Effects of β-glucan with vitamin E supplementation on the growth performance, blood profiles, immune response, fecal microbiota, fecal score, and nutrient digestibility in weaning pigs.

Objective: This study was conducted to evaluate effects of β-glucan with vitamin E supplementation on the growth performance, blood profiles, immune response, fecal microbiota, fecal score, and nutrient digestibility in weaning pigs.

Methods: A total of 200 weaning pigs with an average body weight (BW) of 7.64±0.741 kg were allotted to five treatment groups and were divided based on sex and initial BW in four replicates with ten pigs per pen in a randomized complete block design. The experimental diets included a corn‒soybean meal-based basal diet with or without 0.1% or 0.2% β-glucan and 0.02% vitamin E. The pigs were fed the diets for 6 weeks. A total of 15 barrows were used to evaluate the nutrient digestibility by the total collection method. The BW and feed intake were measured at the end of each phase. Blood samples were collected at the end of each phase, and fecal samples were collected at the end of the experiment.

Results: The addition of β-glucan with vitamin E to weaning pig feed increased BW, average daily gain, and average daily feed intake. A significant decrease in yeast and mold and Proteobacteria and a tendency for Lactobacillus to increase compared to the control was shown when 0.1% β-glucan and 0.02% vitamin E were added. The fecal score in weaning pigs was lower in the treatments supplemented with 0.1% or 0.2% β-glucan and 0.02% vitamin E compared to the control. In addition, vitamin E was better supplied to weaning pigs by increasing the concentration of α-tocopherol in the blood of weaning pigs when 0.02% vitamin E was supplemented. However, there was no significant difference in either the immune response or nutrient digestibility.

Conclusion: Inclusion of 0.1% β-Glucan with 0.02% vitamin E in a weaning pig's diet were beneficial to the growth performance of weaning pigs by improving intestinal microbiota and reducing the incidence of diarrhea.