Effects of Dietary Supplementation of Codonopsis pilosula Extract Powder on the Productivity and Immunity in Sows and Piglets

• Published in: Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture Vol. 21; no. 3
• Main Authors: Kim, K.H., RDA, Suwon, Republic of Korea, Kim, K.S., RDA, Suwon, Republic of Korea, Kim, J.E., RDA, Suwon, Republic of Korea, Jung, H.J., RDA, Suwon, Republic of Korea, Lee, S.D., RDA, Suwon, Republic of Korea, Sa, S.J., RDA, Suwon, Republic of Korea, Hong, J.K., RDA, Suwon, Republic of Korea, Hur, T.Y., RDA, Suwon, Republic of Korea, Park, J.C., RDA, Suwon, Republic of Korea, Kim, Y.H., RDA, Suwon, Republic of Korea
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Korean
• Published: 01.09.2013
• Subjects: CALOSTRO; CERDO; Codonopsis pilosula,immunoglobulin G; COLOSTRUM; IMMUNITE; IMMUNITY; INMUNIDAD; PORCIN; SWINE
• ISSN: 1229-3571

The Codonopsis pilosula is traditional oriental herb associated with immune-modulatory functions and has anti-inflammatory properties and antioxidative activity. The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation of Codonopsis pilosula extract powder (CEP) on the immunity and productivity in sows and piglets. A total of 20 pregnant sows were randomly assigned to two dietary treatments, which was given a corn-soybean meal diet with 0% and 0.5% CEP from 40 days prepartum to weaning (25 days postpartum). The immune system of piglets was expected to build up, because the feeding of CEP might increase the colostrum contents in sows. We also predicted that the growth performance of piglets also could be increased by some compensation effects due to the increased immunity of piglets. In results, immunities of sows and piglets as well as growth performance of piglets were not affected by the supplementation of CEP. The correlation between the colostrum and the serum on the IgG contents tended to have a positive correlation, although there was no significant (coefficient, 0.435; P=0.102). This result suggests that the supplementation of CEP may increase IgG contents in sows and piglets and contribute to improve immunity of piglets. In conclusion, it is thought that the physiologically active substances of CEP did not influence to the immune synergic effects in vivo of sows. Thus, the metabolic and action mechanism of the physiologically active substances of CEP should be explored to evaluate the availability of CEP as a feed additive for the immunomodulator.