Interaction of zearalenone and soybean isoflavone in diets on the growth performance, organ development and serum parameters in prepubertal gilts

The aim of the present research was to determine the interactive effect of zearalenone (ZEA) and soybean isoflavone (ISO) on the growth performance, development of organs and serum parameters in prepubertal gilts. Ninety 75-day-old female pigs (Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire, 26.5 ± 0.60 kg) were randomly allocated to nine diet treatments during the 21-day study. The experiment employed a 3 × 3 factorial design using a non-soybean meal diet with the addition of 0, 0.5 or 2.0 mg/kg ZEA and 0, 300 or 600 mg/kg ISO. The results indicated that simultaneous addition of ZEA and ISO had no significant influence on the growth performance in prepubertal gilts. Zearalenone with 2 mg/kg increased (p < 0.05) the relative weight of the reproductive organs (including uterus and vagina) but had no obvious effects (p > 0.05) on the relative weight of the heart, liver, lung, kidney and spleen. Isoflavone at 600 mg/kg could offset the increased weight of the reproductive organs induced by ZEA. Simultaneous addition of ZEA and ISO to prepubertal gilts increased the level of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase in the serum (p < 0.05) at day 14 but their levels decreased (p < 0.05) over time. Zearalenone increased the level of malondialdehyde and decreased the concentrations of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase (p < 0.05) in the serum. The results suggested that ISO added to diets at 600 mg/kg could reduce the increase in the relative weight of reproductive organs and relieve the oxidative stress induced by ZEA added at 2 mg/kg during the growth phase in prepubertal gilts.