OEO supplementation during gestation or lactation had no effect (P > 0.05) on GE, CP, GE:CP, GE:fat, and IGF-1 in sow milk. Reductions of the fat percentage in milk on d 7 (P < 0.05) and d 14 (P = 0.07) were found in sows supplemented with OEO during lactation compared with those in the CON treatment. Milk from sows supplemented with OEO during lactation had the greatest number of T lymphocytes compared with those in the lactation CON treatment on d 14 of lactation (P < 0.01). The number of T lymphocytes in milk was greater for sows in the CON-OREG treatment compared with those other treatments on d 14 of lactation (P < 0.05). Energy intake was greater on d 1 to 5 in piglets from sows fed OEO during gestation than those from sows in the CON treatment (P < 0.05). A trend (P = 0.10) for greater milk intake was observed in piglets from sows supplemented with OEO during gestation compared with those from sows in the CON treatment. Similarly, a tendency for an increase in ADG on d 1 to 5 was found in piglets from sows supplemented with OEO during gestation compared with those from sows in the CON treatment (P = 0.10). IGF -1 at birth and on d 7 and 14 of lactation did no differ among piglets from sows assigned to the different dietary treatments. OEO supplementation of sow diets did not affect (P > 0.05) immunoglobulin concentrations in piglets after suckling.
It is concluded that supplementing sow diets with 250 mg/kg of OEO during gestation and lactation did not affect the growth potential of and immune responses in suckling piglets.
C Ariza-Nieto, M Bandrick, SK Baidoo, L Anil, TW Molitor and MR Hathaway, 2011. Journal of Animal Science, 89: 1079-1089. http://dx.doi.org/10.2527/jas.2010-3514