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This study aimed to evaluate the anti-post-weaning diarrhoea effect of a low dose coated-ZnO in weaned piglets in relation to intestinal permeability. A total of 72 cross-bred piglets, weaned at 27 d, were allocated to three dietary treatments as follows: basal diet without supplemental ZnO (control group); basal diet supplemented with 2250 mg/kg ZnO (ZnO group); basal diet supplemented with 562.5 mg/kg coated-ZnO (C-ZnO group). The trial lasted 21 days. Compared with control group, supplementation with coated-ZnO reduced (P < .05) diarrhoea index, plasma D-lactate level, and improved (P < .05) jejunal villus height and the expression of occludin and zonula occludens protein-1 in jejunal mucosa. In the C-ZnO group, intestinal total antioxidant capacity was enhanced (P < .05), and levels of malondialdehyde were decreased (P < .05) compared with the control group. The apoptotic index of intestinal epithelial cell was decreased (P < .05). Furthermore, the effects of the low dose coated-ZnO were similar to the high dose ZnO on the aforementioned parameters. Our results indicated that the low dose of coated-ZnO can alleviate diarrhoea by decreasing intestinal permeability as does a pharmacological dose of ZnO.