Effect of Energy and Protein Contents Variation in Diets on the Immune Status and Growth Performance of Growing and Fattening Pigs

Pascal Sègbégnon KIKI, Mahamadou DAHOUDA, Aristide Mahoutin AGBOKOUNOU, Gabriel A. BONOU, Ignace Ogoudanan DOTCHE, Benoît GOVOEYI, Marius KITI, Larissa HOUNKOKOE, Nicolas ANTOINE-MOUSSIAUX,Jean-Luc HORNICK, Issaka YOUSSAO ABDOU KARIM, Jean-Paul DEHOUX

 

Full Length Research Paper I Published November ,2019

 

Journal of Agricultural Science and Food Technology  Vol. 5 (9), pp.217-222.

https://doi.org/10.36630/jasft_19055

 

ABSTRACT

Diet quality, especially its protein content can improve pigs’ performances and immune status. This study aims at assessing the effects of varying energy and protein contents in diet on pigs’ growth performances and immune status through two periods of experiments: growing and fattening. A total of 32 weaned pigs (growing period, 56 days) and 32 fattening pigs (fattening period, 84 days) were assigned to P14 (Diet containing 14% CP and 2000 Kcal of DE/kg of DM), P18 (18% CP and 2500 kcal of DE/kg of DM), P22 (22% CP and 3000 kcal of DE/kg of DM) and control diets. Blood was taken every 14 days for serum immunoglobulins IgM, IgG and IgA analyses using ELISA method to assess pig immune status. Pigs were challenged at the 56^th and 66^th days of the fattening period, by subcutaneous injection of ovalbumin. The best growth performances were recorded in P22 and P18 diets with the highest average daily gain and the lowest feed conversion ratio. Serum IgM levels were high in P22 and P18 groups in both two periods. Serum IgG was also higher in the serum of fattening pigs of the P22 and P18 groups. IgA serum level was high in growing pigs of the P14 group. Specific anti-ovalbumin IgG was higher in P18 and P22 on day 14 after immunization. This study revealed that pigs’ performances and immune status strongly related to diet quality. Pigs nutritionists and breeders’ associations are therefore expected to improve feed quality using available local feedstuffs to improve pigs’ performances and resistance.

 

Keywords: Pig, Diet, Immune status, Growth performance and Immunoglobulins.

 

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