For primiparous sows, piglet birth weight from sows fed YC5 tended to be greater (P=0.050) than those fed YC12 and piglets weaning weight from sows fed YC5 tended to have greater (P=0.059) than from sows fed YC12. Voluntary feed intake of sows fed the control diet was greater (P<0.05) than that of sows fed YC during lactation, which was mainly due to the intake of sows fed YC12. When considering multiparous, sows fed YC5 had greater (P<0.05) litter wean weight than YC12. Average litter weight gain of sows fed YC tended to be greater (P=0.051) than those fed the control diet. Number of days from weaning to oestrus did not differ among treatment groups. However, sows fed YC had reduced (P<0.05) days wean to successful breeding compared with those fed the control diet.
This study indicates that dietary YC supplementation at a constant inclusion rate throughout gestation and lactation may benefit productivity of multiparous sows by improving litter weight gain and reducing days from wean to successful breeding, whereas these benefits were not shown in primiparous sows.
SW Kim, M Brandherm, B Newton, DR Cook, I Yoon, and G Fitzner, 2010. Canadian Journal of Animal Science, 90 (2): 229-232.