Abstract: This study was conducted to explore the possibility of dietary supplementation with fermented herbal residues (HR) in pregnant sows.Sixty crossbred pregnant sows with close expected date of delivery during 2-4 parities were used and randomly allocated to one of three groups,representing the control group,HR group and fermented HR group,to determine the effects of HR and fermented HR,from  Radix Astragali, Radix Angelicae Sinensis, Leonurus Artemisia and Lonicera Japonica,on plasma biochemical parameters and antioxidant indexes in peripartum sows and suckling piglets.The results showed that,compared with the control group,dietary HR supplementation significantly increased (P<0.05) the plasma activity of ALT in sows at postpartum 14 and 21 d,while significantly decreased (P<0.05) the plasma activity of ALP in piglets at 7 days of age; dietary supplementation with fermented HR significantly increased (P<0.05) the plasma activities of ALT and CAT in sows at postpartum 7 d,ALP and GSH-PX in sows at postpartum 14 d,and ALT and CAT in sows at postpartum 21 d,as well as of T-AOC in piglets at 14 days of age and CAT in piglets at 21 days of age,while significantly decreased (P<0.05) the plasma contents of MDA in sows at postpartum 14 and 21 d,as well as of MDA in piglets at 14 days of age.It confirmed that dietary supplementation with fermented HR alter the metabolism and improve the antioxidant capacity in peripartum sows and suckling piglets.

Key words: pregnant sows, suckling piglets, fermented herb residues, biochemical parameters, antioxidant indexes