 0 to 7, diarrhoea prevalence was lower in piglets fed D3 + 1.0 compared to −D3, D3 + 0.5, and D3 + 1.5. Across the entire period, animals fed D3 + 1.0 had lower diarrhoea prevalence compared to D3 + 0.5. Serum 25(OH)D3 concentrations was lowest in −D3 piglets. Leukocyte concentrations were greater in piglets on D3 + 1.0 than with D3 + 1.5, whereas eosinophil concentrations were lowest in piglets fed D3 + 0.5. Alkaline phosphatase activity was higher in piglets on +D3 than with D3 + 0.5 or D3 + 1.5. The greatest and lowest bone Ca contents were observed in treatments D3 + 1.5 and D3 + 0.5, respectively. The bone magnesium contents was lowest in piglets fed -D3.

Conclusions

Adding 1,25(OH)2D3-glycoside to diets containing adequate vitamin D contents as cholecalciferol did not increase serum 25(OH)D3 concentrations, but physiological and metabolic parameters were improved and, in general, 1.0 μg of 1,25(OH)2D3-glycoside showed the best effects on performance, serum vitamin D, health status, and bone traits.

Implications

This research has provided new information on the effects of 1,25(OH)2D3-glycoside supplementation in diets for nursery piglets and has shown its potential use for bolstering general health.

Keywords: blood profile, bone traits, digestibility, growth performance, health status, Solanum glaucophyllum, vitamin D3, weaned piglets.

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