Effects of synergistic blend of organic acids supplementation in late gestating sows on litter performance

This study aims to investigate the effects of in-feed additive based on a synergistic blend of short and-medium chain organic acids (SGG) supplementation in sows during gestation and lactation on litter performance. At d 107 of gestation, 150 multiparous sows (n = 50/treatment) were blocked according to parity and allocated to 1 of 3 dietary treatments: (1) CON (basal diet), (2) SGG-Low – CON + 1 kg/T SGG, and (3) SGG-High – CON + 3 kg/T SGG. The sows’ body weight (BW), body condition score, and backfat thickness (BF) were measured at pre- and post-farrowing, and at weaning (d 21). Piglets were individually weighed at birth and at weaning and the coefficient of variation (CV) was calculated. The litter size was standardized to 12 piglets by cross-fostering within 24 h post-farrowing. On a weekly basis, piglet BW, FI, and FCR were measured. The fecal samples were collected from 8 sows per treatment at pre- and post-farrowing and at d 7 in lactation, and in litters at d 7 and 21 in lactation for Lactobacillus, E. coli, and C. perfringens counts. Data were checked for normality and analyzed using the MIXED procedure in SAS. Sows supplemented with SGG-High consumed more lactation feed than sows fed the CON diets (P = 0.04). The BW and BF losses were lower in sows fed with SGG-Low and SGG-High (P < 0.05). Also, sows fed SGG[1]Low and SGG-High diets had a reduced number of mummified piglets (P = 0.04) and improved birthweight CV and survivability of piglets during the first 24 h after birth (P = 0.04). Piglets born to sows fed SGG-Low and SGG-High had higher BW and ADG and grew from 2.8% to 4.1% faster during the first 21 d of life compared with piglets born to sows fed the CON diets (P < 0.05). At the time of weaning, litter weight was higher in pigs born to sows fed SGG-High (+3.1 kg, P = 0.002). The Lactobacillus and E. coli counts were not affected by the dietary treatments. However, SGG-Low and SGG-High reduced the C. perfringens counts in feces of sows on d 7 of lactation (P < 0.05). We infer that SGG supplementation in sows can support optimum sow productivity and improve birthweight uniformity and preweaning growth rate of pigs.

Key Words: organic acid, sow productivity, preweaning growth.

Presented at the 9th Symposium on Gut Health in Production of Food Animals, St. Louis, USA, 2021. For information on the next edition, click here.