Effects of grape seed procyanidins on growth performance, immune function and antioxidant capacity in weaned piglets

Abstract The trial was conducted to investigate effects of grape seed procyanidins (GSP) on growth performance, immune function and antioxidant capacity in weaned piglets. A total of 160 Duroc×Landrace×Yorkshine piglets weaned at 21 days of age (body weight, 6.99±0.11 kg) were randomly assigned to one of the five treatment groups with 4 replicate pens per group and 8 piglets per pen. The treatments included control group (fed a basal corn–soybean meal diet, BD), antibiotics group (BD+20 mg/kg of flavomycin+100 mg/kg of aureomycin), and three different GSP level groups (BD+50, 100, 150 mg/kg GSP respectively). The trial lasted 28 days. Diarrhea scores were recorded daily, and the average daily gain (ADG), average daily feed intake (ADFI) and feed/gain ratio (F:G) were calculated. Blood samples were collected on d 14 and 28 for the measurement of serum immune parameters and antioxidant indices. Dietary GSP or antibiotics supplementation did not exert significant effects on ADG, ADFI and F/G during overall experimental period. As compared with the control group, supplementation with antibiotics or different levels of GSP decreased the diarrhea incidences in piglets significantly ( P P 4 ) and interleukin-2 (IL-2) concentrations, produced stronger ( P