Effects of Chronic Exposure to Diets Containing Moldy Corn or Moldy Wheat Bran on Growth Performance, Ovarian Follicular Pool, and Oxidative Status of Gilts
Yong Zhuo,
Pu Yang,
Lun Hua,
Lei Zhu,
Xin Zhu,
Xinfa Han,
Xiaoxue Pang,
Shengyu Xu,
Xuemei Jiang,
Yan Lin,
Lianqiang Che,
Zhengfeng Fang,
Bin Feng,
Jianping Wang,
Jian Li,
De Wu,
Jiankui Huang,
Chao Jin
Affiliations
Yong Zhuo
Animal Nutrition Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
Pu Yang
Animal Nutrition Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
Lun Hua
Animal Nutrition Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
Lei Zhu
Animal Nutrition Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
Xin Zhu
Animal Nutrition Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
Xinfa Han
Animal Nutrition Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
Xiaoxue Pang
Animal Nutrition Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
Shengyu Xu
Animal Nutrition Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
Xuemei Jiang
Animal Nutrition Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
Yan Lin
Animal Nutrition Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
Lianqiang Che
Animal Nutrition Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
Zhengfeng Fang
Animal Nutrition Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
Bin Feng
Animal Nutrition Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
Jianping Wang
Animal Nutrition Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
Jian Li
Animal Nutrition Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
De Wu
Animal Nutrition Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
Jiankui Huang
Animal Nutrition Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
Chao Jin
Animal Nutrition Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
Background: We investigated the effect of replacing normal corn (NC) or normal wheat bran (NW) with moldy corn (MC) or moldy wheat bran (MW) on growth, ovarian follicular reserves, and oxidative status. Methods: Sixty-three Landrace × Yorkshire gilts were assigned to seven diets formulated by using MC to replace 0% (control), 25% (25% MC), 50% (50% MC), 75% (75% MC), and 100% NC (100% MC), MW to replace 100% NW (100% MW), and MC and MW to replace 100% NC and 100% NW (100% MC + MW), from postnatal day 110 to day 19 of the second estrous cycle. Results: Feeding the gilts with MC or MW induced a lower average daily gain at days 29–56 of the experiment. Age at puberty remained unchanged, but MC inclusion resulted in a linear decrease in antral follicles with diameter >3.0 mm, and control gilts had a 12.7 more large antral follicles than gilts in the 100% MC + MW treatment. MC inclusion linearly decreased the numbers of primordial follicles, growing follicles, and corpora lutea, associated with a lower anti-Müllerian hormone level in serum and 17β-estradiol level in follicular fluid. MC inclusion decreased the serum concentrations of insulin-like growth factor 1 and its mRNA levels in the liver, combined with higher malondialdehyde concentration and lower total superoxide dismutase activities in serum and liver. Conclusion: Chronic exposure to MC-containing diets caused the loss of follicles, even if levels of deoxynivalenol, zearalenone, and aflatoxin B1 were below the levels allowed by China and Europe standards.
