Dietary supplementation with the extract from Eucommia ulmoides leaves changed epithelial restitution and gut microbial community and composition of weanling piglets.

ABSTRACT: This study was conducted to compare the effects of Eucommia ulmoides leaves (EL) in different forms (EL extract, fermented EL, and EL powder) with antibiotics on growth performance, intestinal morphology, and the microbiota composition and diversity of weanling piglets. Compared to the control group, the antibiotics and EL extract significantly increased the average daily gain and decreased the feed: gain ratio as well as the diarrhea rate (P < 0.05). The EL extract significantly decreased the crypt depth and increased the ratio of villus height to crypt depth (P < 0.05), while the fermented EL group did the opposite (P < 0.05). The crypt depth in the antibiotics group was of similar value to the EL extract group, and was lower than the fermented EL and EL powder groups (P < 0.05). Compare

SUBMITTER: Peng M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6762056 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature