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The modern sow secretes significant amounts of essential fatty acids (EFA) during lactation to support development of the nursing litter even if this results in mobilization from body reserves, which may have consequences on following performance. The roles of EFA in reproduction include modulation of follicle and embryonic development, precursors of important hormones, and pregnancy recognition and maintenance. This study was conducted in order to investigate the effects of supplemental EFA on sow reproductive efficiency and to estimate the concentrations of EFA required by the lactating sow for maximum subsequent reproduction. Data were collected on 480 sows balanced by parity, with 241 and 239 sows representing Parity 1, and 3–5 (P3+), respectively. Sows were assigned randomly, within parity, to a 3 × 3 factorial arrangement plus a control diet without added lipids. Factors included linoleic (2.1%, 2.7%, and 3.3%) and α-linolenic acid (0.15%, 0.30%, and 0.45%), obtained by adding a final 4% of different mixtures of canola, corn and flaxseed oils to the experimental diets. Diets were corn-soybean meal based with 12% wheat middlings.
The benefits of supplemental EFA were more evident for the subsequent reproduction of mature P3+ sows. For these sows, supplemental α-linolenic acid improved the proportion of sows that farrowed relative to sows weaned (linear P = 0.080; 82.8, 80.5, and 92.8% for sows fed 0.15%, 0.30%, and 0.45% α-linolenic acid, respectively). In addition, supplemental linoleic acid, fed to Parity 1 and P3+ sows, tended to increase subsequent litter size (linear P = 0.074; 13.2, 13.8 and 14.0 total pigs born for 2.1%, 2.7% and 3.3% linoleic acid, respectively).
These results demonstrate that a minimum dietary intake of both α-linolenic and linoleic acid is required for the modern lactating sow to achieve a maximum reproductive outcome through multiple mechanisms that include rapid return to oestrus, increased maintenance of pregnancy and improved subsequent litter size.
Rosero, D. S., Boyd, R. D., McCulley, M., Odle, J., & van Heugten, E. (2016). Essential fatty acid supplementation during lactation is required to maximize the subsequent reproductive performance of the modern sow. Animal reproduction science, 168, 151-163. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.anireprosci.2016.03.010