LAUSR

Abstract This study investigated the effects of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO N) on growth performance, gut health, and zinc and copper excretion in piglets. A total of 144 piglets (Duroc × Landrace × Large White, weaned at 21 days; mean initial weight 6.15 ± 0.01 kg) were assigned to six groups with six replicates of four pigs per pen for a 26-day feeding trial. The groups were: antibiotic group (basal diet + 75 mg/kg aureomycin), ZnO group (basal diet + 1,600 mg/kg zinc oxide), and four ZnO N groups (basal diet + 200, 300, 400, or 500 mg/kg ZnO N, respectively). No significant difference in growth performance was observed amongst the treatments. ZnO N supplementation improved the activities of superoxide dismutase (linear or quadratic, p  N content was increased, the contents of jejunal IgA, interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-10 decreased (linear, p  N were higher than in the antibiotic group (p  N showed lower contents of hepatic zinc and copper and faecal zinc than the ZnO group (p  N enhanced intestinal antioxidant and immune capacity and intestinal morphology, particularly 500 mg/kg ZnO N, and also that ZnO N minimised zinc content in the liver and faeces.