biostudies-literatureCervantes MDELTAVIT-GROUPE CCPADELTAVIT CCPA Group973https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC10967614biostudies-literatureUnknown14(6)Exposure to heat stress (HS) detrimentally affects pig performance. This study explored whether a dietary phytogenic solution based on <i>Capsicum</i> spp. (PHY) could enhance the thermal tolerance of heat-stressed growing pigs. Forty-two individually housed pigs were randomly assigned to three treatments: thermoneutral pigs on a control diet (TN-C) and pigs subjected to HS fed the control diet either without (HS-C) or with supplemental PHY (HS-PHY). The TN-C group exhibited increased average daily gain (ADG) and feed intake (FI) compared to both HS-C (<i>p</i> < 0.01) and HS-PHY pigs (<i>p</i> < 0.05) and better feed efficiency compared to HS-C pigs only (<i>p</i> < 0.01). However, the HS-PHY pigs showed significantly higher FI (<i>p</i> < 0.01) and ADG (<i>p</i> < 0.05) compared to HS-C pigs. HS pigs displayed higher body temperatures (BTs) than TN pigs (<i>p</i> < 0.01), yet HS-PHY pigs experienced a lesser increase in BT compared to HS-C pigs (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Supplementation with PHY mitigated some effects of HS, increasing serum superoxide dismutase and catalase activity, reducing HSP90 expression in <i>longissimus dorsi</i> muscle, and elevating jejunal villus height compared to HS-C pigs (<i>p</i> < 0.05), reaching levels akin to TN-C pigs. Additionally, PHY supplementation resulted in lower serum urea levels than HS-C pigs (<i>p</i> < 0.01) and similar myosin gene expression to TN-C pigs (<i>p</i> > 0.1), suggesting enhanced amino acid post-absorptive utilization for lean tissue growth. In conclusion, dietary PHY supplementation partially offset the adverse effects of HS on pig performance by improving thermal tolerance.Animals : an open access journal from MDPIA Capsaicin-Based Phytogenic Solution Improves Performance and Thermal Tolerance of Heat-Stressed Growing Pigs.PMC10967614Effect of the plant feed additive containing extracts of Capsicum spp. Pipper nigrum and Zingiber officinales on intestinal function and integrity of pigs exposed to heat stress conditionsCER-2022-1Cervantes MSoto MGomez AJSakkas PQuilichini NCamacho RLArce NMorales AfalseA Capsaicin-Based Phytogenic Solution Improves Performance and Thermal Tolerance of Heat-Stressed Growing Pigs.Exposure to heat stress (HS) detrimentally affects pig performance. This study explored whether a dietary phytogenic solution based on <i>Capsicum</i> spp. (PHY) could enhance the thermal tolerance of heat-stressed growing pigs. Forty-two individually housed pigs were randomly assigned to three treatments: thermoneutral pigs on a control diet (TN-C) and pigs subjected to HS fed the control diet either without (HS-C) or with supplemental PHY (HS-PHY). The TN-C group exhibited increased average daily gain (ADG) and feed intake (FI) compared to both HS-C (<i>p</i> < 0.01) and HS-PHY pigs (<i>p</i> < 0.05) and better feed efficiency compared to HS-C pigs only (<i>p</i> < 0.01). However, the HS-PHY pigs showed significantly higher FI (<i>p</i> < 0.01) and ADG (<i>p</i> < 0.05) compared to HS-C pigs. HS pigs displayed higher body temperatures (BTs) than TN pigs (<i>p</i> < 0.01), yet HS-PHY pigs experienced a lesser increase in BT compared to HS-C pigs (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Supplementation with PHY mitigated some effects of HS, increasing serum superoxide dismutase and catalase activity, reducing HSP90 expression in <i>longissimus dorsi</i> muscle, and elevating jejunal villus height compared to HS-C pigs (<i>p</i> < 0.05), reaching levels akin to TN-C pigs. Additionally, PHY supplementation resulted in lower serum urea levels than HS-C pigs (<i>p</i> < 0.01) and similar myosin gene expression to TN-C pigs (<i>p</i> > 0.1), suggesting enhanced amino acid post-absorptive utilization for lean tissue growth. In conclusion, dietary PHY supplementation partially offset the adverse effects of HS on pig performance by improving thermal tolerance.2024-01-01T00:00:00Z2024 Mar2025-04-21T21:29:07.931Z2025-04-05T18:22:48.963ZS-EPMC109676143854007010.3390/ani14060973