Folic Acid Supplementation on Piglets Immunity

Author: Suresh R. and A.K. Verma

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Abstract

This experiment was conducted to study the effect of dietary folic acid supplementation on cell mediated (CM) and humoral immune (HI) response in growing piglets born to sow fed diet with or without supplemental folic acid during gestation and lactation. After weaning, eighteen piglets (Landlly) from each group (T0, T1 and T2) were selected and randomly sub-divided into 3 sub-groups of 6 each in an experiment based on 3×3 factorial design. The treatments were; D0O0, D0O1, D0O2, D1O0, D1O1, D1O2, D2O0, D2O1 and D2O2, where, D0: Dam with no supplementation of folic acid (FA); D1: Dam with FA supplementation during gestation (@15 mg/kg of feed); D2: Dam with FA supplementation during gestation and lactation both (@15 mg/kg of feed); O0: Offspring with no supplementation of FA; O1: Offspring with FA supplementation @ 2.5 mg/kg of feed and O2: Offspring with FA supplementation @ 5.0 mg/kg of feed. The CMI and HI response was assessed 150 days of post-weaning. The cell-mediated and humoral immunity were significantly higher (P<0.01) in folic acid supplemented groups in comparison to control (D0O0) group. The humoral immunity (HI) response, was better (P<0.01) in D0O2, D1O2, D2O1 and D2O2 groups when compared to D0O0. Thus, based on the results concerning to CMI and HI response it is evident that postnatal folic acid supplementation at 2.5 or 5.0 mg/kg feed is beneficial in terms of better immunity.

Keywords

Cell mediated, Humoral, Immune, Piglets

Conclusion

Based on the study results, it could be concluded that post-natal folic acid supplementation @ 2.5 and 5.0 mg/kg diet improved the immunity of piglets born from dam which had dietary supplementation of folic acid (@ 15 mg/kg feed) both during gestation and lactation. Hence, based on the results evinced in this study, for an improved and economical productivity in piggery, folic acid supplementation both at gestational and lactational stage for sows (@ 15 mg/kg feed) and for progeny folic acid supplementation (@ 2.5 mg/kg diet) may be used as potential feed additive for grower-finisher pigs.

References

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How to cite this article

Suresh R. and A.K. Verma (2023). Folic Acid Supplementation on Piglets Immunity. Biological Forum – An International Journal, 15(9): 149-152.