Essential oils improve nursery pigs' performance and appetite via modulation of intestinal health and microbiota

Bi-Chen Zhao; Tian-Hao Wang; Jian Chen; Bai-Hao Qiu; Ya-Ru Xu; Jin-Long Li

doi:10.1016/j.aninu.2023.10.007

Essential oils improve nursery pigs' performance and appetite via modulation of intestinal health and microbiota

Anim Nutr. 2023 Dec 21:16:174-188. doi: 10.1016/j.aninu.2023.10.007. eCollection 2024 Mar.

Authors

Bi-Chen Zhao¹, Tian-Hao Wang¹, Jian Chen¹, Bai-Hao Qiu¹, Ya-Ru Xu¹, Jin-Long Li^{1

2

3}

Affiliations

¹ College of Veterinary Medicine, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, 150030, China.
² Heilongjiang Key Laboratory for Laboratory Animals and Comparative Medicine, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, 150030, China.
³ Key Laboratory of the Provincial Education Department of Heilongjiang for Common Animal Disease Prevention and Treatment, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, 150030, China.

Abstract

Optimal intestinal health and functionality are essential for animal health and performance, and simultaneously intestinal nutrient transporters and intestinal peptides are also involved in appetite and feed intake control mechanisms. Given the potential of essential oil (EO) in improving animal performance and improving feed palatability, we hypothesized that dietary supplementation of cinnamaldehyde and carvacrol could improve performance and appetite of nursery pigs by modulating intestinal health and microbiota. Cinnamaldehyde (100 mg/kg), carvacrol (100 mg/kg), and their mixtures (including 50 mg/kg cinnamaldehyde and 50 mg/kg carvacrol) were supplemented into the diets of 240 nursery pigs for 42 d, and data related to performance were measured. Thereafter, the influence of EO on intestinal health, appetite and gut microbiota and their correlations were explored. EO supplementation increased (P < 0.05) the body weight, average daily gain (ADG) and average daily feed intake (ADFI) of piglets, and reduced (P < 0.05) diarrhea rates in nursery pigs. Furthermore, EO increased (P < 0.05) the intestinal absorption area and the abundance of tight junction proteins, and decreased (P < 0.05) intestinal permeability and local inflammation. In terms of intestinal development and the mucus barrier, EO promoted intestinal development and increased (P < 0.05) the number of goblet cells. Additionally, we found that piglets in the EO-supplemented group had upregulated (P < 0.05) levels of transporters and digestive enzymes in the intestine, which were significantly associated with daily gain and feed utilization. In addition, EO supplementation somewhat improved appetite in nursery pigs, increased the diversity of the gut microbiome and the abundance of beneficial bacteria, and there was a correlation between altered bacterial structure and appetite-related hormones. These findings indicate that EO is effective in promoting growth performance and nutrient absorption as well as in regulating appetite by improving intestinal health and bacterial structure.

Keywords: Appetite; Essential oil; Intestinal health; Microbiota; Nursery pig.