Increased dietary protein levels during lactation improved sow and litter performance

• Published in: Animal feed science and technology 2017-10, Vol.232, p.169-181
• Main Authors: Strathe, Anja V., Bruun, Thomas S., Geertsen, Niels, Zerrahn, Jens-Erik, Hansen, Christian F.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Dietary protein; Lactation; Litter weight gain; Milk composition; Reproduction; Sow performance
• ISSN: 0377-8401; 1873-2216
• DOI: 10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2017.08.015

•Sows nursing 14 piglets have an increased requirement of balanced dietary protein.•Litter gain was optimized at 135g SID CP/kg.•Increased dietary protein increased milk fat and protein content.•Increased dietary protein minimized sow BW loss.•Increased dietary protein increased back fat loss of the sows. The study was conducted to investigate the effect of increasing balanced dietary protein for hyper-prolific lactating sows. In total 544 sows (parity 1–4) was allotted to one of six diets from day 2 post-partum until weaning. The diets were analyzed to have a standardized ileal digestible (SID) crude protein (CP) level of 104.3, 113.3, 120.9, 128.5, 139.2 or 150.0g/kg. At d 2 post-partum litters were standardized to 14 piglets and body weight (BW), back fat (BF) thickness of sows and litter weight were recorded. Body weight, BF thickness and litter weight was also recorded at weaning. On a subsample of 70 sows (parity 2 and 3) milk samples were obtained at day 3, 10 and 17 post-partum and analyzed for fat, CP and lactose. In the analysis of the dose-response data the dietary SID CP concentration were used as explanatory variable. The abovementioned response variables were fitted with linear broken-line, quadratic broken-line and linear regression models. Sow BW and BF loss reached a break point at 143g SID CP/kg and 127g SID CP/kg, where sows lost 0.58kg/d and 3mm, respectively (P