Effects of dietary energy levels in gestation and lipid supplementation in lactation on piglet energy stores and performance of litter and sow

Gustavo Julio Mello Monteiro de Lima, Purdue University

Abstract

Sixty-nine crossbred gilts were utilized, over three consecutive parities, to evaluate the effects of increasing the feed intake in late gestation and lipid supplementation of maternal diets during lactation on sow and litter performance. In a complete randomized design, within a 2 x 2 factorial, all sows were fed 2.0 kg/day of a control corn-soybean meal diet (CS) with 3203 Kcal ME/kg from breeding to day 105 of gestation. From this day until parturition, half of the sows continued to receive 2.0 kg/day of CS diet while the others were fed the same diet ad libitum. Following parturition and throughout lactation, sows from each gestation group were fed ad libitum either the control diet (CS) or a corn-soybean meal diet supplemented with 5% soybean oil (CSO) that provided 3400 Kcal ME/kg. A total of 72 piglets divided equally between treatment and parity were slaughtered, 36 at birth and 36 at 48 hours later to determine the effects on neonatal energy reserves. Sows fed ad libitum in late gestation consumed 4.72 kg/day in that period. This higher (P $<$ 0.0001) nutrient intake, compared to 2.0 kg/day, was utilized to increase maternal weight gain (P $<$ 0.0001) rather than increase liver glycogen and carcass fat of piglets (P $>$ 0.10). Birth weight, litter size and survival were not affected (P $>$ 0.10). In addition, sows fed ad libitum lost more weight (P $<$ 0.0001) during lactation and had lower milk yield (P $<$ 0.03) than limit-fed sows. Despite the variations in sow weight, the weaning to estrus interval was not altered by dietary treatments (P $>$ 0.10). Soybean oil supplementation decreased (P $<$ 0.0001) sow feed intake during lactation in comparison to the CS group, and also decreased metabolizable energy intake. Feeding CSO diets to sows altered milk fatty acid profile by increasing linoleic, linolenic (P $<$ 0.0001) and stearic (P $<$ 0.04). The addition of oil to the control diet caused an increase in milk fat (P $<$ 0.09) and sows fed the oil diet tended to produce more milk (P $>$ 0.10), which caused an increase (P $<$ 0.04) in litter weight at weaning.

Degree

Ph.D.

Advisors

Cline, Purdue University.

Subject Area

Livestock

COinS