Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) is a natural spice plant with an aromatic flavor and antioxidant properties that can help enhance the flavor and texture of food, as well as be used as an antioxidant source in pet feed. This study explored the effect of rosemary on the growth performance and antioxidant capacity of broiler chickens. In total, 144 healthy 1-day-old Arbor Acres broilers were randomly divided into four groups: The control group was fed a basic diet, while the positive control group was fed a basic diet supplemented with 30 mg/kg kitasamycin, and the treatment groups were fed a basic diet supplemental with 0.5% rosemary, or 2% rosemary. The average daily feed intake of broilers fed with 0.5% and 2% rosemary in 1–42 days was higher than that in the basal diet group (p < 0.05). The pH was lower in the rosemary groups than in the 30 mg/kg kitasamycin group as measured in the thigh muscle tissue (p < 0.05), and the monounsaturated fatty acid C17:1 heptadecanoic acid content of the 2% rosemary group was higher than that of the other groups (p < 0.05). With 0.5% rosemary supplementation, the activities of the serum and liver antioxidant enzymes catalase (CAT) activity and total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) increased (p < 0.05); malondialdehyde content decreased (p < 0.05). The serum activities of CAT, total superoxide dismutase, and T-AOC increased with 2% rosemary supplementation (p < 0.05). The relative expression of liver antioxidant genes, the nuclear factor E2-related factor 2, glutathione catalase 1, and superoxide dismutase 1 increased (p < 0.05) with 0.5% rosemary supplementation. The addition of rosemary resulted in higher intestinal lactobacilli counts and lower E. coli counts. In summary, adding 0.5% or 2% rosemary to the diet improved the growth performance of Arbor Acres broilers and increased the number of intestinal probiotics, and supplementing with 0.5% rosemary yielded better results than adding 2% rosemary. This study provides valuable insights into the broader application of plant-derived antioxidants in promoting sustainable and health-focused animal farming practices.

Iron levels are closely related to animals' growth performance and anti-oxidant function. Lactoferrin (LF) is an iron-binding glycoprotein, which can promote the absorption of iron and regulate immune function. This study aimed to clarify the effect of maternal LF supplementation on the iron metabolism of Dahe piglets. Sixty sows (Dahe black, parity 3-4, no significant differences in body weight) were randomly assigned to five groups: control (basal diet with no iron supplementation), supplemented 100 (LF1 group), 200 (LF2 group), or 300 (LF3 group) mg LF/kg in the basal diet, and the basal diet supplemented with 100 (Fe-Gly group) mg Fe/kg as ferrous glycine (Fe-Gly). The serum anti-oxidant parameters of the sows and neonatal piglets were determined. The iron contents, anti-oxidant gene expression levels, and Fe-acquisition genes were detected in the liver, heart, spleen, and other neonatal organs. The results indicated that (1) the LF3 group of sows had the highest serum and colostrum iron contents (P< 0.05). The maternal LF significantly promoted the iron stores in the heart, liver, spleen, and lung of piglets compared with Fe-Gly. (2) The maternal LF increased serum glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) activities of sows. Compared with other groups, the total anti-oxidant capacity (T-AOC) activity of LF2 groups increased significantly (P< 0.05). (3) LF significantly increased piglet serum GSH-Px, T-SOD, and T-AOC activities (P< 0.05). (4) Gene expression levels of GSH-Px, and SOD in the duodenum and jejunum of the LF2 group were significantly higher than in the Fe-Gly group (P< 0.05), while the expression levels in the liver and heart were lower (P< 0.05). (5) The expression levels of hepcidin and LF in the liver and duodenum of the LF2 group were significantly higher than in the Fe-Gly group (P< 0.05). In conclusion, maternal LF supplementation showed remarkable effects on iron storage in neonatal piglets, and exhibited strong antioxidant activities, it is helpful to prevent the occurrence of iron deficiency, and improves the immune function of animals.

Iron is an important trace element that affects the growth and development of animals and regulates oxygen transport, hematopoiesis, and hypoxia adaptations. Wujin pig has unique hypoxic adaptability and iron homeostasis; however, the specific regulatory mechanisms have rarely been reported. This study randomly divided 18 healthy Wujin piglets into three groups: the control group, supplemented with 100 mg/kg iron (as iron glycinate); the low-iron group, no iron supplementation; and the high-iron group, supplemented with 200 mg/kg iron (as iron glycinate). The pre-feeding period was 5 days, and the formal period was 30 days. Serum was collected from empty stomachs before slaughter and at slaughter to detect changes in the serum iron metabolism parameters. Gene expression in the liver was analyzed via transcriptome analysis to determine the effects of low- and high-iron diets on transcriptome levels. Correlation analysis was performed for apparent serum parameters, and transcriptome sequencing was performed using weighted gene co-expression network analysis to reveal the key pathways underlying hypoxia regulation and iron metabolism. The main results are as follows. (1) Except for the hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) content (between the low- and high-iron groups), significant differences were not observed among the serum iron metabolic parameters. The serum HIF-1 content of the low-iron group was significantly higher than that of the high-iron group (p < 0.05). (2) Sequencing analysis of the liver transcriptome revealed 155 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the low-iron and control groups, 229 DEGs between the high-iron and control groups, and 279 DEGs between the low- and high-iron groups. Bioinformatics analysis showed that the HIF-1 and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) signaling pathways were the key pathways for hypoxia regulation and iron metabolism. Four genes were selected for qPCR validation, and the results were consistent with the transcriptome sequencing data. In summary, the serum iron metabolism parameter results showed that under the influence of low- and high-iron diets, Wujin piglets maintain a steady state of physiological and biochemical indices via complex metabolic regulation of the body, which reflects their stress resistance and adaptability. The transcriptome results revealed the effects of low-iron and high-iron diets on the gene expression level in the liver and showed that the HIF-1 and TGF-β signaling pathways were key for regulating hypoxia adaptability and iron metabolism homeostasis under low-iron and high-iron diets. Moreover, HIF-1α and HEPC were the key genes. The findings provide a theoretical foundation for exploring the regulatory pathways and characteristics of iron metabolism in Wujin pigs.

Hematopoiesis is a complex physiological process that ensures renewal of blood cells to maintain normal blood circulation and immune function. Wujin pigs exhibit distinct characteristics such as tender meat, high fat storage, strong resistance to roughage, robust disease resistance, and oxidation resistance. Therefore, using Wujin pigs as models may offer valuable insights for hematopoietic-related studies. In this study, twelve healthy 35-day-old piglets, including six Wujin and six Duroc piglets of similar weight, were selected from each of the Wujin and Duroc pig groups and housed in single cages. After 30 days of feeding, blood and bone marrow samples were collected. Routine blood indices and hematopoietic-related serum biochemical indexes of Wujin and Duroc pigs were determined, and bone marrow gene expression levels were analyzed using transcriptomics. (1) Hemoglobin (Hb) and Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin Concentration (MCHC) levels in Wujin pigs were significantly higher than in Duroc pigs (p < 0.05), and platelet counts and serum Hb levels in Wujin pigs were significantly lower than in Duroc pigs (p < 0.05). (2) A total of 312 significantly differentially expressed genes were identified between the pigs. Their functions were mainly related to blood systems, inflammation, and oxidation. Six differentially expressed genes may be related to hematopoietic function. (3) By combining the differential genes screened through sequencing with Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis results, 16 hematopoietic function differential genes were obtained, mainly focusing on immunity, inflammation, and induction of apoptosis functions. Differences were present in the immune and inflammatory responses between Wujin pigs and Duroc pigs, suggesting that differences in hematopoietic function between the two breeds were related to antioxidant capacity and disease resistance.