Standardized Plant Extract Alleviates the Negative Effects of FMD Vaccination on Animal Performance

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) is among the viral diseases causing poor growth performance and reduced immune status, leading to heavy economic losses in livestock. The vaccination of animals against FMD may lead to vaccination stress, thereby reducing the growth performance of animals. The growth promoting effects of a plant extract (consisting of capsicum and turmeric oleoresins) against FMD vaccinated growing pigs are evaluated in the present study. It was determined that the supplementation of the plant extract significantly improved performance and increased the antibody titer against FMD antigens. However, the immune parameters measured at days 10, 15, 20 and 25 post-FMD vaccination remained unaffected. ABSTRACT: The present study was conducted to assess the efficacy of a plant extract (PE) on growth performance and immune status in foot and mouth disease (FMD)-vaccinated growing pigs. A total of 120 crossed ((Landrace × Yorkshire) × Duroc) growing pigs with an average initial body weight (BW) of 24.66 ± 2.34 kg and an average age of 70 days were randomized into three groups (10 pens; 4 pigs per pen per treatment) as follows: a nonvaccinated negative control group (NV), a FMD vaccinated group (OV), and a third group received a 0.0125% PE supplement after vaccination (PV), in a 6-week trial. The PV group receiving PE supplementation increased (p < 0.05) the BW compared with the OV group, and average daily gain (ADG) during days 1–14, overall and gain-to-feed ratio (G: F) in days 1–14, and dry matter (DM) digestibility at week 6 were higher (p < 0.05) in the PV compared with the OV group. A significant increase (p < 0.05) in haptoglobin concentration was observed in the OV group compared with the NV group at 25 days postvaccination. The inhibition percentage of antibodies against FMD in the sera reached above 50% in the PV group 5 days earlier than in the OV group. The findings suggest that the inclusion of PE in the diet promoted the performance of vaccinated growing pigs.