Dietary Supplementation of Enzymatically Treated Artemisia annua L. Improves Lactation Performance, Alleviates Inflammatory Response of Sows Reared Under Heat Stress, and Promotes Gut Development in Preweaning Offspring

Liang Xiong; WenFei Zhang; Hao Zhao; ZheZhe Tian; Man Ren; Fang Chen; WuTai Guan; ShiHai Zhang

doi:10.3389/fvets.2022.843673

Dietary Supplementation of Enzymatically Treated Artemisia annua L. Improves Lactation Performance, Alleviates Inflammatory Response of Sows Reared Under Heat Stress, and Promotes Gut Development in Preweaning Offspring

Front Vet Sci. 2022 Mar 25:9:843673. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2022.843673. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Liang Xiong¹, WenFei Zhang¹, Hao Zhao¹, ZheZhe Tian¹, Man Ren², Fang Chen^{1

3}, WuTai Guan^{1

3}, ShiHai Zhang^{1

3}

Affiliations

¹ Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition Control, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.
² College of Animal Science, Anhui Science and Technology University; Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Nutritional Regulation and Health, Fengyang, China.
³ College of Animal Science and National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.

Abstract

Artemisia annua L., which is known for its antimalarial compound artemisinin, has commonly been used for its anti-inflammatory and antibacterial functions. Enzymatically treating Artemisia annua L. can improve its bioavailability. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of dietary enzymatically treated Artemisia annua L. (EA) supplementation in late gestation and lactation diets on sow performance, serum hormone, inflammatory cytokines, and immunoglobulin level of heat-stressed sows. A total of 135 multiparous sows (Large White × Landrace) on day 85 of gestation were selected and randomly distributed into 3 groups with 45 replicates per group. The control group was reared under standard conditions (temperature: 27.12 ± 0.18°C, THI (temperature-humidity index): 70.90 ± 0.80) and fed with basal diet. The heat stress (HS) and HS + EA groups were raised in heat-stressed conditions (temperature: 30.11 ± 0.16°C, THI: 72.70 ± 0.60) and fed with basal diets supplemented with 0 or 1.0 g/kg EA, respectively. This trial lasted for 50 consecutive days until day 21 of lactation. Compared with the control group, HS increased the concentrations of serum endotoxin and heat shock protein 70 (HSP-70), and inflammatory cytokines in serum, colostrum, and 14 day milk of sows. Meanwhile, the EA supplementation decreased levels of serum endotoxin, HSP-70, and inflammatory cytokines in both sows and offspring and increased serum triiodothyronine (T₃) level and average daily feed intake (ADFI) of sows. In addition, EA significantly improved average daily gain (ADG) and altered intestinal morphology with an increased villus height in the duodenum and ileum of piglets. Collectively, EA supplementation at 1.0 g/kg in late gestation and lactation diets alleviated the adverse effects of HS, which were reflected by enhancing ADFI and decreasing endotoxin as well as inflammatory cytokine levels in the serum and colostrum of heat-stressed sows, while promoting ADG and gut development of their offspring.

Keywords: Artemisia annua L.; heat stress; hormone level; inflammatory factor; intestinal morphology.