Crude protein content and probiotic supplementation in sows: effects on sow and piglet performance and indices of gut health
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Date
2024-08-27
Authors
Chrapun, Leah
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Abstract
Since the use of in-feed antibiotics has been banned in many jurisdictions, alternative methods that maintain animal performance and health are being investigated. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of crude protein (CP) content and supplementation of Bacillus-based probiotics (PRO) in late-gestation and lactation sow diets on performance of sows and gut health of suckling pigs. A total of 120 pregnant sows (60 gilts and 60 2+ parity) were assigned to one of four dietary treatments in a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement (2 CP levels, with or without PRO supplementation) from d 85 of gestation to d 21 of lactation. The experiment was conducted in 4 consecutive periods (half gilts and half sows per period). The diets consisted of 1) a corn-soybean meal (SBM)-based low CP (LCP; 12% CP) diet; 2) LCP + 0.05% probiotic (LCP-PRO); 3) a corn-SBM-based high CP (HCP; 15% CP) diet; and 4) HCP + 0.05% probiotic (HCP-PRO) and were formulated in 2 phases: gestation (d 85 – 115) and lactation (d 0 – 21). Commercially swine diets often contain approximately15% CP, therefore the HCP diet in this study reflects the industry standard. Lactation diets contained 14% and 17% CP for LCP and HCP respectively. Sow body weight (BW) and backfat (BF) thickness were recorded on d 85 and 111 of gestation and on d 1 and 21 of lactation. Sow blood and milk were sampled on d 1 and 17 of lactation to analyze plasma urea nitrogen (PUN) concentration, and milk fat, protein, and lactose, respectively. Reproductive performance data were recorded on d 0 of lactation and sow feces were collected d 12 of lactation for digestibility and microbial analysis. One piglet per sow close to average BW for each litter was selected for blood collection to analyze PUN and fecal collection for microbial analysis. Data were analyzed using the PROC MIXED of SAS. The statistical model included CP, PRO and their interaction as fixed effects, and period and replication as random effects. There was an interaction (P < 0.05) between CP and PRO on the number of stillbirths, where the number of stillbirths did not differ between LCP and LCP-PRO groups, while the number decreased in sows fed the HCP-PRO diet compared with the HCP diet. Sows fed LCP diets had reduced (P < 0.05) PUN concentrations on d 1 and d 17 of lactation compared with those fed HCP diets. No difference was found in fat, protein, or lactose content in both colostrum (d 1) and milk (d 17). Piglets from the sows fed LCP diets showed heavier (P < 0.05) birth weights (1.58, 1.57, 1.53, and 1.52 kg for diets 1 to 4) than those in HCP groups, however, the average daily gain (ADG) of week 1 (188, 166, 187, and 187 g for diets 1 to 4) was lower (P < 0.05) for piglets in LCP groups than HCP groups. There was an interaction (P < 0.05) between CP and PRO on piglet fecal DM, where HCP-PRO had higher fecal DM percentage than HCP, however, LCP and LCP-PRO groups did not differ. There was an interaction of CP and PRO on d 21 relative abundance of E. coli, where the abundance of was lower (P < 0.05) in piglets from sows fed HCP-PRO diets compared to piglets from sows fed HCP diets, however, piglets from sows fed LCP diet had a lower abundance (P < 0.05) of E.coli than piglets from sows receiving LCP-PRO diets. There was an interaction effect of CP and PRO on the relative abundance of Lactobacillus in piglets at age 21. Piglets from sows receiving HCP diets had a lower (P < 0.05) relative abundance compared to piglets from sows receiving HCP-PRO diets. Conversely, piglets from sows fed LCP-PRO diets had a lower (P < 0.05) relative abundance of Lactobacillus compared to piglets from sows fed LCP diets. On d 28, piglets from sows fed LCP diets had a decreased (P < 0.05) relative abundance of E.coli compared to pigs from sows fed HCP diets. There was an interaction effect of CP and PRO on d 28 where piglets from sows fed HCP diets had a decreased (P < 0.05) relative abundance of Clostridium perfringens compared to those from sows fed HCP-PRO diets. In conclusion, feeding LCP diets supplemented with PRO to sows has the potential to improve both the reproductive performance of sows and the gut health of suckling pigs.
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Keywords
Swine, Probiotics, Crude protein, Performance