Dietary medium- or long-chain triglycerides improve body condition of lean-genotype sows and increase suckling pig growth

• Published in: Journal of animal science 2002-01, Vol.80 (1), p.38-44
• Main Authors: Gatlin, L. A, Odle, J, Soede, J, Hansent, J. A
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animal Feed; Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; Animal productions; Animal reproduction; Animals; Animals, Suckling - growth & development; Biological and medical sciences; Body Composition - drug effects; Body Composition - physiology; Body Weight - drug effects; Dietary supplements; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Genotype; Hogs; Lactation - drug effects; Litter Size - drug effects; Oils & fats; Pregnancy; Random Allocation; Swine - growth & development; Swine - physiology; Terrestrial animal productions; Triglycerides - administration & dosage; Triglycerides - chemistry; Triglycerides - pharmacology; Vertebrates
• ISSN: 0021-8812; 1525-3163
• DOI: 10.2527/2002.80138x

In a field trial conducted on a commercial swine farm, lean-genotype sows (n = 485) were fed diets containing 0 or 10% supplemental fat as either medium-chain triglyceride or choice white grease from d 90 of gestation until weaning (15.5 d). Effects on standard sow and litter production traits were examined together with assessment of sow body condition using live ultrasound. Daily feed intake during lactation was 10% higher in sows consuming diets without added fat (7.2 vs 6.5 kg; P < 0.01); however, lactation ME (23.9 Mcal/d) and digestible lysine (54 g/d) intakes were unaffected (P > 0.10). Sows supplemented with fat were 4 kg heavier on d 109 of gestation (220 vs 224 kg; P < or = 0.01), 1 d after farrowing (210 vs 214 kg; P < or = 0.01), and at weaning (210 vs 214 kg; P < or = 0.01). Expressed as overall gain, this amounted to a 23% increase (0.66 vs 0.86 kg/d; P < or = 0.01) and was accompanied by a 49% increase in backfat (0.82 vs 1.68 mm; P < or = 0.03) from d 90 to farrowing. Changes in sow weight (-0.01 kg/d) and backfat (+4.2 mm) over lactation were minimal and were not affected by fat supplementation (P > or = 0.10). Longissimus muscle area at weaning was slightly greater (44.96 vs 46.2 cm2) in sows consuming fat than in control sows (P < or = 0.05), but changes in longissimus muscle area were not significant from d 90 to weaning (P > or = 0.10). Gestation length, pigs born alive, average birth weight, survival (d 3 to weaning), and days to estrus were not affected by diet (P > 0.10). However, supplemental fat increased pig ADG (192 vs 203 g/d; P < 0.01) and average pig weaning weight (4.3 vs 4.5 kg) at 15.5 d (P < or = 0.02). No differences between the two fat sources were detected. This large-scale study demonstrated that supplemental fat during gestation and lactation effectively improved sow condition and improved suckling pig performance without affecting energy intake during lactation, implying improved efficiency of sow energy utilization.