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Objective: This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of organic and inorganic selenium mixes in pregnant sows on piglet growth, selenium levels in serum and milk, and selenium deposition in newborn piglet tissues. Methods: A total of 44 multiparous sows (YorkshirexLandrace) with average body weight (BW), backfat thickness, and parity were assigned to one of the three treatments with 14 or 15 sows per treatment in a completely randomized design. The treatments were as follows: i) Control, corn-soybean meal-based diet with no addition of selenium premix; ii) ISOS (mixed inorganic selenium and organic selenium) 30, a basal diet supplemented with 0.15 ppm of inorganic Se and 0.15 ppm of organic Se; iii) ISOS50, a basal diet supplemented with 0.25 ppm of inorganic Se and 0.25 ppm of organic Se. Results: At day 21 of lactation, supplementing a high level of mixed Se at 0.50 ppm resulted in higher piglet BW and weight gain than adding a low level of mixed Se at 0.30 ppm (p<0.05). Selenium concentration of colostrum in sows fed ISOS50 diet was significantly higher than those in sows fed ISOS30 diet (p<0.05). Selenium concentrations in the serum at days 90 and 110 of gestation and 24 hours postpartum were highest when sows were fed ISOS50 diet (p<0.05). Additionally, increasing levels of mixed Se led to an increase in piglet serum Se concentration at 24 hours postpartum (p<0.05). Before ingesting colostrum, piglets from sows fed a mixed selenium (Se) diet had significantly higher kidney Se concentrations compared to those from the control group, with the ISOS50 treatment showing the most significant difference (p<0.05). Conclusion: Supplementation of the gestation diet with 0.5 ppm of mixed Se may improve piglet growth performance, increase Se concentrations in milk, and enhance Se status in the serum of sows, as well as in the serum and tissues of their offspring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The gut microbiota exhibits distinctive variations among sows at different parities, where parity contributes to 3% of the total dissimilarity among samples (p = 0.001). With increasing parity, there is a gradual decline in the relative abundance of bacteria capable of producing short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), whereas potential pathogenic bacteria become increasingly enriched. The observed alterations in the gut microbiota concerning parity are associated with the aging process in sows. As one of the most critical economic traits, the litter performance of sows is influenced by their parity. Some studies have indicated a connection between the gut microbiota and the litter performance of animals. In this study, we examined litter performance in 1363 records of different parities of Large White sows. We observed a marked decline in TNB (Total Number Born) and NBH (Number of Healthy Born) We observed a marked decline in TNB (Total Number Born) and NBH (Number of Healthy Born) among sows with parity 7 or higher. To gain a deeper understanding of the potential role of gut microbiota in this phenomenon, we conducted 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing of fecal DNA from 263 Large White sows at different parities and compared the changes in their gut microbiota with increasing parity. The results revealed that in comparison to sows with a parity from one to six, sows with a parity of seven or higher exhibited decreased alpha diversity in their gut microbiota. There was an increased proportion of pathogenic bacteria (such as Enterobacteriaceae, Streptococcus, and Escherichia–Shigella) and a reduced proportion of SCFA-producing families (such as Ruminococcaceae), indicating signs of inflammatory aging. The decline in sow function may be one of the primary reasons for the reduction in their litter performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A total of 32 Landlly crossbred sows were categorized into three groups based on their body condition score (BCS) on the 90th day of gestation viz. low, moderate, and high body condition groups. BCS assessments were subsequently conducted on the 102nd day, at farrowing, and on the 7th, 17th, 27th, and 42nd day postpartum, along with measurements of ultrasonic backfat thickness and body weight. Key reproductive performance traits, including total number born (TNB) and alive (TLA), stillbirths, mummification, and litter weight at birth and weaning, were recorded. Several physiological, health, biochemical, and hematological parameters were also estimated at different lactation stages. Analysis of the data revealed that TNB, TLA (P<0.04), and weaned piglets (P<0.01), as well as litter weight at birth (P<0.08) and weaning (P<0.08), were significantly higher in the low BCS group. Meanwhile, the weaning to estrous interval (P<0.04) was optimized in the high and moderate BCS groups. However, sows with high body condition exhibited higher stillbirths and pre-weaning mortality. Additionally, the order of increasing body condition correlated with superior colostrum quality, characterized by higher IgG levels (P<0.02), and increased average milk yield during early and mid-lactation (P<0.03). A high occurrence of postpartum dysgalactia syndrome (PDS) was evident in obese sows (P<0.001). Moreover, a positive correlation was found between the body condition of sows at late gestation and cortisol concentration throughout lactation across the three BCS groups (P<0.0001). Furthermore, a strong positive correlation was observed between the postpartum serum concentration of T3 (thyroid hormone) (P<0.002) and the prepartum body condition of sows. Based on these findings, maintaining sows with a moderate body condition (BCS of 3) and a backfat thickness of 21 mm in the breeding herd is recommended for enhancing profitability and productivity at the farm level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of crude protein (CP) levels on the physiological response, reproductive performance, blood profiles, milk composition and odor emission in gestating sows. Methods Seventy-two multiparous sows (Yorkshire×Landrace) of average body weight (BW), backfat thickness, and parity were assigned to one of six treatments with 10 or 11 sows per treatment in a completely randomized design. Experimental diets with different CP levels were as follows: i) CP11, corn–soybean-based diet containing 11% CP; ii) CP12, corn–soybean-based diet containing 12% CP; iii) CP13, corn–soybean-based diet containing 13% CP; iv) CP14, corn–soybean-based diet containing 14% CP; v) CP15, corn–soybean-based diet containing 15% CP; and vi) CP16: corn–soybean-based diet containing 16% CP. Results There was no significant difference in the performance of sow or piglet growth when sows were fed different dietary protein levels. Milk fat (linear, p = 0.05) and total solids (linear, p = 0.04) decreased as dietary CP levels increased. Increasing dietary CP levels in the gestation diet caused a significant increase in creatinine at days 35 and 110 of gestation (linear, p = 0.01; linear, p = 0.01). The total protein in sows also increased as dietary CP levels increased during the gestation period and 24 hours postpartum (linear, p = 0.01; linear, p = 0.01). During the whole experimental period, an increase in urea in sows was observed when sows were fed increasing levels of dietary CP (linear, p = 0.01), and increasing blood urea nitrogen (BUN) concentrations were observed as well. In the blood parameters of piglets, there were linear improvements in creatinine (linear, p = 0.01), total protein (linear, p = 0.01), urea (linear, p = 0.01), and BUN (linear, p = 0.01) with increasing levels of dietary CP as measured 24 hours postpartum. At two measurement points (days 35 and 110) of gestation, the odor gas concentration, including amine, ammonia, and hydrogen sulfide, increased linearly when sows fed diets with increasing levels of dietary CP (linear, p = 0.01). Moreover, as dietary CP levels increased to 16%, the odor gas concentration was increased with a quadratic response (quadratic, p = 0.01). Conclusion Reducing dietary CP levels from 16% to 11% in a gestating diet did not exert detrimental effects on sow body condition or piglet performance. Moreover, a low protein diet (11% CP) may improve dietary protein utilization and metabolism to reduce odor gas emissions in manure and urine in gestating sows.

Objective This study was conducted to evaluate the short-term effects of dietary selenium supplementation on lactating sows on the physiological response, litter performance, milk composition, and tissue selenium retention in piglets when selenium was provided by different sources and at different levels in a lactation diet. Methods A total of 48 multiparous sows (Yorkshire×Landrace) with average body weight, backfat thickness, and parity were assigned to one of the four treatments with 12 sows per treatment using a 2×2 factorial arrangement in a completely randomized design. Inorganic or organic Se sources were added to the diet at 0.30 ppm and 0.50 ppm Se. Treatments were as follows: i) IS30, basal diet + inorganic Se 0.30 ppm; ii) IS50, basal diet + inorganic Se 0.50 ppm; iii) OS30, basal diet + organic Se 0.30 ppm; and iv) OS50: basal diet + organic Se 0.50 ppm. Results At Day 21 of lactation, a high tendency of litter weight (p = 0.08) and litter weight gain (p = 0.09) were observed when sows were fed an organic Se source. The milk Se concentration in the organic Se treatment was higher than that in the inorganic Se treatment at Day 21 of lactation (p

Objective This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of selenium (Se) source and level on the physiological response, reproductive performance, serum Se level, and milk composition in gestating sows. Methods A total of 54 multiparous sows (Yorkshire×Landrace) with average body weight (BW), backfat thickness (BF), and parity were assigned to one of five treatments with 10 or 11 sows per treatment using a 2×2 factorial arrangement with one additional treatment in a completely randomized design. Inorganic or organic Se (IS or OS) sources were added to the diet at 0.30 ppm and 0.50 ppm Se. A non-Se-fortified corn-soybean meal basal diet served as a negative control. Treatments were as follows: i) Control: corn-soybean based diet, ii) IS30: control+inorganic Se 0.30 ppm, iii) IS50: control+inorganic Se 0.50 ppm, iv) OS30: control+ organic Se ppm, and v) OS50: control+organic Se 0.50 ppm. Results At day 21 of lactation, piglet weight and weight gain in the OS treatments were higher than those in the IS treatments (p

This study aims to investigate the effects of in-feed additive synergistic blend of short and medium-chain organic acids (SGG) in sows during late gestation and lactation as well as litter performance. On day 107 of gestation, a total of 150 multiparous (Landrace × Yorkshire) sows were blocked according to parity (2.6) and allocated to one of three dietary treatments: CON – basal diet, SGG-Low – CON + 0.1% SGG and SGG-High – CON + 0.3% SGG. Sows supplemented with SGG-High consumed more lactation feed (p = .04) than sows fed the CON diet. The body weight (BW) and back fat (BF) loss during the lactation period were lower (p ≤ .05) in sows fed SGG supplements. Additionally, sows fed with different levels of SGG-supplement reduced (p = .04) the number of mummified and birth coefficient of variation (p = .03) and improved (p ≤ .05) the survivability of piglets. Also, piglets born to SGG group sows and fed a creep diet from days 5 to 21 of age, showed a tendency to increase (p = .07) BW on day 7, and significant improvements on days 14 (p = .02) and 21 (p

As one of the most critical economic traits, the litter performance of sows is influenced by their parity. Some studies have indicated a connection between the gut microbiota and the litter performance of animals. In this study, we examined litter performance in 1363 records of different parities of Large White sows. We observed a marked decline in TNB (Total Number Born) and NBH (Number of Healthy Born) We observed a marked decline in TNB (Total Number Born) and NBH (Number of Healthy Born) among sows with parity 7 or higher. To gain a deeper understanding of the potential role of gut microbiota in this phenomenon, we conducted 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing of fecal DNA from 263 Large White sows at different parities and compared the changes in their gut microbiota with increasing parity. The results revealed that in comparison to sows with a parity from one to six, sows with a parity of seven or higher exhibited decreased alpha diversity in their gut microbiota. There was an increased proportion of pathogenic bacteria (such as Enterobacteriaceae, Streptococcus, and Escherichia–Shigella) and a reduced proportion of SCFA-producing families (such as Ruminococcaceae), indicating signs of inflammatory aging. The decline in sow function may be one of the primary reasons for the reduction in their litter performance.

A total of 600 sows (line 3; PIC, Hendersonville, TN) were used to evaluate the effect of different lactation feeder types and drip cooling on sow farrowing performance and litter growth performance during the summer. For the feeder evaluation, the trial was conducted in two sequential groups with 300 sows per group. Five 60-farrowing-stall rooms with tunnel ventilation were used for each group. On approximately days 110 to 112 of gestation, sows were blocked by body condition score (BCS), parity, and offspring sire (lines 2 or 3 sires; PIC), then randomly allotted to one of three feeder types: 1) PVC tube feeder, 2) Rotecna feeder (Rotecna), or 3) SowMax feeder (Hog Slat). The three feeder types were placed in one of three stalls with the same sequence from the front to the end of all rooms to balance for environmental effects. For drip cooling evaluation, the trial was conducted during the 2nd group of 300 sows. Drippers were blocked in three of every six farrowing stalls to balance feeder type and environmental effects. After farrowing, sows had ad libitum access to feed. For litter performance data, only pigs from sows bred to line 2 sires were recorded. Line 3 sire pigs were not included in litter performance data, but sows of these pigs were included in sow body weight (BW) and feed disappearance data. After weaning, feeder cleaning time was recorded on a subsample of 67 feeders (19, 23, and 25 for PVC tube, Rotecna, and SowMax, respectively). There was no evidence of difference (P > 0.05) in sow entry BW, exit BW, BW change, and litter performance among the different feeder types. However, sows using the SowMax feeders had decreased (P < 0.05) total feed disappearance, average daily feed disappearance, and total feed cost compared to those fed with the PVC tube feeders. There was a marginal difference (P < 0.10) between feeder types in cleaning time, with PVC tube feeders requiring less time than the Rotecna feeders; however, cleaning time varied greatly between the personnel doing the cleaning. Sows with drip cooling had greater (P < 0.05) feed disappearance, litter growth performance, and subsequent total born, and reduced (P < 0.05) BW change. In conclusion, using a SowMax feeder reduced feed disappearance with no effects on sow and litter performance compared to a PVC tube feeder, and drip cooling improved sow and litter performance during summer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to investigate the effects of in-feed additive synergistic blend of short and medium-chain organic acids (SGG) in sows during late gestation and lactation as well as litter performance. On day 107 of gestation, a total of 150 multiparous (Landrace × Yorkshire) sows were blocked according to parity (2.6) and allocated to one of three dietary treatments: CON – basal diet, SGG-Low – CON + 0.1% SGG and SGG-High – CON + 0.3% SGG. Sows supplemented with SGG-High consumed more lactation feed (p =.04) than sows fed the CON diet. The body weight (BW) and back fat (BF) loss during the lactation period were lower (p ≤.05) in sows fed SGG supplements. Additionally, sows fed with different levels of SGG-supplement reduced (p =.04) the number of mummified and birth coefficient of variation (p =.03) and improved (p ≤.05) the survivability of piglets. Also, piglets born to SGG group sows and fed a creep diet from days 5 to 21 of age, showed a tendency to increase (p =.07) BW on day 7, and significant improvements on days 14 (p =.02) and 21 (p <.001), and average daily gain (p <.001) during the overall experimental period. Furthermore, the SGG supplement significantly reduced (p ≤.05) the number of Clostridium perfringens in faeces of sows on day 7 of lactation. Thus, we infer that the application of 0.1–0.3% of SGG supplement in sow diet and subsequently feeding their offsprings with creep diet would serve as the best option for optimum sow productivity and to enhance pre-weaning growth rate. The breeding efficiency of sow and the growth rate of piglets are very important for successful pig production. Sows fed with a synergistic blend of short and medium-chain organic acids (SGG) during late gestation and lactation improved the survivability of piglets. Piglets born to sows supplemented with different levels of SSG gained more weight and had a higher litter weight during weaning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of organic and inorganic selenium mixes in pregnant sows on piglet growth, selenium levels in serum and milk, and selenium deposition in newborn piglet tissues., Methods: A total of 44 multiparous sows (Yorkshire×Landrace) with average body weight (BW), backfat thickness, and parity were assigned to one of the three treatments with 14 or 15 sows per treatment in a completely randomized design. The treatments were as follows: i) Control, corn-soybean meal-based diet with no addition of selenium premix; ii) ISOS (mixed inorganic selenium and organic selenium) 30, a basal diet supplemented with 0.15 ppm of inorganic Se and 0.15 ppm of organic Se; iii) ISOS50, a basal diet supplemented with 0.25 ppm of inorganic Se and 0.25 ppm of organic Se., Results: At day 21 of lactation, supplementing a high level of mixed Se at 0.50 ppm resulted in higher piglet BW and weight gain than adding a low level of mixed Se at 0.30 ppm (p<0.05). Selenium concentration of colostrum in sows fed ISOS50 diet was significantly higher than those in sows fed ISOS30 diet (p<0.05). Selenium concentrations in the serum at days 90 and 110 of gestation and 24 hours postpartum were highest when sows were fed ISOS50 diet (p<0.05). Additionally, increasing levels of mixed Se led to an increase in piglet serum Se concentration at 24 hours postpartum (p<0.05). Before ingesting colostrum, piglets from sows fed a mixed selenium (Se) diet had significantly higher kidney Se concentrations compared to those from the control group, with the ISOS50 treatment showing the most significant difference (p<0.05)., Conclusion: Supplementation of the gestation diet with 0.5 ppm of mixed Se may improve piglet growth performance, increase Se concentrations in milk, and enhance Se status in the serum of sows, as well as in the serum and tissues of their offspring.

A total of 557 mixed parity sows (PIC 1050) were used to evaluate the effect of lactation feeder design on sow farrowing performance, litter growth performance, feeder cleaning criteria, and economics. The experiment was conducted during the summer of 2023 at a commercial sow farm located in northwest Texas. The study used two sequential farrowing groups with approximately 279 sows per group. On approximately days 112 to 114 of gestation, sows were moved to the farrowing house and randomly allotted to one of three feeder types based on parity and caliper score. Feeder types consisted of 1) a dry feeder with a nipple drinker located next to the feeder, 2) a wet-dry feeder with a divider to separate feed and water, or 3) a wet-dry feeder without a divider. The three feeder types were used in one of every three stalls with the same sequence from the front to the end of all rooms to balance for environmental effects. Sows were weighed before entering the farrowing house and at weaning. Sows were provided approximately 1.81 kg per day of a common lactation diet prefarrowing, and after farrowing, sows were provided ad libitum access to lactation feed. There was no evidence of a difference in sow weight at entry or weaning, overall BW change, caliper score at entry or weaning, total litter weight or individual pig weight at birth, total pigs born, or percentage of pigs born alive. However, sows fed with the dry lactation feeder had decreased ( P  < 0.05) total daily feed disappearance and average daily feed disappearance compared to either wet-dry feeder design. There was no evidence of difference for litter or pig weaning weight, or litter average daily gain. As a result, litter feed efficiency was improved ( P  < 0.05) for sows fed via the dry feeder compared to either wet-dry feeder. For feeder cleaning criteria, dry feeders had increased ( P  < 0.05) washing time and washing cost compared to either wet-dry feeder design. In addition, sows fed via the dry feeder had decreased ( P  < 0.05) total lactation feed cost and feed cost per piglet weaned compared to either wet-dry feeder design. In summary, using the wet-dry feeder design in this study with or without a divider separating the feed from the water increased feed disappearance with no effects on sow and litter performance compared to dry feeders, thus worsening litter feed efficiency and increasing feed cost per sow and litter., Competing Interests: None declared., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Society of Animal Science.)

ABSTRACT This study was conducted to assess the effects of maternal dietary calcitic seaweed (CSW) on performance and blood metabolites of sows, and on performance, blood metabolites, intestinal microbiota, and parameters of gastrointestinal tract and bone of litters. On d 21 (post-insemination), non-pregnant sows were removed from the trial, remaining 19 sows in control group (without CSW) and 16 sows receiving CSW. Then, a total of 35 sows were allocated in a randomized block design with two treatments: control diet with calcitic limestone plus dicalcium phosphate (CTL) or CTL plus 0.4% CSW. In gestation, sows were fed twice a day (07:00 and 15:00 h) to reach an intake of 2.5 kg animal−1 day−1 divided into two equal meals. On parturition day, sows were offered only 0.5 kg feed animal−1. Throughout lactation, sows were fed three times a day (≅7 kg animal−1 day−1). All diets were provided as mash. Results suggested that sows fed CTL had litters with lower body weight at birth compared with those fed CSW. Sows fed CSW had 14.28% more live-born piglets and lower stillborns. Piglets from sows fed CSW showed greater calcium concentration on d 14 after birth than those from sows fed CTL. Sows fed CSW showed better milk chemical composition and an increase of 27.16% in milk production compared with those fed CTL. Piglets from sows fed CSW had an increase in cecum content in the Enterobacteriaceae count. This study showed that adding 0.4% CSW in the diet of pregnant and lactating sows as an organic calcium source positively influences the number of live-born piglets and the percentage of stillborns. In addition, milk composition and production are also improved without affecting piglets’ biological response.

Body protein losses in lactating sows have a negative impact on sow and litter performance. Improving dietary amino acid utilization may limit protein mobilization. The effects of dietary protein kinetics on sow body condition loss, blood plasma metabolites, and plasma insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), and also on litter gain during lactation, were investigated in this study. In total, 57 multiparous sows were fed one of three lactation diets with the same crude protein level: low level of slow protein diet (LSP) (8% slowly degradable protein of total protein), medium level of slow protein diet (MSP) (12% slowly degradable protein of total protein), or high level of slow protein diet (HSP) (16% slowly degradable protein of total protein) in a complete block design. Our results showed that HSP sows lost the least body weight compared to MSP and LSP sows (11.9 vs. 17.3 and 13.5 kg, respectively; p = 0.01), less body protein than MSP sows (1.0 vs. 2.1 kg; p = 0.01), and tended to lose less loin muscle thickness than LSP sows (1.7 vs. 4.9 mm; p = 0.09) between Day 2 to Day 21 post-farrowing. LSP sows had greatest plasma urea level on Day 6 than MSP and HSP sows (4.9 vs. 3.6 and 3.1 mmol/L, respectively; p < 0.01) and on Day 13 (5.6 vs. 4.1 and 3.7 mmol/L, respectively; p < 0.01). HSP sows had the lowest plasma urea level at Day 20 compared to LSP and MSP sows (4.0 vs. 5.5 and 4.9 mmol/L, respectively; p < 0.01). The average plasma urea level of Days 6, 13, and 20 post-farrowing was negatively correlated with slow protein intake (r = −0.49, p < 0.01). Litter gain, milk composition, and nitrogen output to the environment did not differ significantly among the treatment groups. Therefore, the dietary protein kinetics affected mobilization of maternal reserves in multiparous sows during lactation, with a high fraction of slow protein-sparing protein mobilization.

Background: Creep feed is offered to suckling piglets to introduce solid feed and provide extra nutrients in late lactation. However, the effect of creep feed is inconsistent; there is little information about the effect of creep diet complexity on piglet performance. Objective: Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of creep feed and its complexity on growth performance of suckling and weaned pigs. Methods: In Exp. 1, eight litters (average 19.9 ± 1.1 d of age; initial piglet weight: 6.74 ± 1.2 kg) were allotted to two dietary treatments considering breed, litter size and weight, as follows: no creep feed (n=3) and creep feed (n=5; offered for 8 days before weaning). At weaning (d 28 of age), the pigs were divided into three treatments (6 pigs/pen, 3 replicates; initial body weight: 9.66 ± 0.34 kg) balanced by gender, body weight, and breed, as follows: creep feed eaters, creep feed non-eaters, and no creep feed. In Exp. 2, two different types of creep feed were offered to suckling piglets (initial piglet weight: 3.79 ± 0.55 kg) in seven litters from d 12 of age (average 12.0 ± 1.3 d of age) to weaning (d 25 of age). Treatments were: HCF (n=4): highly-complex creep diet containing 3% fish meal, 2.4% blood meal, and 15% whey; and 2) LCF (n=3): lowly-complex creep diet without the mentioned ingredients. At weaning, only eater pigs were divided into 2 treatments (6 pigs/pen, 3 replicates; initial body weight: 7.53 ± 0.97 kg) balanced by gender, breed and body weight as follows: HCF eaters and LCF eaters. In both experiments, creep feed was mixed with 1% Cr2O3 to measure fecal color for eater/non-eater categorization and the pigs were fed a common nursery diet for 21 days. Results: In both experiments, there were no differences on piglet weaning weight and overall nursery growth performance among the treatments. In Exp. 2, the creep feed intake and percentage of eaters per litter were not different between the HCF and LCF treatments, whereas the HCF eaters tended to have a greater average daily gain (p=0.08) and gain to feed ratio (p=0.09) than the LCF eaters during d 7-14 postweaning. Conclusion: Creep feed did not affect overall piglet growth in suckling and nursery phases, but its complexity might affect pig growth in the early nursery phase.

The present study investigated the effects of loose farrowing type during gestation and after farrowing on reproductive performance and of lactating sows. A total of 22 primiparous sows (Landrace; average initial body weights [BW], 228.54 ± 12.79 kg) were allotted to one of two treatments on the basis of body weight. Sows were divided into two experimental groups, conventional farrowing crates (CON), and loosed-farrowing pens (LFP). The experiment duration was around 38 days ranging from 10 days before parturition to 28 days after parturition. Gestating sows at the age of 105 d were placed in gestational stalls (group housing). All the sows were fed a common diet according to the National Research Council requirements for lactation. Cross-fostering was performed within 1 day of parturition. From 1 day after weaning, estrus detection was performed twice-daily (0900 and 1730 h) for 10 min by boar exposure. There were significant effects of LFP housing type on the farrowing duration, and farrowing interval. At the farrowing time, none of the litter parameters including total born, stillborn, mummy, born alive piglets and total litter weight and piglet weight were affected. There were no effects of housing type on the mortality of piglets at d 1, 3, 7, 21, and 28. In conclusion, the result of this study showed that there is no performance difference between the crated or LFP sows, which indicate that the LFP housing has the potential to be used as an alternative to the crated house without any detrimental effects in reproduction performance of lactating sows.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of different dietary supplementations in periparturient sow diet on the occurrence of post parturient dysgalactia syndrome (PDS), body condition score (BCS), litter performance and serum biochemical profile. Forty-eight pregnant multiparous crossbred sows (Hampshire × Ghungroo) were randomly divided into four groups (12 sows per group) 30 days before expected date of farrowing as control (Basal diet); probiotics (Basal diet + Probiotics); Vitamin E-selenium and aminoacids (Basal diet + VES-AA) and calcium-vitamin (Basal diet + Cal-Vit). The results of the study revealed that the occurrence of PDS was lowest (p<0.05) in VES-AA than the Probiotic and Cal-Vit mix groups. The incidence of still birth and piglet scour were significantly lower (p<0.05) in VES-AA and Cal-Vit mix groups as compared to probiotic and control groups. A significantly lower (p<0.05) incidence of piglet mortality was noted in VES-AA group than and probiotic, Cal-Vit mix and control groups. The mean BCS was significantly decreased (p<0.05) on day 15 and 45 after farrowing than the value of day -15 in all the groups and the mean BCS was significantly higher (p<0.05) on day 45 in probiotic, VES-AA, Cal-Vit mix than control group. The piglet performance and weaning to estrus interval sows were not affected across the groups. Similarly, mean serum biochemical parameters did not alter throughout the study period in all the groups. From the findings of the present study, it is concluded that the dietary vitamin E- selenium along with amino acid supplementations from late gestation to throughout lactation could contribute, at least in part, to decrease the occurrence of PDS of sow, incidence of still birth, piglet scour and mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Adjustment of the milk score to increase practicability in commercial pig farms. • Sows' performance groups are predicted by a developed linear regression model. • The highest relative weight loss is indicated in high-performing sows. • A data-based and welfare-oriented performance assessment is provided. • Farms' specific replacement decision is supported by the milk score. The objective of the present study was to simplify the previously developed milk score (MS) to improve its on-farm practicability in the assessment of sows' reproductive performance. To enhance the applicability of the MS, a linear regression model was constructed, streamlining the farmer's workload by eliminating the need for second and individual piglet weighing. The model incorporates the sow's parity number as a parameter to account for parity-specific performance differences. The simplified model demonstrates a predictive accuracy of 81.66% in assessing sow performance. In contrast to previously developed sow replacement models, the adjusted MS prioritizes smaller litter sizes, lower piglet mortality, and higher piglet weights. This adjustment aids in mitigating adverse animal welfare effects associated with larger litter sizes. The recommendation is made that older parity sows should not be replaced solely based on fewer piglets born alive, as they can still achieve acceptable reproductive performance. The higher piglet birth weights observed in older parity sows (≥10) contribute to reducing the negative animal welfare effects associated with larger litter sizes. For sow replacement decisions, the farmer should replace the sows with the lowest model-based performance assessment, which are also expected to perform low again in the subsequent parity. To this end, a dataset comprising 574 litters from sows with at least two consecutive parities was utilized, revealing that 61.50% of sows show a similar performance in the subsequent parity. Furthermore, the loss of body weight in lactating sows emerges as an additional parameter for assessing performance, with high-performing sows exhibiting the most significant relative weight loss during lactation (P < 0.05). The adjusted MS places emphasis on a data-driven and welfare-oriented approach to performance assessment, presenting a novel perspective. The simplified model holds promise for further development into a management tool applicable in practical pig farms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study investigated the litter performance of multiparous sows had different feeding frequencies during summer season. A total of 60 crossbred multiparous sows was allotted to one of two treatments based on body weight (BW) according to a completely randomized design. Two different feeding frequencies based on NRC (National Research Council) were applied as conventional feeding (T1; 2 kg per meal at 06:00, 11:00, and 17:00) and night feeding (T2; 1.5 kg per meal at 06:00, 11:00, 17:00, and 2 kg at 22:00). Sows in T2 treatment had lower (p < 0.05) BW changes during lactation. The backfat thickness change of sows was decreased in T2 treatment during lactation (p < 0.05). The daily feed intake differed significantly between T1 and T2 with increased feed intake of the T2 group at 5.47 kg/d to 5.14 kg/d in the T1 group (p < 0.05). There was a significant difference in total weight of weaned piglets between T1 (70.50 kg) and T2 (74.34 kg). A greater total litter weight gain was observed in sows in T2 treatment. Night feeding is suggested for lactating sows with significant beneficial effects on litter growth during summer season.

This study was performed to evaluate the effects of dietary vitamin levels on physiological responses, blood profiles, and reproductive performance in gestating sows. A total of 52 F1 multiparous sows (Yorkshire × Landrace) with an average body weight of 223.5 ± 31.7 kg, an average parity of 6.4 ± 2.7, and an average backfat thickness of 18.5 ± 4.9 mm were divided into four treatment groups considering body weight, backfat thickness, and parity in a completely randomized design with 13 replicates. The treatments were 100% (V1), 300% (V3), 600% (V6) and 900% (V9) of the National Research Council (NRC) Nutrient Requirements of Swine. The gestation diet was formulated based on corn-soybean meal (SBM) and contained 3,265 kcal of metabolizable energy (ME)/kg and 12.00% crude protein. During the lactation period, all sows were fed the same commercial lactation diet. There was no significant difference in body weight of gestating sows. However backfat thickness tended to increase when higher levels of vitamins were provided to gestating sows (p < 0.10). When high levels of dietary vitamins were provided, the body weight change of lactating sows increased (p < 0.01). When sows were fed higher levels of vitamins, the feed intake of lactating sows tended to decrease (p = 0.06). There were no treatment differences in the number of total born, born alive, stillbirth piglets, or the body weight of piglets according to different dietary vitamin level. As dietary vitamin level increased, the serum concentration of 25(OH)D3 in sows at 90 days of gestation linearly increased (p < 0.01). Furthermore, the serum vitamin E level of gestating sows was linearly increased with increasing dietary vitamin level (p < 0.05). The current NRC vitamin requirements are sufficient for gestating sows and higher levels of vitamins in the gestation diet did not show any beneficial effects for gestating and lactating sows.

The objective of this study was to verify the best mating age of gilts at the first parity. Gilts (n = 86) were divided into nine groups in a factorial arrangement with three Ages (AG1, ≤ 220 d; AG2, 220 to 240 d; AG3, 240 ≤ d), and three weights (WT1 ≤ 140 kg; WT2, 140 to 149 kg; WT3, 150 ≤ kg). A higher body weight gain in AG2 sows during gestation. Sows in AG2 group showed a higher body weight gain at first parity and backfat gain in the parity 2 and 3 during gestation. A greater insulin–like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) was observed in AG1 sows compared with AG3 sows at weaning in the second parity. Sows in WT1 group showed a significant positive effect on the plasma IGF-1 at breeding and weaning time in parity 2. Sows in AG3 group showed a higher plasma leptin at breeding, farrowing, and weaning in the parity 1, and at farrowing in parity 2. Sows in WT3 group showed a higher plasma leptin at breeding, farrowing, and weaning in the parities 1 and 2. Considering the insignificant longevity results, the most efficient time for gilts insemination can be at 220 d when their body weight is 140 kg or lower.

This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of dietary energy and crude protein (CP) levels on reproductive performance, litter performance, milk quality, and blood profiles in gestating sows. A total of 59 multiparous sows (Yorkshire × Landrace) with similar body weights (BW), backfat thickness (BF), and parity were assigned to one of six treatments with 9 or 10 sows per treatment using a 2 × 3 factorial arrangement and completely randomized design. The first factor was two levels of dietary metabolizable energy (ME) density (13.40 or 13.82 MJ/kg) and the second factor was three dietary protein levels based from 35 day in gestating phases (10.5%, 12%, and 13.5%). Backfat thickness change in lactating sows decreased linearly as CP level increased (p = 0.03). Increased energy level in the gestating sow diet tended to increase the total number of piglets born (p = 0.07), but piglet weight decreased (p = 0.02). Dietary CP level had a negative effect on colostrum quality. Casein, protein, total solid, and solids-not-fat concentrations decreased linearly and lactose level increased linearly as CP level in the gestating sow diet increased (casein%: p = 0.03; protein%: p = 0.04; lactose%: p = 0.06; total solids: p = 0.03; solid-not-fat: p = 0.03, respectively). However, improving ME by 0.42 MJ/kg had no significant effect on the chemical composition of sow colostrum. There were no significant differences in blood glucose concentration in gestating sows when sows were fed different levels of energy during gestation, but blood glucose increased at 21 day of lactation when energy increased by 0.42 MJ/kg (p = 0.04). Blood urea nitrogen concentration increased linearly when dietary CP levels increased at 110 day in gestation, 24-hours postpartum, and 21 days of lactation (linear, p < 0.05, p < 0.05, and p < 0.05, respectively), and it also increased when dietary energy increased at 110 days of gestation and 24-hours postpartum (p < 0.01, and p < 0.01, respectively). A gestating sow diet containing 13.82 MJ/kg ME and 10.5% CP can improve reproductive performance, litter performance, and colostrum quality.

During lactation, maximizing sow feed intake is critical to sustaining sow body weight and milk production for litter growth. However, heat stress can reduce the lactation feed intake of sows during summer. Drip cooling has shown positive effects on reducing the heat stress of pigs, but there are limited data on the effect of drip cooling on lactating sows. Therefore, the objective of this experiment was to evaluate the effect of drip cooling on lactating sow farrowing performance and litter growth in a hot and humid environment. A total of 300 sows (Line 3, PIC, Hendersonville, TN) were used in this experiment. Five 60-stall farrowing rooms (15 stalls per row and 4 rows per room) were used with tunnel ventilation and evaporative cool cells. At approximately d 110 to 112 of gestation, sows were blocked by body condition score (BCS), parity, and offspring sire (Line 2 or Line 3 sires), then randomly allotted to farrowing stalls with or without drip cooling. Water drippers were located above the stall and aimed at the shoulder region of the sow. The set point of the drip cooling system started at 24℃, and the system ran on a 10-min cycle (2 min on and 8 min off). Evaporative cooling cells started circulating water at 26℃ and were used in all farrowing rooms. Drippers were disabled in 3 of every 6 farrowing stalls to balance the environmental effects. The first and third rows of the farrowing rooms started with the first three stalls without drip cooling, while the second and fourth rows started with the first three stalls with drip cooling. After farrowing, sows had ad libitum access to lactation feed. Only piglets from sows bred to Line 2 boars (219 litters) were recorded for litter performance data. Line 3 piglets were not included in litter performance data, but sows of these piglets were included in sow BW and feed disappearance data. Sows with drip cooling had greater (P < 0.05) feed disappearance and litter growth performance, and reduced (P < 0.05) BW change, but also had a marginal difference of decreased (P < 0.10) percentage bred back by d 30 after weaning (Table 1). In conclusion, drip cooling improved sow and litter performance in barns with tunnel ventilation and evaporative cool cells during summer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A total of 105 sows (Line 241, DNA, Columbus, NE) were used across four batch farrowing groups to evaluate the effects of including a feed flavor (Krave AP, Adisseo, Alpharetta, GA) in lactation diets on sow and litter performance. Sow groups 1 and 2 farrowed in an old farrowing facility during the summer months with fans and drip coolers used to regulate the ambient temperature. Groups 3 and 4 farrowed in a new farrowing facility during the winter months and utilized fans and cool cells for environmental temperature control. Sows were blocked by BW within parity on d 110 of gestation and allotted to 1 of 2 dietary treatments, 55 sows on the control diet and 50 sows on the flavor diet. Dietary treatments were a standard cornsoybean-based lactation diet (control) or control diet with the addition of a feed flavor at 0.05% of the diet. Farrowing facility environment greatly impacted feed intake, with ADFI being greater (P < 0.001) in the new farrowing facility during the winter months compared with the old farrowing facility in the summer months (Table 1). Sows fed the flavor treatment had a tendency (P = 0.093) for greater ADFI overall compared with control fed sows across the entire experiment. Piglet BW from sows fed the flavor diet tended to be greater (P = 0.087) on d 10 and was greater (P = 0.039) at weaning compared with pigs from sows fed control diets. An interaction between flavor and farrowing facility was observed for pig ADG (P = 0.001), with pigs from sows fed the flavor diet in the old farrowing facility having a greater ADG compared with piglets from sows fed the control diet. The opposite was observed in the new farrowing facility. Litter ADG tended (P = 0.093) to be greater for pigs from sows fed the flavor diet. Preweaning mortality of piglets from sows fed a diet containing a feed flavor was greater from birth to d 2 (P = 0.038) and d 2 to weaning (P = 0.005) compared with piglets from sows fed the control diet. In conclusion, sows fed the flavor-containing diet tended to have greater overall ADFI and had greater piglet weaning weights. The differences in feed flavor response between season and environment suggests that adding a feed flavor to the lactation diet in situations where sow lactation ADFI is less than optimal could lead to improvements in sow and litter performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Boar ejaculate is released in several well-characterized fractions, differing in terms of sperm concentration, seminal plasma volume, and composition. However, the inclusion of the last part of the ejaculate for artificial insemination (AI) purposes is still under debate due to its controversial effects. Thus, there is a need to study the potential synergistic impact of the different ejaculate fractions. We aimed to evaluate the effect of accumulative ejaculate fractions on sperm conservation, AI performance, and offspring health. Ejaculates (n = 51) were collected and distributed as follows: F1: sperm-rich fraction; F2: sperm-rich + intermediate fractions; F3: sperm-rich + intermediate + poor fractions. Each group was diluted in a commercial extender, packaged in seminal doses (2000 × 106 sperm/60 mL), and stored at ~16 °C. On day 3 of conservation, sperm were analyzed and used for AI (n = 174). High sperm quality was observed after storage without a significant difference between the groups (p > 0.05). Moreover, no differences were obtained for AI performance (pregnancy and farrowing rates, and litter size; p > 0.05) and offspring health (growth and blood analysis; p > 0.05). Conclusively, the presence of all ejaculate fractions within the seminal doses does not impair the reproductive performance, reporting important economic savings according to the economic model included here.

Chitosan oligosaccharide (COS), a natural compound derived from chitin, has growth promotion property. However, the nature of the relationship between maternal COS supplementation and offspring growth is not yet understood. Therefore, we intended to determine the effects of maternal COS supplementation in late gestation and lactation on the offspring growth performance. Twenty-four pregnant Yorkshire sows were distributed into two equal groups (n = 12) and fed either with a basal diet (control group) or a basal diet containing 100 mg/kg COS, from gestation day 85 until lactation day 21. Serum samples were collected from six sows of average body weight, from each group on farrowing day (lactation day 1) and lactation day 21, whereas colostrum and milk samples were respectively obtained on lactation days 1 and 21. We found that maternal COS supplementation significantly increased (p

Background: Creep feed is offered to suckling piglets to introduce solid feed and provide extra nutrients in late lactation. However, the effect of creep feed is inconsistent; there is little information about the effect of creep diet complexity on piglet performance. Objective: Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of creep feed and its complexity on growth performance of suckling and weaned pigs. Methods: In Exp. 1, eight litters (average 19.9 ± 1.1 d of age; initial piglet weight: 6.74 ± 1.2 kg) were allotted to two dietary treatments considering breed, litter size and weight, as follows: no creep feed (n=3) and creep feed (n=5; offered for 8 days before weaning). At weaning (d 28 of age), the pigs were divided into three treatments (6 pigs/pen, 3 replicates; initial body weight: 9.66 ± 0.34 kg) balanced by gender, body weight, and breed, as follows: creep feed eaters, creep feed non-eaters, and no creep feed. In Exp. 2, two different types of creep feed were offered to suckling piglets (initial piglet weight: 3.79 ± 0.55 kg) in seven litters from d 12 of age (average 12.0 ± 1.3 d of age) to weaning (d 25 of age). Treatments were: HCF (n=4): highly-complex creep diet containing 3% fish meal, 2.4% blood meal, and 15% whey; and 2) LCF (n=3): lowly-complex creep diet without the mentioned ingredients. At weaning, only eater pigs were divided into 2 treatments (6 pigs/pen, 3 replicates; initial body weight: 7.53 ± 0.97 kg) balanced by gender, breed and body weight as follows: HCF eaters and LCF eaters. In both experiments, creep feed was mixed with 1% Cr2O3 to measure fecal color for eater/non-eater categorization and the pigs were fed a common nursery diet for 21 days. Results: In both experiments, there were no differences on piglet weaning weight and overall nursery growth performance among the treatments. In Exp. 2, the creep feed intake and percentage of eaters per litter were not different between the HCF and LCF treatments, whereas the HCF eaters tended to have a greater average daily gain (p=0.08) and gain to feed ratio (p=0.09) than the LCF eaters during d 7-14 postweaning. Conclusion: Creep feed did not affect overall piglet growth in suckling and nursery phases, but its complexity might affect pig growth in the early nursery phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Objective]In order to optimize parity structure and mating time of pig population, the effects of parity and mating season on gestation length and litter performance were studied. [Method]A reproductive record of total 3278 parities in 2016-2017 years for American Large White Sows from breeding pig faom of Yunnan Huijia Breeding Company Limited was analyzed. [Result] The breeding season had significant effect on the total litter size, the number of live litters（P <0.05）. The total number born and number born alive of sows in spring were significantly higher than those in summer and autumn（P <0.05）. It had significant difference under different parities for the total number born number born alive number of stillbirths, gestation period and so on（P<0.05）. The litter performance of the 3rd-5th parities and the 7th parity was better than that of other parities. [Conclusion] The best reproductive performance of the American White Sows is the 3rd, 4th, 5th and 7th parities, and the mating performance of sows in spring is better than that in other seasons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the study was to investigate if dietary alpha-ketoglutarate (AKG) supplementation may improve the performance of lactating sows and their suckling piglets. After farrowing, 24 lactating sows (Large White × Landrace) with similar body weight (BW) were assigned to the control and AKG groups based on parity, and their lactation diets were supplemented with 0.00 or 0.25% AKG, respectively. It was found that supplementing the diet of lactating sows with 0.25% AKG enhanced growth performance of the suckling piglets from d 7 to d 21 of the lactation period, improved villus height of ileum and tended (p = 0.085) to increase mean volumetric bone mineral density of femur in the weanling piglets. In the lactating sows, dietary supplementation of AKG decreased plasma urea level on d 14 of lactation, decreased plasma calcium (Ca) concentrations from d 7 to d 21 of lactation and increased lactose and Ca levels in ordinary milk. Thus, it was proposed that AKG supplementation stimulates the capacity for lactose synthesis and Ca uptake in the mammary gland, thereby altering the composition of the ordinary milk which might be associated with the enhanced performance of piglets during the suckling period. These findings could lead to a better application of AKG in lactating nutrition, and therefore, promoting pork production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective The present study investigated the litter performance of multiparous sows fed 3% and 6% densified diets at farrowing to weaning during summer with mean maximum room temperature of 30.5°C. Methods A total of 60 crossbred multiparous sows were allotted to one of three treatments based on body weight according to a completely randomized design. Three different nutrient levels based on NRC were applied as standard diet (ST; metabolizable energy, 3,300 kcal/kg), high nutrient level 1 (HE1; ST+3% higher energy and 16.59% protein) and high nutrient level 2 (HE2; ST+6% higher energy and 17.04% protein). Results There was no variation in the body weight change. However, backfat thickness change tended to reduce in HE1 in comparison to ST treatment. Dietary treatments had no effects on feed intake, daily energy intake and weaning-to-estrus interval in lactating sows. Litter size, litter weight at weaning and average daily gain of piglets were significantly greater in sows in HE1 compared with ST, however, no difference was observed between HE2 and ST. Increasing the nutrient levels had no effects on the blood urea nitrogen, glucose, triglyceride, and creatinine at post-farrowing and weaning time. The concentration of follicle stimulating hormone, cortisol and insulin were not affected by dietary treatments either in post-farrowing or weaning time. The concentration of blood luteinizing hormone of sows in ST treatment was numerically less than sows in HE2 treatment at weaning. Milk and colostrum compositions such as protein, fat and lactose were not affected by the treatments. Conclusion An energy level of 3,400 kcal/kg (14.23 MJ/kg) with 166 g/kg crude protein is suggested as the optimal level of dietary nutrients for heat stressed lactating sows with significant beneficial effects on litter size.

As one of the most critical economic traits, the litter performance of sows is influenced by their parity. Some studies have indicated a connection between the gut microbiota and the litter performance of animals. In this study, we examined litter performance in 1363 records of different parities of Large White sows. We observed a marked decline in TNB (Total Number Born) and NBH (Number of Healthy Born) We observed a marked decline in TNB (Total Number Born) and NBH (Number of Healthy Born) among sows with parity 7 or higher. To gain a deeper understanding of the potential role of gut microbiota in this phenomenon, we conducted 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing of fecal DNA from 263 Large White sows at different parities and compared the changes in their gut microbiota with increasing parity. The results revealed that in comparison to sows with a parity from one to six, sows with a parity of seven or higher exhibited decreased alpha diversity in their gut microbiota. There was an increased proportion of pathogenic bacteria (such as Enterobacteriaceae , Streptococcus , and Escherichia-Shigella ) and a reduced proportion of SCFA-producing families (such as Ruminococcaceae ), indicating signs of inflammatory aging. The decline in sow function may be one of the primary reasons for the reduction in their litter performance.

This study investigated the litter performance of lactating sows fed nutrient‐dense diets with or without dextrose at farrowing to weaning, during the summer with an average room temperature of 28.4°C. A total of 60 (13 first parity, 13 second parity, 19 third parity, and 15 forth parity) cross‐bred sows were assigned to three treatments. The three treatments were: standard diet (ST), high nutrient diet (HN; ST + 3% higher energy and 18.0% protein), and high nutrient diet plus dextrose (HND; 3% higher energy, 18.0% protein, and 5% dextrose). BW loss was reduced in the HND sows compared with the ST sows during lactation. The HN and HND sows had a higher piglet and litter weight at weaning. Also, the HND sows had the highest post‐prandial insulin levels at weaning and the shortest weaning‐to‐service interval (WSI). Serum LH was higher in the HND sows than the ST sows. The milk fat level was higher in the HND sows compared with the ST sows, but similar to the HN sows. In conclusion, these results suggest that it is possible to increase the blood insulin response by supplementing dextrose to a high nutrient diet, thus, improving WSI interval and litter growth during heat stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Chitosan oligosaccharide (COS), a natural compound derived from chitin, has growth promotion property. However, the nature of the relationship between maternal COS supplementation and offspring growth is not yet understood. Therefore, we intended to determine the effects of maternal COS supplementation in late gestation and lactation on the offspring growth performance. Twenty-four pregnant Yorkshire sows were distributed into two equal groups (n = 12) and fed either with a basal diet (control group) or a basal diet containing 100 mg/kg COS, from gestation day 85 until lactation day 21. Serum samples were collected from six sows of average body weight, from each group on farrowing day (lactation day 1) and lactation day 21, whereas colostrum and milk samples were respectively obtained on lactation days 1 and 21. We found that maternal COS supplementation significantly increased (p < .05) the average piglet weaning weight per litter. Supplementation of COS in the sow diet elevated (p < .05) the serum interleukin-10, immunoglobulin A (IgA) and IgM concentrations, as well as total antioxidant capacity. Moreover, higher (p < .05) colostrum IgM and milk lactose contents were simultaneously observed in COS-treated sows compared to the control sows. In summary, COS supplementation during late gestation and lactation can boost antioxidant capacity and humoural immunity of sows, and contributes to improving colostrum and milk quality, ultimately, enhancing the offspring growth performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During lactation, maximizing sow feed intake is critical to sustaining sow body weight (BW) and milk production for litter growth. Farrowing stall design can affect sow feed intake because a good feeder should minimize feed wastage and spoilage and improve sow feed intake by enhancing the accessibility of feed and matching the feed intake pattern of the sow. Therefore, the objective of this experiment was to evaluate the effect of feeder design on sow BW, litter performance, and feeder cleaning criteria during the summer. A total of 600 sows (Line 3, PIC, Hendersonville, TN) were conducted in 2 sequential groups with 300 sows per group. Five 60-stall farrowing rooms (15 stalls per row and 4 rows per room) with tunnel ventilation were used for each group. At approximately d 110 to 112 of gestation, sows were blocked by body condition score (BCS), parity, and offspring sire (Line 2 or Line 3 sires), then randomly allotted to 1 of 3 feeder designs: PVC tube feeder; Rotecna ball feeder (Rotecna, Agramunt, Spain); or SowMax rod feeder (Hog Slat, Newton Grove, NC) with 200 sows per feeder design. The 3 feeder designs were placed in one of 3 sequential stalls with the sequence (Rotecna, SowMax, then PVC tube) continued in each row in all rooms to balance for any environmental effects. After farrowing, sows had ad libitum access to lactation feed. For litter performance data, only piglets from sows bred to Line 2 boars were recorded (441 litters). Line 3 piglets were not included in litter performance data, but sows of these piglets were included in sow BW and feed disappearance data. After weaning, the time for cleaning each feeder design was recorded on a subsample of 67 feeders. There was no evidence of difference (P > 0.05) in sow entry BW, exit BW, BW change, or litter performance among the different feeder designs (Table). However, sows using the SowMax feeders had decreased (P < 0.05) total feed disappearance, average daily feed disappearance, and feed cost per kg of litter weight gain than those fed with the PVC tube feeders, with sows using the Rotecna feeders intermediate. There was a marginal difference (P < 0.10) between feeder designs in cleaning time, with PVC tube feeders requiring less time than the Rotecna feeders; however, cleaning time varied greatly between the personnel doing the cleaning. In conclusion, using a SowMax feeder reduced feed disappearance with no effects on sow and litter performance compared with a PVC tube feeder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to their functional similarity to estradiol, phytoestrogens could prove to be beneficial in late gestating sows. The goal of this study was to determine the impact of providing the phytoestrogen genistein during late pregnancy on the performance of sows and their litters. In total, 56 gilts were equally divided into the two following groups on day 90 of gestation: (1) controls (CTL); and (2) two daily i.m. injections of 220 mg of genistein (GEN). Treatments were carried out until farrowing. Jugular blood samples were collected from 16 gilts/treatment on days 89 and 110 of gestation, and on days 3 and 21 of lactation. Milk samples were also obtained from those sows on day 3 of lactation. A male piglet from 16 CTL and 15 GEN litters was slaughtered at 24 h postpartum and a blood sample was obtained. The liver, heart and visceral organs were weighed and the semitendinosus (ST) muscle was collected and carcass composition was determined. The treatment increased (P0.1) on weight or backfat loss of sows during lactation, milk composition or weights of piglets. The pre-weaning mortality rate of piglets was very low (0.1). However, carcasses from GEN litters contained more fat than those from CTL litters (9.63% v. 8.34%, P0.1). In conclusion, injecting gilts with 440 mg/day of genistein in late gestation increased IGF1 concentrations in gilts and carcass fat in neonatal piglets, but had minimal effect on muscle development of piglets at birth and on the performance of lactating sows and their litters.

It has been suggested that gut microbiota play a critical role in maternal metabolic oxidative stress responses and offspring growth. However, whether the gut microbiota and oxidative stress status of the sows affect the litter performance during lactation is unclear. A total of 66 Yorkshire sows were identified as high (H) or low (L) litter performance sows based on litter weight at day 21 of lactation. Ten sows per group with similar parity, backfat thickness, and litter weight after cross-foster from the H or L group were collected randomly to analyze the oxidative stress and gut microbiota during lactation. The result showed that the serum total antioxidant capacity was higher in the H group, while 8-hydroxy-deoxyguanosine and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances were lower in the H group at farrowing. Four distinct clusters of bacteria were related to litter performance and reproductive periods of sows. Twelve differentially abundant taxa during gestation and 13 taxa during lactation were identified as potential biomarkers between the H group and the L group. Moreover, the litter performance and the antioxidant capacity of sows were positively correlated with Bacteroides_f__Bacteroidaceae but negatively with Phascolarctobacterium and Streptococcus. In conclusion, this study found that gut microbiota and oxidative stress were significantly correlated with the litter performance of sows during lactation.

This experiment was conducted to determine the effect of dietary inclusion of phytogenic blends on the performance of sows during the gestating and lactating periods and suckling piglets. Fifty-one multiparous sows (Landrace × Yorkshire) were randomly distributed into three treatments (17 sows per treatment): T1 (basal diet); T2 (T1 + 0.05% AC blend (Astragalus membranaceus and Chinese Liquorice); T3 (T1 + 0.05% SL blend (Scutellaria baicalensis and Lonicera japonica). Feeding the sows with diets supplemented with AC and SL blends decreased (P < 0.05) bodyweight loss after farrowing to weanling. The number of piglets, average daily feed intake, backfat thickness, and oestrus interval was not influenced (P > 0.05) by diets. Suckling piglets of sows fed with AC and SL blends showed higher (P < 0.05) weanling bodyweight and average daily gain weight. Piglet survival rate and birthweight were not affected by treatments. Feeding sows with AC and/or SL blends did not significantly influence the composition of colostrum or milk. There was not any significant impact on faecal score of suckling piglets. These results indicated that supplementation of phytogenic blends to the diet of sows during gestating and lactating period led to a decline in bodyweight loss after farrowing and could improve litter performance. The ban on the use of antibiotic growth promoters has motivated nutritionists to determine the effects of available alternatives to improve performance. This study was conducted to determine the effect of dietary phytogenic additives on the performance of sows during gestation and the lactation period, and their litter performance as well. The results indicated that addition of phytogenic blends to the diet of gestating and lactating sows could improve the performance of the piglets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to determine the effects of yeast cell wall polysaccharides(YCWP) on reproductive performance, serum profiles and milk composition during late gestation and lactation. A total of 96 sows(Landrace × Yorkshire) were blocked on a basis of breed, parity(2-3)and their respective d 85 of gestation, and then randomly allotted to the following three dietary treatments: CON(basal diet, treatment 1), YCWP1(CON+0.2% YCWP, treatment 2) and YCWP2(CON+0.4% YCWP, treatment 3). The experiment lasted from d 85 of gestation to weaning(d 21 of lactation). Sows fed YCWP diets had lower backfat thickness reduction from postpartum to weaning( P<0.05). The supplementation of YCWP tended to increase litter weight at weaning(P=0.08) compared with CON. The non-lipid and total milk solids in colostrum was improved by YCWP2(P<0.05).No differences were observed in milk composition among dietary treatments( P>0.05). The supplementation of YCWP decreased(P<0.05) the levels of alanine amino transferase(ALT), aspartate amino transferase(AST), while it did not affect( P>0.05) alkaline phosphatase(ALP), total protein(TP),albumin(ALB), globulin(GLB), glucose(GLU), total cholesterol(TC), triglyceride(TG) or immunoglobulin G(IgG) in the sow serum. The serum IgG of piglets was increased by the YCWP. The levels of serum ALT and AST were reduced(P<0.05) for suckling piglets in YCWP treatments. Taken together, the results of current studies might indicate beneficial effects of YCWP supplementation to late gestation and lactation diets on the sow productivity by improving litter weight at weaning, reducing backfat loss, and increasing serum IgG concentrations of piglets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study investigated the effects of different feeding levels during 3 short periods of gestation on sow and litter performance and its impact on subsequent reproductive performance. A total of 160 multiparous sows were allotted to 1 of 4 dietary treatments using a randomized complete block design with initial body weight (BW) and backfat (BF) as the blocking criteria. All sows were fed one common corn-soybean meal-based diet with the amount of 1.0 × maintenance energy intake (100 × BW 0.75 kcal ME/d) throughout gestation except 3 periods of 7 d when dietary treatments were imposed on d 27, d 55 and d 83 of gestation. During the 3 short periods, sows were fed 1 of 4 different feeding levels: 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 × maintenance energy level (0.5 M, 1.0 M, 1.5 M and 2.0 M, respectively). Results showed that both BW gain (16.12, 24.74, 30.62 and 36.71 kg, respectively) and BF change (−0.27, 0.99, 1.49 and 2.45 mm, respectively) from d 27 to 109 of gestation increased linearly ( P < 0.01) with the increase of gestation feeding levels. In contrast, with the rise of gestation feeding levels, lactation BW gain (14.31, 9.84, 7.09 and 3.50 kg, respectively) decreased linearly ( P < 0.01), while BF loss during lactation (−0.79, −0.92, −1.12 and −1.57 mm, respectively) increased linearly ( P = 0.05). Additionally, average daily feed intake during lactation (7.05, 7.00, 6.91 and 6.52 kg, respectively) tended to decrease linearly ( P = 0.09) in response to the increase of gestation feeding levels. Furthermore, piglet birth weights increased linearly ( P < 0.01) with the increase of gestation feeding levels, while piglet weaning weights were similar ( P > 0.10) among treatments. Subsequent reproductive performance was not affected ( P > 0.10) by feeding levels during the previous reproductive cycle. In conclusion, increasing feeding levels during 3 short periods of gestation increased BW and BF gains during gestation and caused less BW gain and more BF loss during lactation due to the reduction of lactation feed intake in response to increasing gestation feeding levels. Increasing feeding levels during 3 short periods of gestation increased piglet birth weight, but did not affect piglet weaning weight. The feeding strategies in the current reproductive cycle did not impact subsequent reproductive performance. It was estimated that requirements of 1.20 M, 0.66 M and 0.65 M feeding levels were needed to maintain a constant BW during d 27–34, d 55–62 and d 83–90 of gestation, respectively, indicating current maintenance energy requirement may underestimate the actual maintenance energy requirement in the early gestation, but overestimate the actual maintenance energy requirement in the mid and late gestation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of crude protein (CP) levels on the physiological response, reproductive performance, blood profiles, milk composition and odor emission in gestating sows., Methods: Seventy-two multiparous sows (Yorkshire×Landrace) of average body weight (BW), backfat thickness, and parity were assigned to one of six treatments with 10 or 11 sows per treatment in a completely randomized design. Experimental diets with different CP levels were as follows: i) CP11, corn‒soybean-based diet containing 11% CP; ii) CP12, corn‒soybean-based diet containing 12% CP; iii) CP13, corn‒soybean-based diet containing 13% CP; iv) CP14, corn‒soybean-based diet containing 14% CP; v) CP15, corn‒soybean-based diet containing 15% CP; and vi) CP16: corn‒soybean-based diet containing 16% CP., Results: There was no significant difference in the performance of sow or piglet growth when sows were fed different dietary protein levels. Milk fat (linear, p = 0.05) and total solids (linear, p = 0.04) decreased as dietary CP levels increased. Increasing dietary CP levels in the gestation diet caused a significant increase in creatinine at days 35 and 110 of gestation (linear, p = 0.01; linear, p = 0.01). The total protein in sows also increased as dietary CP levels increased during the gestation period and 24 hours postpartum (linear, p = 0.01; linear, p = 0.01). During the whole experimental period, an increase in urea in sows was observed when sows were fed increasing levels of dietary CP (linear, p = 0.01), and increasing blood urea nitrogen (BUN) concentrations were observed as well. In the blood parameters of piglets, there were linear improvements in creatinine (linear, p = 0.01), total protein (linear, p = 0.01), urea (linear, p = 0.01), and BUN (linear, p = 0.01) with increasing levels of dietary CP as measured 24 hours postpartum. At two measurement points (days 35 and 110) of gestation, the odor gas concentration, including amine, ammonia, and hydrogen sulfide, increased linearly when sows fed diets with increasing levels of dietary CP (linear, p = 0.01). Moreover, as dietary CP levels increased to 16%, the odor gas concentration was increased with a quadratic response (quadratic, p = 0.01)., Conclusion: Reducing dietary CP levels from 16% to 11% in a gestating diet did not exert detrimental effects on sow body condition or piglet performance. Moreover, a low protein diet (11% CP) may improve dietary protein utilization and metabolism to reduce odor gas emissions in manure and urine in gestating sows.

Objective: This study was conducted to evaluate the short-term effects of dietary selenium supplementation on lactating sows on the physiological response, litter performance, milk composition, and tissue selenium retention in piglets when selenium was provided by different sources and at different levels in a lactation diet., Methods: A total of 48 multiparous sows (Yorkshire×Landrace) with average body weight, backfat thickness, and parity were assigned to one of the four treatments with 12 sows per treatment using a 2×2 factorial arrangement in a completely randomized design. Inorganic or organic Se sources were added to the diet at 0.30 ppm and 0.50 ppm Se. Treatments were as follows: i) IS30, basal diet + inorganic Se 0.30 ppm; ii) IS50, basal diet + inorganic Se 0.50 ppm; iii) OS30, basal diet + organic Se 0.30 ppm; and iv) OS50: basal diet + organic Se 0.50 ppm., Results: At Day 21 of lactation, a high tendency of litter weight (p = 0.08) and litter weight gain (p = 0.09) were observed when sows were fed an organic Se source. The milk Se concentration in the organic Se treatment was higher than that in the inorganic Se treatment at Day 21 of lactation (p<0.05). The serum Se concentrations of sows and piglets at Day 21 of lactation were significantly higher when lactating sows were fed organic Se instead of inorganic Se (p<0.01). During the suckling period, the kidney and muscle Se concentrations of piglets at Day 21 of lactation were significantly higher when the sow dietary Se source was organic (p<0.05). Liver Se concentrations were affected by Se source and level (p<0.05). This also resulted in an interaction response at 21 days of lactation (p<0.05)., Conclusion: The supplementation of dietary organic Se in a lactating diet could improve sow feed consumption, piglet performance, milk Se level, and the Se status of sows and piglets.

Arginine (Arg) is considered to have beneficial effects on placental development and function, as well as reproductive performance. The well-developed placenta is highly required in late gestation for rapid fetal growth, however, it is unknown if there is a crucial role of Arg in late gestation. Likewise, the immunological response of sows to Arg needs to be determined. Therefore, this study is designed to investigate the effects of dietary Arg supplementation on reproductive performance and immunity of sows. At day 30 of gestation, sixty sows (Landrace × Large White) were allocated to 3 groups receiving corn and soybean-based control diet (control group, n = 20), control diet supplemented with 1% l-arginine HCl until day 90 of gestation (Arg90 group, n = 20), and control diet supplemented with 1% l-arginine HCl until day 114 of gestation (Arg114 group, n = 20), respectively. Litter performance was recorded at parturition. Blood samples (n = 6) collected at days 30, 90, and 110 of gestation were measured for metabolic and immunological parameters. At parturition, total litter size was not affected by dietary Arg supplementation. As a result of less pigs born dead, however, sows in Arg114 group had more pigs born alive than sows in control group (+1.6 pigs, P < 0.05), total and live litter weights were increased (+1.6~2.1 kg, P < 0.05) in Arg114 group relative to both control and Arg90 groups. Compared with control group, dietary Arg supplementation increased (+12~110%, P < 0.05) plasma levels of ornithine, proline, and arginine at either day 90 (Arg90 and Arg110 groups) or day 110 of gestation (Arg110 group). Moreover, immune response was enhanced in Arg-supplemented sows, as indicated by the increased levels of serum immunoglobulin and porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) antibody. These findings indicate dietary Arg supplementation can improve litter performance and immune response, and the beneficial effect of Arg on fetal growth is evident in late gestation.

Foram utilizadas 240 ninhadas oriundas de 80 matrizes NZB, nulíparas, durante três ciclos reprodutivos, submetidas a um ritmo de reprodução de 42 dias, distribuídas em um delineamento inteiramente casualizado, em esquema fatorial 2 x 2 x 3 (2.600 e 2.800 kcal ED kg-1 de ração versus desmama aos 28 e 35 dias versus três ciclos reprodutivos). O nível de ED nas rações não afetou o peso das matrizes na desmama de seus láparos e as taxas de fertilidade, independente do ciclo reprodutivo. A melhor condição corporal nos três ciclos das matrizes que desmamaram seus láparos aos 28 dias, permitiu taxas de fertilidade mais altas durante todo o período experimental. À exceção do tamanho da ninhada ao nascer, que foi menor no primeiro parto, otamanho da ninhada aos 21 dias e na desmama, não foram influenciados por qualquer dos fatores estudados. O peso vivo dos láparos do primeiro parto foram mais leves comparados aos do segundo e do terceiro partos. A menor concentração energética na ração prejudicou o peso vivo da ninhada aos 21 dias e na desmama somente quando as matrizes desmamaram seus láparos mais precocemente (28 dias). Os resultados sugerem o uso de 2.800 kcal ED kg-1 de raçãosomente quando as matrizes desmamam suas ninhadas com 28 dias de idade. A desmama dos láparos aos 28 dias de idade permite melhor recuperação das matrizes e, consequentemente, melhor taxa de fertilidade.Were evaluated 240 litters from 80 first-birth WNZ rabbit does, submitted to a reproductive rhythm of 42d during three reproductive cycles. The rabbit does were allocated in a completely randomized design in a 2 x 2 x 3 factorial scheme (diets with 2600 and 2800 kcal DE kg-1 versus young rabbits weaned at 28 and 35 days old versus three reproductive cycles). No effect of digestible energy levels wasobserved on live weight of females in the moment of litter weaning and fertility rate for the three reproductive cycles. The best body conditions of the females who weaned the litters at 28 daysold enhanced the fertility rate during the experimental period. Except for litter size at parturition, which was smaller in the first cycle, litter size at 21 day olds and at weaning were not influencedby any of the studied factors. The litter live birth weight was lower than for the second and third reproductive cycles. The lower energetic level in the diet (2,600 kcal DE kg-1) reduced the litterweight at 21 day olds and at weaning only for the rabbit does weaning the litters at 28 days olds. The results suggest the use of diet with 2,800 kcal DE kg-1 only when the rabbit does wean the litters at 28 days old. Weaning at 28 days old allows the best body conditions for the rabbit does and higher rate fertility.

Due to their functional similarity to estradiol, phytoestrogens could prove to be beneficial in late gestating sows. The goal of this study was to determine the impact of providing the phytoestrogen genistein during late pregnancy on the performance of sows and their litters. In total, 56 gilts were equally divided into the two following groups on day 90 of gestation: (1) controls (CTL); and (2) two daily i.m. injections of 220mg of genistein (GEN). Treatments were carried out until farrowing. Jugular blood samples were collected from 16 gilts/treatment on days 89 and 110 of gestation, and on days 3 and 21 of lactation. Milk samples were also obtained from those sows on day 3 of lactation. A male piglet from 16 CTL and 15 GEN litters was slaughtered at 24h postpartum and a blood sample was obtained. The liver, heart and visceral organs were weighed and the semitendinosus (ST) muscle was collected and carcass composition was determined. The treatment increased (P<0.05) the concentrations of genistein and daidzein in the plasma of gilts on day 110 of gestation and of genistein in the plasma of piglets at 24 h postpartum. It also increased IGF1 concentrations in gilts at the end of the treatment period (P<0.05). Genistein had no impact (P>0.1) on weight or backfat loss of sows during lactation, milk composition or weights of piglets. The pre-weaning mortality rate of piglets was very low (<7%), yet the odds ratio comparing CTL with GEN sows indicated almost twice as many chances of pre-weaning deaths occurring in litters from CTL than GEN sows. Weights of the piglet carcasses were similar for both treatments, as well as weights of the various organs and of the ST muscle (P>0.1). However, carcasses from GEN litters contained more fat than those from CTL litters (9.63% v. 8.34%, P<0.05). None of the biochemical properties of the ST muscle differed between groups (P>0.1). In conclusion, injecting gilts with 440mg/day of genistein in late gestation increased IGF1 concentrations in gilts and carcass fat in neonatal piglets, but had minimal effect on muscle development of piglets at birth and on the performance of lactating sows and their litters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our objective was to determine whether the increase through diet of the fatty acids (FA) composition in sows colostrum and milk was associated with litter performances and their biochemical profile. The study was conducted in 4 sows TOPIGS (48 litter) allocated into 2 groups: control and Hemp diets. Litters were divided into two dietary treatments: control diet and control plus 2.5% additive based on L acidophilus (50%) and L. Plantarum (50%) bacterial strain. The FAs composition of the colostrum and milk (7 and 21 days) was determined by gas chromatography. The sow and litter biochemical profile was determined with BS-130 automatic analyser. The addition of hemp in feed of Hemp group sows starting the last 10 days of gestation significantly influenced the colostrum and milk composition in polyunsaturated FAs, n-3 and n-6 FAs. In Hemp group a- linolenic FA content in colostrum was 1.4 times higher than in the control group, 1.64 times higher after 7 days of lactation and 1.45times higher after 21 days of lactation compared to control group. The dietary addition of hemp lead to a reduction of ratio n-6: n-3 in milk. This was positive reflected in the litter performances (>3.8% at litter from Hemp group sow compared to C group) and their health. The microbial additive reinforced the positive effects on growth parameters (>20%at litter from Hemp group sow and > 25% at litter from control group respectively). Both sows and piglets serum biochemical parameters were within physiological limit. In conclusion, feed composition can beneficially influence colostrum / milk fatty acids composition in relation to litter performances, biochemical parameters and health. Milk fat quality had positive effects on piglet performance and their health, as shown by the biochemical plasma parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]