Effect of dietary addition of wormwood (Artemisia montana Pampan) on performance of fattening pigs and selected hematological and immunological indices

Effect of additive wormwood A. montana on performance of fattening pigs and selected hematological and immunological indices was investigated. Crossbred barrows (n=72) of approximately 83 kg body weight were divided into 2 treatments and 3 replications. The basal diet for control was supplemented with 0.5% dried powder of wormwood plant for treatment and pigs were fed for 4 weeks then blood samples were collected from the representative pigs. Leukocytes concentration, lactate dehydronase, blood urea nitrogen and cortisol of plasma were significantly decreased (P=0.001, P=0.05, P=0.018, and P=0.043, successively) in pigs fed additive wormwood. The immunoglobulins M and G and interferon-γ of the treated pigs were significantly higher (P=0.028, P=0.036, and P<0.0001, respectively), while interleukin-6 or interleukin-8 were not detectable in both treatments. Feed intake, feed efficiency, growth performance and the concentration of tumor necrosis factor-α were not affected. Addition of 0.5% wormwood to basal diet was selected after a preliminary screening and found to enhance some hematological and immunological characteristics of fattening pigs that may lead to improved health and resistance against diseases.