Adding α-tocopherol-selenium and ascorbic acid to periparturient sow diets influences hemogram, lipid profile, leptin, oxidant/antioxidant imbalance, performance and neonatal piglet mortality

• Published in: Research in veterinary science Vol. 125; pp. 360 - 369
• Main Authors: Gaykwad, Chandra Kiran, De, Ujjwal Kumar, Jadhav, Sunil E., Chethan, G.E., Akhilesh, Sahoo, Nihar Ranjan, Mondal, D.B., Gaur, G.K., Verma, Med Ram, Chaudhuri, Pallab
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.08.2019; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Animals; Antioxidants; Ascorbic acid; Birth weight; Cholesterol; Cortisol; Diet; Dietary supplements; Fetuses; Hogs; Hormones; Immunoglobulin G; Immunoglobulins; Leptin; Lipids; Metabolism; Mortality; Neonates; Oxidative stress; Piglet; Pregnancy; Proteins; Reproduction; Selenium; Tocopherol; Triglycerides; Veterinary medicine; Vitamin C; Vitamin E; Weaning; Weight; α-tocopherol; India; Oxidative stress; Ascorbic acid; Selenium; Mortality; Piglet; α-tocopherol
• ISSN: 0034-5288; 1532-2661
• DOI: 10.1016/j.rvsc.2019.07.014

Alpha-tocopherol-selenium (ATS) and ascorbic acid (AA) are the potent antioxidants. The present study investigated whether supplementation of ATS and AA in periparturient sows has positive effects on amelioration of oxidative stress, serum immunoglobulin G (IgG), lipid profile and sows performance. For this, twenty-four pregnant multiparous sows (landrace×indigenous) were randomly distributed into four groups (6 sows per group) 20 days before expected date of farrowing as Control (basal diet); ATS (basal diet + ATS); AA (basal diet + AA) and ATS-AA (basal diet + ATS plus AA). The results of the study revealed that the concentrations of triglyceride and cholesterol significantly reduced from day -7 to day 7 of farrowing irrespective of supplementations to sows, but the leptin concentration significantly reduced on day 7 of farrowing in ATS-AA supplemented sows (p<0.05). Moreover, sows of supplemented groups experienced decreased oxidative stress and cortisol level than control sows. The serum IgG concentration was significantly increased on day 7 post-farrowing in ATS group but it was much earlier on day 2 of farrowing in ATS-AA group (p<0.001). Supplementing sows with ATS and/or AA did not influence significantly the birth weight, weaning weight and litter size at weaning (p>0.05). Although piglet survival rate was not affected significantly by supplementation, however, piglet mortality rate was lowest in ATS-AA than any other groups. It was concluded that supplementation of ATS and/or AA to sows during late gestating and early lactating period ameliorated oxidative stress, improved lipid profile and serum IgG level without influencing reproductive performance. •Alpha-tocopherol-selenium (ATS) and ascorbic acid (AA) supplementation to periparturient period reduced lipid profile in sows.•The ATS-AA supplementation decreased oxidative stress and cortisol level in post-farrowing sows.•The ATS-AA supplementation increased serum immunoglobulin concentration in post-farrowing sows than non-supplemented control sows.•The piglet mortality rate was lowest in sows in response to ATS-AA supplementation than ATS or AA supplementation alone.