Effects Of Zearalenone On Growth, Immunological Function And Organ Development Of Weaned Piglets

An experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of zearalenone on growth performance,immunological parameter and organ development of weaned piglets. Twenty early weaned piglets with an average initial weight of 6.77±0.46 kg, weaned at 21 d of age ,were divided into four treatments(five pigs per treatment). The control treatment received control diet without added zearalenone, the other three treatments were fed diets added 1 mg/kg, 2 mg/kg, 3 mg/kg of zearalenone separately. The trail lasted for 18 days. The data of feed intake and week gain would be taken down.And the vulvas size would be measured. At the end of the trail, blood samples would be taken and then all piglets would be killed.The result shows that:In the study of growth performance: There were no significant differences between treatments in ADG (Average Daily Gain) , ADFI (Average daily feed intake)and the F/G (Feed/Gain)(P>0.05). The data indicated that growth performance of piglets was not impacted by the added ZEA in the diets.In the study of immunological function: There were no differences between treatments in the concentration of serum TP, ALB, GLO, A/G (P>0.05), while the serum IgG and IgM concentrations ,the leucocyte and lymphocyte in the serum , thymus index and spleen index were linerly increased as dietary zearalenone increased (P<0.05), but the serum neutrophil was decreased(P<0.05). These data indicated that the immunological function of piglets could be improved by the added ZEA in the diets.In the study of reproductive organ: Reproductive organ weight and reproductive organ index were significantly increased(P<0.01). All the five piglets in the treatment fed diets added 3 mg/kg of zearalenone showed the sign of reddening and edema of the vulva in the end of the trail. The reproductive organs were significantly increased linearly as dietary zearalenone increased(P<0.05). The data indicated that the piglets showed the sign of oestrogenism.In the study of organ: There were no differencs in the weight of heart,lung and digestive tract (P>0.05). There were significant increases in the weight of spleen,liver and kidney (P<0.05).The result suggusted that ZEA added in the diets had no effact in the growth performances,while enhanced the the immunological function and enlarged the weight of liver,kidney,spleen and reproductive organ. And the clinical symptom of oestrogenism were observed in the piglets consuming ZEA.