Influence of a vegetarian diet versus a diet with fishmeal on bone in growing pigs

This study was conducted to examine if substantial bone loss occurs in growing pigs fed a vegetarian diet in comparison with a diet containing fishmeal. Twelve 6-week-old weaned pigs were assigned to two groups: group V [vegetarian diet; 0.61% phosphorus (P) in dry matter until 25 kg and 0.46% P until the end of the experiment] and group F (fishmeal diet; 0.61% P in dry matter until 25 kg and 0.46% P until the end of the experiment). Phytase was added to both diets. These two diets were fed to the two groups for a period of 6 weeks. Blood samples were collected weekly, faeces were collected three times a week. Concentrations of osteocalcin (OC) and carboxyterminal telopeptide of type I collagen (ICTP) were measured in serum, using a radioimmunoassay, and bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (bAP) was measured using an enzyme immunoassay. Bone mineral density (BMD) and content (BMC) were determined by peripheral quantitative computer tomography (pQCT) in the tibia and phalanx. In addition, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (VitD) and parathyroid hormone (PTH) were measured in serum. The digestibility of P was significantly decreased in group V. Significant changes in bAP activities and OC concentrations occurred with time during the 6 weeks. ICTP concentrations were significantly higher in group V. Total BMC and BMD in the tibia and BMD in the phalanx significantly decreased in group V. The results show that a vegetarian diet induces a significant loss of bone and a higher bone formation in group V compared with group F, although phytase was added to both diets. The dietary requirements for P in pigs, especially in the context of feeding vegetarian diets and adding an appropriate amount of phytase, should be investigated further.     

Energy requirements of pregnant and lactating sows

The energy requirement of pregnant and lactating sows is derived on the basis of extensive experimental studies of the energy metabolism (indirect calorimetry, slaughtering) according to the factorial method. For the first reproduction cycle (RC) 0.41 MJ metabolizable energy (ME) or 0.29 MJ net energy fat, pig (NEFpig) resp. were necessary for energy maintenance requirement for pregnant and lactating sows and, depending on age, 0.44 MJ ME or 0.31 MJNEFpig in the second or third RC and 0.47 MJ ME/kg LW0.75.d or 0.33 MJ NEFpig/kg LW0.75.d in the 4th-8th RC. A linear increase of up to 6% of the energy requirement caused by pregnancy between the 85th and 115th day of pregnancy is taken into consideration. Energy requirement per 1 MJ retention both in pregnancy and lactation is 1.45 MJ ME or 1.03 MJ NEFpig, per 1 MJ milk yield it is 1.33 MJ ME or 0.91 MJ NEFpig. 1 MJ body energy for milk yield corresponds to 1.20 MJ ME or 0.82 MJ NEFpig. Equations describing energy retention in the products of conception, uterus and udder are established as well as equations characterizing the connections between live weight gain or loss and energy content of the gain or loss.     

低磷低蛋白日粮添加植酸酶和氨基酸对泌乳母猪粪氮磷排出量的影响

选择3~7胎长白×大白二元杂交母猪45头,随机分为3个组,每个组15头,泌乳期21 d。处理1组的日粮粗蛋白为18%、总磷为0.68%;处理2组的日粮粗蛋白为16.5%、总磷为0.58%;处理3组的日粮粗蛋白为15%、总磷为0.58%;处理2组和处理3组日粮中添加植酸酶。结果表明,日粮蛋白质降低1.5~3个百分点和总磷降低0.1%,对泌乳母猪的采食量和哺乳仔猪日增重无显著影响,母猪泌乳期体重损失显著减少,粪氮和磷的排放量显著减少。     

Different dietary methionine to lysine ratios in the lactation diet:effects on the performance of sows and their offspring and methionine metabolism in lactating sows

Background: Over the last decade, the nutritional requirements of lactating modern genotype sows have increased. The current nutritional recommendations might be unable to meet the needs of increased litter size and milk production, and thus the nutritional requirements need to be re-evaluated. The current study was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary methionine to lysine(Met:Lys) ratios on the performance of and methionine metabolism in lactating sows.Results: During the 1~(st) week of lactation, piglets reared on sows in the 0.37 to 0.57 Met:Lys ratio groups grew faster than those reared on sows in the control group(0.27)(P 0.01). The 0.37-ratio group showed increased levels of GSHPx in plasma during lactation(P 0.01) and decreased concentrations of urea nitrogen in the plasma of sows(P 0.05).Compared with the 0.27-ratio group, the levels of T-AOC and GSH-Px in the plasma and homocysteine in the milk of lactating sows were significantly increased in sows in the 0.47-ratio group(P 0.01). In sows fed a 0.57-ratio diet, the levels of glutathione and taurine in the plasma and milk were improved significantly during lactation. However, the content of TBARS in the blood(P 0.05 at day 7 and P = 0.06 at weaning day) was increased(P 0.01). Moreover, there were linear increases in the levels of homocysteine in the blood and milk of sows during the lactation period(P 0.01)with increased dietary Met:Lys ratios in the lactation diet.Conclusions: The current study indicated that increasing the dietary Met:Lys ratio(0.37～0.57) in the lactation diet had no significant effect on the overall performance of sows or the colostrum and milk composition, but it increased piglet mean BW and piglet ADG during the first week of lactation. Increasing dietary methionine levels had no significant effect on antioxidant function in lactation sows, even though it increased levels of GSH and GSH-Px in the plasma of sows during lactation. However, the content of homocysteine in the plasma and milk increased during lactation due to a high level of dietary methionine.     

妊娠母猪日粮添加复合膳食纤维对后代仔猪免疫应激下生长性能的影响

试验旨在研究妊娠母猪日粮添加复合膳食纤维对后代仔猪免疫应激情况下生长性能的影响。采用2×2双因素试验设计,选取丹系经产纯种母猪(3～6胎)24头随机分为四组,每组6头,试验组Ⅰ和试验组Ⅱ妊娠母猪日粮中添加0%复合膳食纤维,后代断奶仔猪分别注射生理盐水和脂多糖(LPS),试验组Ⅲ和试验组Ⅳ妊娠母猪日粮中添加3%复合膳食纤维(DFC),后代断奶仔猪分别注射生理盐水和LPS,母猪泌乳期及仔猪采食相同日粮。结果表明,试验组Ⅱ和试验组Ⅳ仔猪试验末体重、平均日采食量(ADFI)、平均日增重(ADG)及饲料转化率(FCR)均显著低于试验组Ⅰ和试验组Ⅲ(P0.05),试验组Ⅱ和试验组Ⅳ仔猪血清中免疫球蛋白G(IgG)、肿瘤坏死因子(TNF-α)、干扰素(IFN-γ)、白细胞介素-6(IL-6)、白细胞介素-10(IL-10)水平均显著高于试验组Ⅰ和试验组Ⅲ(P0.05)。母猪妊娠期添加DFC与注射LPS攻毒对仔猪ADG和血清TNF-α存在显著交互作用(P=0.046;P=0.029),试验组Ⅳ仔猪ADG显著高于试验组Ⅱ(P0.05),试验组Ⅳ仔猪血清TNF-α水平显著低于试验组Ⅱ(P0.05)。母猪妊娠期添加DFC可缓解LPS诱导的后代仔猪免疫应激。     

Response of pregnant and lactating sows to reduced protein content in complete compound feed

The experimental material consisted of 42 sows divided into 3 feeding groups, each containing 14 sows fed complete compound feed varying in protein content. Protein and amino acid content of the feed fed to the control group was in compliance with Polish standards. Protein content in the experimental groups was reduced by 10% and 20%, respectively. At the same time, lysine, methionine, threonine and tryptophane content was supplemented to the level of the control group. All pregnant and lactating sows were fed individually. The condition of the sows was determined by measuring the thickness of backfat at the P2 position on days 30 and 105 of pregnancy and on day 25 of lactation. The data analyzed in the study included: the total number of piglets born, their body weight gain, milk composition, weaning-to-estrus interval and the farrowing rate. Protein content of the compound feed did not have a significant impact on the increment in backfat during pregnancy and losses during lactation. The sows fed compound feed with reduced protein content gave birth to 0.7 and 0.6 less piglets per litter than the control animals. However, due to lower losses, they bred 0.3 and 0.4 more piglets than the control sows. Average body weight of a piglet on day 21 was 0.5 kg lower in the experimental than in the control group. Dry matter, protein, fat and lactose content of the sow's milk did not depend on protein content of the feed. The weaning-to-estrus interval in the experimental groups was one day longer than in the control group. The reproductive rate accounted for 86% and was comparable in all the groups.     

Effect of ambient temperature on mammary gland metabolism in lactating sows

Two groups of three multiparous Large White x Landrace sows were used to investigate the direct effect of ambient temperature on mammary gland metabolism. Sows from the first group were exposed to temperatures of 28 degrees C between d 8 and 14 of lactation, and 20 degrees C between d 15 and 21; treatments were reversed in the second group. Four to six d after farrowing, an ultrasonic blood flow probe was implanted around the right external pudic artery and catheters were fitted in the right anterior mammary vein and in the carotid artery. After surgery all sows were fed 3.8 kg/d of a lactation diet. The arteriovenous (AV, mg/L) plasma samples were obtained every 30 min between 0915 and 1545 on d 5 of exposure to ambient temperature; the same day, milk samples were collected at 1630. Additional arterial samples were obtained between 1000 and 1100 on d 1, 4, and 6 of exposure. Milk yield was estimated from the body weight gain of the litter. Elevated temperature tended to reduce BW loss (2.44 vs 1.82 kg/d, P < 0.10), but did not affect milk yield (11.0 kg/d). Glucagon and leptin arterial concentrations increased (12 and 8%, respectively; P < 0.10), but thyroxin and triiodothyronine concentrations decreased (26 and 16%, respectively; P < 0.01) between 20 and 28 degrees C. Expressed as a percentage of total nutrients, AV difference, glucose, amino acids, triglycerides (TG), free fatty acids, and lactate A-V differences represented 60, 20, 11, 8, and 1%, respectively. Exposure to 28 degrees C increased the extraction rate of glucose, TG, and a-amino acid N (13, 8, and 2.5%, respectively; P < 0.10). The extraction rates of essential and nonessential amino acids were not affected by temperature. The right pudic artery mammary blood flow increased (872 vs 945 mL/min, P < 0.05) between 20 and 28 degrees C, whereas milk yield was unaffected by temperature. It is suggested that this apparent inefficiency of the sow mammary gland in hot conditions could be related to an increase of proportion of blood flow irrigating skin capillaries in order to dissipate body heat.     

Adaptation to the digestion of nutrients of a starch diet or a non-starch polysaccharide diet in group-housed pregnant sows

A trial was conducted with twenty group-housed pregnant sows to study the adaptation in nutrient digestibility to a starch-rich diet or a diet with a high level of fermentable non-starch polysaccharides (NSP) during a time period of 6 weeks. The starch-rich diet was primarily composed of wheat, peas and tapioca, whereas soya bean hulls and sugar beet pulp, which both are highly fermentable NSP sources, were used to formulate the NSP-rich diet. The starch-rich diet and the NSP-rich diet were formulated to contain different levels of starch (298 vs. 78 g/kg) and fermentable NSP (100 vs. 300 g/kg), but a similar level of net energy (NE) (8.36 MJ/kg). The trial consisted of a 1-week adaptation period followed by a 5-week collection period. Weekly apparent faecal digestibilities of dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), crude fat, ash and NSP were measured by using the acid-insoluble ash marker method. Apparent faecal digestibilities of DM and organic matter (OM) of both diets were similar. Faecal digestibility of CP and crude fat was lower (p < 0.001) whereas that of NSP was higher (p < 0.001) for sows that received the NSP-rich diet. Calculated NE values of both diets were similar. Sows fed the NSP-rich diet produced faeces that contained a lower (p < 0.001) DM content compared with sows that were fed with the starch-rich diet. The quantity of dry faeces was the same on both diets, therefore total faeces production (as-is basis) was higher (p < 0.01) for the sows fed the NSP-rich diet. During the 5-week collection period, no changes were observed in the digestibility of DM, OM and NSP in the NE value of the diets. Digestibilities of CP and fat, however, were lower in week 1 (p < 0.05) compared with weeks 2-5 for both diets. The DM content of the faeces and the quantity of dry faeces did not change from weeks 1-5. Diet by time interaction was not observed for any of the response variables indicating that sows adapt as quickly to a diet with a high level of fermentable NSP as to a starch-rich diet. The present trial shows that, with regard to digestibility of nutrients, pregnant sows completely adapt to a NSP-rich diet (i.e., NSP from sugar beet pulp) in 2 weeks and that the time period necessary to adapt to a starch-rich diet or a diet with a high level of fermentable NSP is similar.     

Feeding behavior in primiparous lactating sows: impact of a high-fiber diet during pregnancy

Voluntary feed intake of hyperprolific sows can be insufficient to cover the requirements for milk production and maintenance of body condition. A bulky diet fed during pregnancy is known to prepare sows for an ad libitum feed supply after parturition as shown by the increased feed intake during lactation. The aim of this study was to investigate the feeding behavior of young sows during their first lactation to evaluate the further impact of the feeding experience acquired during pregnancy, through the addition of dietary fiber in the diet. Analysis of the feeding pattern and the profile of feed intake tested the hypothesis that lactating sows would exhibit different feeding strategies depending on the diet during pregnancy. During pregnancy, 24 primiparous sows (Large White x Landrace) were offered either 2.4 kg of a control diet/d containing 3.16% crude fiber or 2.8 kg of a high-fiber diet/d containing 12.42% crude fiber. All sows received 33 MJ of DE/d. From the first day postpartum until weaning, all sows were offered the same lactation diet ad libitum. The feeding pattern during lactation was recorded as ADFI, meal frequency, and meal size. In lactation, the ADFI did not differ according to the treatment. Compared with control sows, high-fiber sows consumed their diet in more (P < 0.05) but smaller meals (P < 0.05). In both treatments, ADFI and the number of daily meals increased over weeks of lactation (P < 0.001). All sows presented a strong diurnal and bimodal feeding activity evolving toward 2 distinct feeding periods occurring from 0500 to 0900 and from 1400 to 1800 and accounting for 0.64 of the total daily feed intake during the third week of lactation. The provision of a fibrous diet during pregnancy pointed out the role of an early feeding experience on the development of feeding behavior during the first reproductive cycle.     

高纤维日粮对妊娠母猪繁殖性能的影响

1前言繁殖母猪在妊娠期要执行严格的限制饲喂以防止出现体重过大,而过大体重会带来母猪的产仔和移动问题,对仔猪的生存构成威胁。哺乳母猪经常采     

泌乳母猪的营养

母猪泌乳期的饲养目标是 :最大限度地提高母猪泌乳量和乳品质以使仔猪窝增重最大 ;使母猪泌乳期失重最小 ,尽可能缩短断奶 -发情间隔 ,并提高下一繁殖周期的排卵数。为获得母猪最佳的长期的繁殖效率 ,需最大限度地减少其泌乳期失重(Dourmad等 ,1 994)。增加泌乳期的采食量是母猪饲喂方案中最重要的方面 ,应最大限度地提高母猪泌乳期的采食量。1　泌乳期的采食量及其影响因素许多研究已证明 ,母猪繁殖性能随泌乳期采食量的增加而改善 ,泌乳期间的总采食量与母猪泌乳性能以及随后的繁殖性能之间呈正相关关系。Ah erne( 1 994)报道 ,将初产母…     

Influence of high ambient temperatures on performance of multiparous lactating sows.

Multiparous Large White sows (n = 63) were used to investigate the effects of five ambient temperatures (18, 22, 25, 27, and 29 degrees C) and two dietary protein contents on their lactation performance. At each temperature treatment, ambient temperature was maintained constant over the 21-d lactation period. Dietary protein content was either 14 or 17% with essential amino acids levels calculated not to be limiting. The animals had ad libitum access to feed between the seventh and the 19th day of lactation. Diet composition did not influence lactation performance. Over the 21-d lactation, feed intake decreased from 5.67 to 3.08 kg/d between 18 and 29 degrees C. Between d 7 and 19, the corresponding values were 7.16 and 3.48 kg/d, respectively. This decrease was curvilinear; an equation to predict voluntary feed intake (VFI) from temperature (T, degrees C) and body weight (BW, kg) is proposed: VFI = -49,052 + 1,213 T - 31.5 T2 + 330 BW - .61 BW2 (residual standard deviation: 1,018). Skin temperature increased regularly with increased ambient temperature (34.6 to 37.4 degrees C between 18 and 29 degrees C), whereas udder temperature reached a plateau at 25 degrees C (38.3 degrees C). The gradient of temperature between skin and rectum was minimal (2 degrees C ) at 27 degrees C and remained constant at 29 degrees C. This constancy coincides with the marked reduction of feed intake. The respiratory rate increased from 26 to 124 breaths/min between 18 and 29 degrees C, and this indicates that the evaporative critical temperature was below 22 degrees C. The BW loss increased from 23 to 35 kg between 18 and 29 degrees C, but its estimated chemical composition remained constant. Pig growth rate was almost constant between 18 and 25 degrees C (241 g/d) and was reduced above 25 degrees C (212 and 189 g/d at 27 and 29 degrees C, respectively). In conclusion, temperatures above 25 degrees C seem to be critical for lactating sows in order to maintain their performance.     

Protein and fat utilization in lactating sows: II. Challenging behavior of a model of metabolism

The objective was to challenge the behavior of an existing mechanistic model of sow metabolism using data from a study that determined effects of fat and amino acid intakes on milk production, body and mammary composition in sows nursing 10 to 12 pigs. Sows were second through fourth parity; litter size was standardized at 12 pigs within 3 d of farrowing, and lactation was for 20 d. Diets were formulated and fed to provide three different amounts of protein intake and two different amounts of fat intake. Data were used to challenge the behavior of an existing mechanistic, deterministic, dynamic model for describing variation in milk production and changes in body composition. Nutrient intake and initial body weights and compositions were used as direct inputs into the model. The model could describe milk production within 1 SD of the mean on all rations. The model described body fat within 1 SD of observed values, but overestimated final body protein by approximately 30% (or between 1 and 2 SD). The model described the change in body fat and protein in response to 5% additional fat in the ration within 1 SD of observed (simulated - observed = -1.1 kg for protein and -0.7 for fat). The simulated response to dietary protein was within 1 SD (2.6 kg): simulated response from medium to high protein was 1.0 kg, observed 1.2; simulated response from medium to low was -0.7 kg, observed 0.3 kg. Thus, the model was not as accurate in describing the body protein response to a low-protein diet and overall, overestimated the retention of body protein. This model has utility for setting specific research hypotheses and may be amenable to use by nutritionists in a variety of applications. Further improvement in the ability of the model to describe metabolism and production of lactating sows is limited by a severe lack of data on metabolic interactions. Data on rates of muscle protein synthesis and proteolysis and interactions between amino acids, fatty acids, and glucose are needed to improve this and other models of sow production.     

A mathematical integration of energy and amino acid metabolism of lactating sows.

A dynamic mathematical model of energy and protein metabolism of lactating sows is described in this article. The model is designed to contribute to a systematic and quantitative understanding of the biological connection between diet and reproduction. It traces the flow of energy-containing nutrients from absorption through intermediary metabolism, into and out of body stores, and into milk. State variables (pools) include lysine, other amino acids, glucose, fatty acids, acetate, propionate, acetyl-coenzyme A, ATP, oxygen, carbon dioxide, urea, lean-body protein, visceral protein, storage triacylglycerol, milk protein, milk triacylglycerol, and milk lactose. The rate of each transaction is a function of substrate and inhibitor concentrations, assuming saturable kinetics. Protein and fat turnover, substrate cycles, and the energy cost of membrane transport are explicitly considered. Dynamic simulation of a complete lactation is accomplished by iterating the numerical integration of 16 first-order, nonlinear differential equations, each associated with a pool. Most kinetic parameters were estimated indirectly. Preliminary tests suggest the model is sound. It promises to be useful as a research tool and, with further development, as a guide to practical feeding strategies.     

Effect of feeding thyrotropin-releasing hormone to lactating sows

Two experiments were conducted to assess the effects of feeding thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) during lactation on sows. In Exp. 1, sows were fed 0, 1, 10, 100 or 1,000 mg TRH on d 10.8 +/- .4 (mean +/- SE) after parturition. Blood samples were taken from sows every 30 min from -2 h to 8 h and at 10, 12 and 18 h from feeding. Consumption of 100 or 1,000 mg TRH increased mean serum concentrations of thyroxine (T4; P less than .001), 1,000 mg TRH increased growth hormone (GH; P less than .06) and 100 or 1,000 mg TRH increased prolactin (PRL; P less than .01), but insulin (INS; P greater than .10) was unaffected by TRH. Serum concentrations of T4 were elevated within 2 to 4 h after feeding TRH and remained elevated for 12 to 18 h. Concentrations of GH and PRL began to increase immediately after feeding 100 or 1,000 mg TRH and remained elevated for 6 and 8 h, respectively. In Exp. 2, sows were fed 0 or 200 mg TRH from d 111 of gestation to weaning at 27.1 +/- .3 d of lactation. Consumption of TRH elevated concentrations of T4 at all stages of lactation and increased respiration rate on d 10 and d 20, heart rate on d 20, and milk production on d 20 of lactation. Consumption of TRH did not influence number of pigs born, number born alive, survival rate during lactation, sow body weight, heartgirth, backfat depth, feed disappearance, or milk production on d 10 of lactation. Piglets nursing sows fed TRH were similar in weight to piglets nursing sows not fed TRH on d 0 and 5 of lactation, but they were heavier on d 10 (P less than .07), 15 (P less than .001), 20 (P less than .001) and 27 (P less than .0001). Sows fed TRH took longer (P less than .001) to return to estrus after weaning than control sows. Results indicated that feeding TRH elevated T4, GH and PRL and that feeding TRH for the duration of lactation increased milk production on d 20 of lactation and increased weaning weights, but it delayed estrus after weaning.     

Calcium metabolism of pregnant rats fed a vitamin D-depleted diet

The effects of vitamin D (VD) deficiency on calcium (Ca) metabolism during pregnancy were evaluated in rats fed VD-repleted (VD-repleted rats) and VD-depleted (VD-depleted rats) diets. In the VD-depleted rats, the plasma concentrations of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D and Ca decreased severely, whereas the parathyroid hormone concentrations increased. The Ca contents of the feces of the VD-depleted rats were higher than those of the VD-repleted rats. The fetal Ca contents of the VD-repleted and VD-depleted rats increased continuously, but that of the VD-depleted rats was lower. These data reveal that VD deficiency during pregnancy induces severe hypocalcemia due to reduced intestinal absorption of Ca and elevated fetal demand for Ca.