Dietary 25-Hydroxycholecalciferol Supplementation Improves Performance, Immunity, Antioxidant Status, Intestinal Morphology, And Bone Quality In Weaned Piglets

BACKGROUND 25-Hydroxycholecalciferol (25OHD(3)) is a new feed additive, which is a potential alternative to vitamin D-3 in swine nutrition. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of different doses of 25OHD(3) supplementation on performance, immunity, antioxidant capacity, intestinal morphology and bone quality in piglets.RESULTS As dietary 25OHD(3) supplementation increased, the average daily gain (ADG) improved (P < 0.05) quadratically during days 1-14, and tended to increase (P = 0.06) quadratically during the overall period of the experiment. Increasing 25OHD(3) supplementation increased (linear effect, P < 0.05) the serum 25OHD(3) level and serum glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity. On day 14, serum immunoglobulin A (IgA) was increased (linear and quadratic effects, P < 0.05) as dietary 25OHD(3) supplementation increased. On day 28, serum IgA level was higher (P < 0.05) linearly and the complement 3 (C3) level was reduced (P < 0.05) linearly as dietary supplementation of 25OHD(3) increased. The mucosal GSH-Px activity of the small intestine was higher (quadratic effect, P < 0.05) with increasing 25OHD(3) supplementation. Jejunal villus height (P = 0.06) and villus height to crypt depth ratio (P = 0.07) tended to increase quadratically, and the villus height to crypt-depth ratio of the ileum increased (P < 0.05) linearly and quadratically with increasing 25OHD(3) supplementation. Dietary supplementation with an increasing level of 25OHD(3) increased breaking strength of tibias and femurs (quadratic effect, P < 0.05).CONCLUSION Increasing dietary 25OHD(3) supplementation partly improved performance, immunity, antioxidant status, intestinal morphology, and bone properties of weaned piglets. (c) 2020 Society of Chemical Industry