PSVI-12 The effects of road transportation with or without homeopathic remedy supplementation on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, microbiota, serum cortisol and superoxide dismutase in growing pigs

Abstract This study investigated the effects of road transportation with or without homeopathic remedy (Convermax) supplementation on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, fecal microbiota, and serum cortisol and superoxide dismutase (SOD) concentrations in growing pigs. A total of 180 49-day old growing pigs [(Yorkshire × Landrace) × Duroc] with an initial body weight of 13.17 ± 0.02 kg were randomly allotted to 2 groups based on the initial body weight, containing 18 replicates with 5 pigs (mixed sex) in each. The pigs were fed dietary supplementation of a homeopathic remedy (Convermax) (0 or 200 mg/kg of feed, as-fed) for 35 days. On day 21, forty-five pigs (70-day old; 25.25 ± 0.37 kg) were randomly selected from each group and assigned to either 2 h of road transportation or no road transportation, resulting in a 2×2 factorial design. Results showed that road transportation led to an increase in the fecal coliform bacteria counts (P = 0.023) and serum cortisol concentration (P = 0.039) and a decrease in the serum superoxide dismutase (SOD) concentration (P < 0.001). However, supplementing homeopathic remedy (Convermax) to the diet of growing pigs increased gain to feed ratio (P = 0.042), apparent nitrogen digestibility (P = 0.019), and serum SOD concentration (P = 0.007), whereas decreased serum cortisol concentration (P = 0.022). In brief, road transportation induced stress response for growing pigs and increased harmful bacteria counts in their intestines. Dietary supplementation of homeopathic remedy (Convermax) alleviated stress response, improved apparent nitrogen digestibility, and increased gain to feed ratio. However, no significant interactive effects between road transportation with or without dietary homeopathic remedy (Convermax) levels were observed on the detected parameters in growing pigs.