To compare the effects of ginger root (Zingiber officinale), star anise (Illicium verum) and dan-shen root (Salvia miltiorrhiza) that were processed to particle sizes of 300 Î1/4m on growth performance, serum antioxidant status and serum metabolites of growing pigs, 24 Laiwu pigs at 70-d old were randomly allocated to 4 treatments with 6 replicates in a complete randomized design. The 4 treatments (TRT) were (1) TRT 1, pigs were fed corn-soybean meal based diets; (2) TRT 1 + 10 mg/kg ginger; (3) TRT 1 + 5 g/kg star anise; (4) TRT 1 + 10 g/kg dan-shen. ADG, ADFI and feed conversion rate of each replicate were measured weekly. At d35 of the experiment, blood samples were obtained from 6 pigs per treatment to determine antioxidant enzymatic activities and metabolites in the serum. All dates were subjected to ANOVA using the One-Way of SAS program software (version 9.2). Differences among treatments were tested using Duncan’s multiple-range test. All pigs had similar ADFI, ADG, feed conversion rate and concentrations of malondialdehyde in serum over the entire experimental period. However, comparing to TRT 1, supplementation of ginger, star anise and dan-shen increased activities of total antioxidant capacity and superoxide dismutase (P = 0.003, P < 0.001, respectively). The activity of superoxide dismutase in TRT 2 was higher (P < 0.05) than TRT 4. Concentration of glutathione in serum was higher (P < 0.05) with dietary supplementation of star anise and dan-shen than TRT 1 and TRT 2. As compared with that of TRT 1, supplementation of 3 botanical additives reduced (P < 0.05) concentrations of total cholesterol but had same concentrations of total protein, globulin and low density lipoprotein in serum of growing pigs. Supplementation of star anise increased (P < 0.05) concentrations of albumin and high-density lipoprotein comparing to TRT 1. Concentration of high-density lipoprotein in serum of ginger-supplemented pigs was higher (P < 0.05) compared with that of TRT1. Dietary supplementation of ginger, star anise and dan-shen may improve serum antioxidant status and serum metabolites of growing pigs in a certain degree.