Effect of maternal supplementation with seaweed powder on immune status of liver and lymphoid organs of piglets.

This study was performed to evaluate the effect of maternal supplementation with seaweed powder (SWP) on the immune status of piglets. Sows were supplementary fed SWP from 85-days of gestation until delactation. Forty-days old piglets were euthanized and lymphocyte subsets were analyzed. The results showed a significantly higher relative population of CD4+CD8+ T cells in the thymus, lymph node, tonsil (P<0.05), peripheral blood mononuclear cells, spleen and liver (P<0.01) of piglets derived from treated sows. A higher relative population of CD8+ T cells was also observed in the liver and spleen (P<0.05) of the piglets. The data suggested the enhancing effects of maternal supplementation with SWP on immune status of piglets.