Methyl donors dietary supplementation to gestating sows diet improves the growth rate of offspring and is associating with changes in expression and DNA methylation of insulin‐like growth factor‐1 gene

The study aimed to investigate the effects of maternal dietary methyl donors on the performance of sows and their offspring, and the associated hepatic insulin‐like growth factor‐1 (IGF‐1) expression of the offspring. A total of 24 multiparous sows were randomly fed the control (CON) or the CON diet supplemented with methyl donors (MD) at 3 g/kg betaine, 15 mg/kg folic acid, 400 mg/kg choline and 150 μg/kg VB₁₂, from mating until delivery. After farrowing, sows were fed a common lactation diet through a 28‐days lactation period and six litters per treatment were selected to be fed until at approximately 110 kg BW. Maternal MD supplementation resulted in greater birthweight (p < 0.05) and increased the piglet weights (p < 0.01) and litter weights (p < 0.05) at the age of day 28, compared with that in CON group. The offspring pigs in the MD group had greater ADG (p < 0.05) and tended to lower F:G ratio (p = 0.07) compared with that of CON group from day 28 to 180 of age. The offspring pigs from MD group had greater serum IGF‐1 concentrations and expressions of hepatic IGF‐1 gene and muscular IGF‐1 receptor (IGF‐1r) protein at birth (p < 0.05), and greater hepatic IGF‐1 protein (p = 0.03) and muscular IGF‐1r gene expressions (p < 0.05) at slaughter, than that from the CON group. Moreover, the methylation at the promoter of IGF‐1 gene in the liver of newborn piglets and finishing pigs was greater in the MD group than that of the CON group (p < 0.05). In conclusion, maternal MD supplementation throughout gestation could enhance the birthweight and postnatal growth rate of offspring, associated with an increased expression of the IGF‐1 gene and IGF‐1r, as well as the altered DNA methylation of IGF‐1 gene promotor.     

Dietary fiber in a low-protein diet during gestation affects nitrogen excretion in primiparous gilts,with possible influences from the gut microbiota

We investigated the effects of dietary fiber (DF) supplementation in normal or low crude protein (CP) diets on reproductive performance and nitrogen (N) utilization in primiparous gilts. In total, 77 Landrace × Yorkshire pregnant gilts were randomly allocated to four dietary treatments in a 2 × 2 factorial design. The groups comprised 1) equal intake of normal CP (12.82% and 0.61% total lysine), 2) low CP (LP) (10.53% and 0.61% total lysine), and 3) with or 4) without DF supplementation (cellulose, inulin, and pectin in a 34:10:1 ratio). A low-protein diet during gestation significantly reduced daily weight gain from days 91 to 110 of pregnancy (−162.5 g/d, P = 0.004). From N balance trials conducted at days 35 to 38, 65 to 68, and 95 to 98 of pregnancy, DF addition increased fecal N excretion at days 65 to 68 (+24.1%) and 95 to 98 (+13.8%) of pregnancy (P < 0.05) but reduced urinary N excretion (P < 0.05), resulting in greater N retention at each gestational stage. DF increased fecal microbial protein levels and excretion during gestation. An LP diet also reduced urinary N excretion at different gestational stages. An in vitro fermentation trial on culture media with nonprotein N urea and ammonium bicarbonate (NH₄HCO₃) as the only N sources revealed that microbiota derived from feces of gestating gilts fed the high DF diet exhibited a greater capacity to convert nonprotein N to microbial protein. Microbial fecal diversity, as measured by 16S rRNA sequencing, revealed significant changes from DF but not CP diets. Gilts fed an LP diet had a higher number of stillbirths (+0.83 per litter, P = 0.046) and a lower piglet birth weight (1.52 vs. 1.37 kg, P = 0.006), regardless of DF levels. Collectively, DF supplementation to gestation diets shifted N excretion from urine to feces in the form of microbial protein, suggesting that the microbiota had a putative role in controlling N utilization from DF. Additionally, a low-protein diet during gestation negatively affected the litter performance of gilts.     

Estimation of the standardized ileal digestible lysine requirement for primiparous pregnant sows

This experiment was conducted to determine the optimal standardized ileal digestible lysine (SID Lys) level in diets fed to primiparous sows during gestation. A total of 150 (Landrace × Large White) crossbred gilts (weighing 149.9 ± 3.1 kg) were fed gestation diets (12.55 MJ of ME/kg) containing SID Lys levels of 0.43, 0.52, 0.60, 0.70 or 0.80% respectively. Gilts were fed 2.0 kg/day from day 1 to 80 and 3.0 kg/day from day 80 to 110 of gestation respectively. Gilts were allocated to treatments based on their body weight on the day of breeding. Weight gain from day 80 to 110 increased with increasing dietary SID Lys levels (p = 0.044). Fitted broken‐line (p = 0.031) and quadratic plot (p = 0.047) analysis of body weight gain indicated that the optimal SID Lys level for primiparous sows was 0.70 and 0.69% respectively. During gestation, neither backfat thickness nor loin eye area was affected by dietary SID Lys level. Increasing dietary Lys had no effect on the litter size at birth or pigs born alive per litter. Litter weight at birth was not affected by dietary SID Lys level. The litter weight variation at birth quadratically decreased with increasing dietary SID Lys (p = 0.021) and was minimized at 0.70% dietary SID Lys. Gilts fed the 0.70% SID Lys diet had the highest dry matter (p = 0.031) and protein (p = 0.044) content in colostrum. On day 110 of gestation, gilts fed the 0.70% SID Lys diet tended to have the highest serum prolactin (p = 0.085) and serum insulin (p = 0.074) levels. The data demonstrate that the optimal dietary SID Lys was 0.70% for pregnant gilts, which is similar to the recommendation of 0.69% that was estimated by the NRC (2012).     

Influence of Boar Seminal Plasma on the Distribution of Spermatozoa in the Genital Tract of Gilts

The main purpose of the present study was to investigate whether boar seminal plasma affects the transport of spermatozoa in the genital tract of oestrous pigs or not, with special reference to the sperm transport into the oviducts. Altogether 17 gilts were used in three experiments.Experiment I. In nine gilts one uterine horn was injected surgically with 10¹⁰ spermatozoa suspended in seminal plasma and the other uterine horn with 10¹⁰ spermatozoa suspended in TESNaK-glucose buffer solution. The sperm deposition was performed under general anaesthesia. The gilts were slaughtered 1–2 or 4–6 h after insemination. The genital tract was removed and the numbers of spermatozoa determined in oviducts and in uterine horns.Experiment II. The insemination doses were prepared exactly as in Experiment I. Approx. 24 h before insemination Polyvinylchloride cannulas were inserted into the uterine lumen of the horns, drawn via the midventral incision at linea alba subcutaneously to cutaneous incisions ventral to the vulva opening. One cannula was placed in each uterine horn. At standing heat the insemination doses were slowly injected through the cannulas. The gilts were slaughtered 1 h after insemination and the numbers of spermatozoa within the genital tract were counted.Experiment III. In three gilts under general anaesthesia the uterine horns were ligated 10 cm from the uterotubal junction. The semen doses (containing 2 × 10⁹ spermatozoa), prepared as in Experiment I, were deposited into the uterine horns anterior to the ligatures through a cannula. The gilts were slaughtered 1 h after insemination, and the numbers of spermatozoa within the oviducts and ligated part of the uterine horns were counted.In all three experiments more spermatozoa were, on average, recovered in the oviducts connected to uterine horns inseminated with spermatozoa suspended in seminal plasma. In Experiments I andII this was the case for 10 of 14 gilts and in Experiment III for all the three gilts. It is therefore suggested that boar seminal plasma pro¬motes sperm transport into the oviduct of oestrous pigs. The back¬ground mechanism for this is discussed.     

精准定时输精对后备母猪早期胚胎发育与繁殖性能的影响

为探讨精准定时输精(fixed-time artificial insemination, FTAI)对后备母猪早期胚胎发育和繁殖性能的影响,试验1选取自主培育的金乌猪后备母猪43头,随机分为2组,其中,对照组24头,为自然发情,观察后人工配种(artificial insemination, AI);试验组19头,为精准定时输精组。分别于0 h(停喂烯丙孕素)、42 h [肌注孕马血清促性腺激素(pregnant mare serum gonadotropin, PMSG)]、122 h [肌注促性腺激素释放激素(gonadotropin releasing hormone, GnRH)]静脉采血,检测孕酮(progesteron, P4)、雌二醇(estradiol, E2)、促卵泡激素(follicle-stimulating hormone, FSH)和黄体生成素(luteinizing hormone, LH)的含量;在配种后33 h,分别屠宰对照组和试验组4头后备母猪,回收受精卵进行体外培养,其余后备母猪继续饲养并进行分娩与产仔情况追踪。结果显示,从停喂烯丙孕素至42 h和122 h,P4值呈下降趋势但差异不显著(P>0.05);停喂烯丙孕素至停喂后42 h,E2值从80 pmol·L^-1显著(P<0.05)下降至58.3 pmo·L^-1,而在PMSG作用后又急剧升至134.07 pmol·L^-1(P<0.01);FSH值未见显著变化(P>0.05);停喂烯丙孕素至停喂后42 h,LH值由0.09 IU·L^-1升至0.12 IU·L^-1(P>0.05),PMSG作用后又降至0.09 IU·L^-1(P>0.05),呈先升后降的趋势,符合正常生理周期的变化趋势,表明用药合理无副作用。屠宰后卵巢排卵点计数结果显示,试验组17.5枚,对照组15.25枚,差异不显著(P>0.05);试验组平均窝均总产仔数、活仔数与对照组相比未见显著差异,但相对提高1.05头。试验2选取大长后备母猪189头,处理方式同试验1,随机分为试验组94头、对照组95头,试验组活仔较对照组约提高0.58头(P>0.05),断奶成活率提高2.99百分点。综上所述,精准定时输精程序处理符合母猪生理发情周期特质,可增加排卵数且对早期胚胎发育无不良影响,在提高后备母猪的利用率、增加窝均活仔数和提高仔猪断奶成活率等方面都有一定的积极作用,值得进一步优化研究和推广应用。     

日粮NDF水平对妊娠母兔繁殖性能、血清生化指标及激素的影响

为研究不同中性洗涤纤维(NDF)水平日粮对妊娠母兔繁殖性能及血清生化指标和激素的影响,探讨适宜的NDF需要量,将100只体质量相近、胎次和配种日期基本一致的经产新西兰母兔随机分为5组,每组20只,分别饲喂含24%、27%、30%、33%和36%5种NDF水平的日粮。结果表明:日粮NDF水平对妊娠母兔窝产仔数和初生个体质量无显著影响(P0.05),对窝产活仔数、初生窝质量和窝活仔质量影响显著(P0.05),均以30%NDF组最高。30%NDF组血清蛋白质和葡萄糖含量及24%NDF组甘油三酯含量显著高于36%NDF组(P0.05),血清尿素氮和胆固醇浓度不受NDF水平显著影响(P0.05)。随NDF水平升高,血清IGF-1、E2、P4和PRL水平呈先升高后降低趋势,30%NDF组显著高于24%和36%NDF组(P0.05)。综合分析,妊娠母兔日粮最适宜的NDF水平为30%。     

Distribution of Live and Dead Spermatozoa in the Genital Tract of Gilts at Different Times After Insemination

Twenty-four gilts were inseminated pair-wise with live or dead spermatozoa from the same ejaculate. The insemination dose was 100 ml undiluted semen containing, on average, 19×10⁹ spermatozoa. The gilts were slaughtered 1, 2, 6 and 12 h after insemination. The numbers of spermatozoa were counted in the uterus, uterotubal junction and in four equally long segments of the oviduct, called I–IV, with a haemocytometer. IV was adjacent to the uterotubal junction. The numbers of spermatozoa recovered in the uterus diminished significantly during the first 12 h after insemination. From gilts inseminated with live spermatozoa more spermatozoa were recovered in the uterotubal junction than from gilts inseminated with dead spermatozoa. Two h after insemination spermatozoa were recovered in all oviducts. Significantly more live than dead spermatozoa were recovered in Segments III and IV of the oviduct, regardless of time. In gilts inseminated with live spermatozoa the sperm count in Segment I varied significantly with time, being hiigest 2 h after insemination. At 6 and 12 h there were no distinct differences in the distribution of live spermatozoa between the various oviduct segments. The numbers of spermatozoa recovered in the oviduct were at these times apparently related to the sperm depots in the uterotubal junction.     

后备荣昌母猪适宜消化能和赖氨酸需要量研究

旨在探讨研究35～55 kg后备荣昌母猪适宜日粮消化能(DE)与表观可消化赖氨酸(ADLys)水平。选用(34.45±4.53)kg后备荣昌母猪216头,随机分为12个处理,每个处理6个重复,每个重复3头。采用3×4因子设计,日粮DE分别为11.72、12.34和12.97 MJ/kg,ADLys分别为0.43%、0.53%、0.63%和0.73%。结果表明:随着日粮DE水平的提高,试验猪日增重显著提高(P0.05),饲料增重比显著降低(P0.05),P2背膘厚显著增加(P0.01),母猪发情率呈现上升趋势(P0.1)。日粮Lys水平提高使血清尿素氮含量呈现上升趋势(P0.1)。在本试验条件下,35～55 kg后备荣昌母猪适宜日粮DE和ADLys水平分别为12.97MJ/kg和0.43%。     

初情期前枫泾小母猪超数排卵及其胚胎发育研究

２４头初情期前的枫泾小母猪以ＰＭＳＧ、ＨＣＧ进行超排处理,平均获得２３．４枚卵子,人工授精后２８￣５０ｈ超排的卵母细胞的受精率为９８．１％,受精卵发育至桑椹胚和囊胚的比例为８９．７％。采用外科手术将１８０枚受精卵移植至８头同期发情的枫泾母猪子宫,其中有５头妊娠,产仔４４头,胚胎移植妊娠率为６２．５％     

母猪繁殖障碍征的病因学研究

某猪场一批初产母猪发生流产、早产、死胎、死仔和木乃伊胎为主要表现的繁殖障碍征。调查发现繁殖障碍占调查胎数的 ５１７％ ,其中早产占 １０８％ ,一窝中部分死胎（仔）占 ６９６％ ,全窝死亡占 １９６％ 。在因繁殖障碍损失的胎、仔数中,死胎占６９７％ ,产后即死占 ２４９％ ,木乃伊和畸形占５４％ 。血清学检测结果显示：呼吸和繁殖障碍综合征、流行性乙型脑炎和布鲁氏菌病为阴性而细小病毒为阳性,故诊断为细小病毒感染所致。