Effects of dietary valine concentration on lactational performance of sows nursing large litters. NCR-42 Committe on Swine Nutrition

A cooperative study, using 231 primiand multiparous crossbred sows from six experiment stations (IN, KS, MI, MN, ND, and OH), was conducted to determine the effects of elevating dietary valine concentration in corn-soybean meal diets on lactational performance of sows nursing large litters. Crossbred sows were fed diets containing a minimum of .60% lysine during gestation. Sows were allotted at farrowing to four dietary valine concentrations, .80, .95, 1.10, and 1.25%. Crystalline L-valine replaced cornstarch to maintain a constant ratio of corn:soybean meal across diets. Dietary lysine, provided by corn, soybean meal, and .15% crystalline L-lysine x HCl, was .90% in all diets. Sows were allowed ad libitum access to feed. Sows were weighed within 24 h after farrowing, and all litters were adjusted to > or = 10 pigs/litter by d 2 following farrowing. Average sow parity, number of pigs on d 2, and lactation length for the four treatments were, respectively, 2.3, 2.3, 2.3, 2.5; 10.9, 10.8, 10.8, 10.7; and 25.1, 24.5, 25.2, 25.0 d. The ADFI during lactation was 5.87, 5.77, 5.87, and 5.74 kg (P > .50); hence, valine intakes were 41, 48, 55, and 61 g/d (linear, P < .01). Lysine intake ranged from 51.5 to 52.7 g/d (P > .50). Sow weight after farrowing averaged 198 kg (P > .60). Overall pig survival to weaning was high (>92%), and the number of pigs weaned (10.1, 10.3, 10.3, 10.3) did not differ (P > .30) among treatments. Litter weaning weights (73.6, 73.6, 74.5, 72.6 kg), litter weight gains (55.1, 55.1, 56.0, 54.1 kg), sow weight change during lactation (-4.9, -5.4, -4.8, -6.3 kg), and return-to-estrus interval (7.5, 6.4, 6.9, 8.2 d) were not affected (P > .30) by dietary valine. There were no station x treatment interactions (P > .50). These results indicate no benefit of elevated dietary valine for lactating sows nursing > or = 10 pigs and consuming a corn-soybean meal diet containing .90% lysine and .80% valine.     

Efficacy of initial postweaning diet and supplemental coconut oil or soybean oil for weanling swine

Two experiments involving a total of 581 crossbred pigs weaned at 23 +/- 2 d of age evaluated 1) the efficacy of two diets that contained milk products during the initial 14 d postweaning and 2) the effect of coconut oil or soybean oil additions to swine starter diets. In Exp. 1, postweaning performance responses of pigs fed a control corn-soybean meal-dried whey (C-SBM-DW) diet without added fat were compared with those of pigs consuming diets that contained 3, 6, or 9% levels of coconut oil or degummed soybean oil. The results demonstrated no beneficial weight gain, feed intake, or gain-to-feed ratio response during the initial 14 d postweaning to either dietary oil source. From 15 to 35 d, gains increased to the 6% added fat level, but there was no effect on feed intake when the gain-to-feed ratio was improved to the 9% fat level. In Exp. 2, two diets containing milk products were fed during the initial 14-d postweaning period. The first diet contained corn, soybean meal, dried whey, dried skim milk, and fishmeal (high nutrient dense diet, HNDD), and the second was a C-SBM diet with 25% dried whey. During the period from 15 to 35 d, diets contained no added fat or a 6% level of coconut oil, soybean oil, or the 1:1 combination of each at 3%. The results demonstrated that for the postweaning period from 0 to 14 d pigs fed the HNDD had higher gains (P less than .01), feed intakes (P less than .01), and gain-to-feed ratios (P less than .01) than pigs fed the C-SBM-DW diet.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Mineral nutrition of the sow: a review

The sow varies greatly in her mineral requirements, which largely reflects the nutritional demands during different phases of her reproductive cycle. Minerals are required for conceptus product formation, mammary secretions, and growth and maintenance. Although the sow's mineral requirements are highest during late gestation and lactation, those that are supplied from the diet and tissue reserves both contribute in meeting these nutritional needs. The sow is fairly resilient to borderline mineral insults, but longevity in the herd may be compromised under these conditions. Specific mineral deficiencies vary, but the reproducing sow will deplete the pool of tissue minerals before litter size, congenital abnormalities of developing fetuses or milk mineral composition are affected. Inadequate mineral supplies may prolong the duration of parturition, increase the number of stillbirths and result in a higher occurrence of skeletal problems. Tissue mineral reserves can be increased in various tissues with higher dietary fortification, but subsequent mineral availability from various pools differ. Because feed intake during lactation is low, daily mineral intake during lactation often is below NRC (1988) requirements.     

Effect of dietary calcium on selenium retention in postweaning swine

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of dietary Se and Ca on Se utilization in postweaning swine. Two levels of dietary Se (.3 or 5.0 ppm) supplemented as sodium selenite and four levels of total dietary Ca (.50, .80, 1.10 or 1.40%) in a 20% protein, corn-soybean meal diet were evaluated. Inorganic Ca was supplied from dicalcium phosphate and limestone. In Exp. I, 135 pigs weaned at 4 wk of age were allotted by sex, litter and weight and fed a basal diet for 7 d and then their treatment diets for a 28-d period. Plasma and tissue were collected at the end of the trial for Se concentration and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity. Dietary Ca had no effect on gain or feed measurements but 5.0 ppm Se depressed daily gain slightly. When 5.0 ppm dietary Se was fed, there resulted higher liver, kidney, heart and longissimus muscle Se concentrations than when .3 ppm was provided, but dietary Ca had no effect on tissue Se values within each dietary Se level. Plasma GSH-Px increased when higher dietary Se was provided, whereas neither heart nor liver GSH-Px activity was affected by dietary Se or Ca level. In Exp. II, a 5-d balance trial was conducted with 32 barrows after adjustment to their treatment diet for a 28-d period. Selenium retention increased quadratically as dietary Ca increased, whereas Ca retention was not affected by dietary Se. These results suggest that low dietary Ca levels may reduce total Se retention but not Se metabolism within body tissue.     

Prolonged feeding of high dietary levels of organic and inorganic selenium to gilts from 25 kg body weight through one parity

An experiment evaluated the selenosis effects from feeding high dietary Se levels of organic or inorganic Se sources to growing gilts with the dietary treatments continued through a reproductive cycle. A total of 88 gilts were allotted at 25 kg BW to two replicates in a 2 x 4 factorial arrangement in a randomized complete block design. Inorganic Se (sodium selenite) or organic (Se-enriched yeast) Se were added to diets at 0.3, 3, 7, or 10 ppm Se. At 105 kg BW, four gilts per treatment were killed and livers collected for Se analysis. At 8 mo of age, three gilts from each treatment group were bred and fed their treatment diet, with subsequent reproductive performance and selenosis effects evaluated. Serum collected at various intervals in gilts, sows, and progeny measured glutathione peroxidase activity and Se concentrations. Sow colostrum and milk was analyzed for their Se concentrations. Three pigs per treatment were killed before colostrum consumption and at weaning (14 d) and tissue collected for Se analysis. Gilt gains (P < 0.01) and feed intakes (P < 0.05) declined during the grower period as dietary Se level increased for both Se sources. Serum and liver Se concentrations increased as dietary Se level increased and was higher when organic Se was fed (P < 0.01). Sows fed dietary Se levels at > 7 ppm had lower gestation weights (P < 0.05) and lower lactation feed intakes (P < 0.05). As Se level increased, sows fed organic Se had a lower number of live pigs born (P < 0.05) and weaned fewer pigs (P < 0.05) with lower litter gains (P < 0.05) than did sows fed inorganic Se. Colostrum and milk Se concentrations increased as dietary Se levels increased particularly when organic Se was fed (P < 0.01). Neonatal and weanling pig tissue Se and serum Se concentrations increased as dietary Se level increased and when organic Se was fed, resulting in interaction responses (P < 0.01). Pigs nursing sows fed > 7 ppm inorganic Se had hoof separation and alopecia, with the severity being greater when sows were fed the inorganic Se source. These results suggest that both the organic and inorganic Se sources were toxic when fed at 7 to 10 ppm for a prolonged period, but organic Se seemed to express the selenotic effects more on reproductive performance, whereas inorganic Se was more detrimental during lactation.