THE EFFECT OF ENERGY LEVEL IN LATE GESTATION AND LACTATION ON THE SOW AND LITTER: GROWTH AND REPRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE (SWINE, NUTRITION, SOYBEAN OIL)

LESA GERLINDA MASSAROTTI STERLING, Purdue University

Abstract

Two-hundred and forty-four crossbred, multiparous sows were utilized to evaluate the effects of energy level during late gestation and lactation on the performance of the sow and litter. In a randomized complete block design with a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement of treatments, sows were fed either 1.8 kg/day of a fortified corn-soybean meal diet from breeding to parturition, or 1.8 kg/day of the diet from breeding to day 105 of gestation and then fed the diet ad libitum until parturition. Following parturition, half of the sows from each gestation group were fed the corn-soybean meal diet ad libitum. The other half were fed a corn-soybean meal diet containing 5% soybean oil ad libitum. Sows fed ad libitum from day 105 of gestation to parturition gained weight from day 105 to 12 hours post-farrowing, while those limited to 1.8 kg/day lost weight (p < .001). Lactation weight loss was greater (p < .01) for sows fed ad libitum in late gestation than for sows limited to 1.8 kg/day throughout gestation. Sows that received soybean oil in their lactation diet lost less weight (p < .05) than sows fed the corn-soybean meal diet. Despite the differences observed in weight loss of sows during lactation, there were no differences in postweaning rebreeding interval. While the addition of soybean oil to the lactation diet had no effect on percent milk fat or milk protein, it did alter the fatty acid profile of the milk (p < .001) and increased milk production on day 14 of lactation (p < .1). There were no differences in daily feed intake during lactation. Although there were no differences in birth weight, the number of pigs born alive was less (p < .01) for sows fed ad libitum in late gestation. Pigs from sows that had soybean oil in their lactation diet had higher (p < .1) weaning weights than pigs from sows not supplemented with soybean oil. There were no differences in either overall survival or survival of low birth weight pigs. While feeding ad libitum in late gestation appears to have no benefit by itself, the combination of feeding ad libitum in late gestation and oil feeding in lactation improved (p < .1) milk production.

Degree

Ph.D.

Subject Area

Livestock

COinS