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Several herbs and spices are assumed to have beneficial effects on milk secretion. Star anise (SA), containing essential and fatty oils, protein, choline and sugar, is often used as a digestion stimulant and galactagogue. The aim of this study was to investigate whether estrogenic agents from SA could improve the lactation performance of sows, and affect endocrine hormone level involved after their ingestion. At 85 days of gestation, a 2 × 2 factorial study was conducted to determine the effects of SA powder supplementation on gestation in combination with lactation diets on the lactation performance of 32 multiparous sows (Landrace × Large White; average parity three). Sows were randomly allotted to one of two diets supplemented with 0.5% SA or basal diet. After farrowing, sows were further allotted to one of two lactation diets supplemented with 0.5% SA or basal diet. On a weekly basis, body weight (BW) of sows and piglets was measured. Blood and milk samples from the sows and piglets, number of days from weaning to oestrus, milk yield and feed intake were recorded.
Effects of supplementing SA during gestation were not significant (P>0.05). Meanwhile, no gestation x lactation diet interaction effect was noted (P>0.05). Supplementing SA during lactation improved weaning weight (P < 0.001) and average daily gain (ADG) between days 7 and 14 (P = 0.025), days 14 and 21 (P = 0.001) and the overall experimental period (P < 0.001) of piglets compared with control groups. Supplementation of SA during lactation improved weaning weight of piglets, milk yield and average daily feed intake (ADFI) of sows. The SA diet increased concentrations of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1; P<0.05) in ordinary milk and prolactin (PRL; P<0.05) in serum of sows.
In summary, supplementing dietary SA to lactating sows appears to increase concentration of IGF-1 in ordinary milk, PRL in serum of sows on day 14 and ADFI of sows, which results in a higher milk yield of sows and a higher ADG of suckling piglets.
Wang, G.Y., Yang, C.W., Yang, Z., Yang, W., Jiang, S., Zhang, G., Guo, Y. and Wei, M. 2015. Effects of dietary star anise (Illicium verum Hook f) supplementation during gestation and lactation on the performance of lactating multiparous sows and nursing Piglets. Animal Science Journal, 86, 401–407. doi: 10.1111/asj.12300