0
In recent years, dietary fibers have attracted considerable research interest because of their roles in maintaining the gut health and regulating nutrient metabolism. Within this group, inulin is a soluble dietary fiber that has been directly related in the regulation of intestinal health. The present study was conducted with the aim of evaluating the effects of dietary inulin supplementation during late gestation on sow physiology, farrowing duration and piglet performance. It was hypothesized that pre-farrowing treatment with inulin would improve insulin sensitivity and antioxidative status during farrowing in sows, and therefore, there would be a shorter farrowing duration. For that purpose, a total of 88 second parity sows were randomly assigned, 6 weeks after mating, to four diets: basal diet; or basal diet with 0.8 %; 1.6 %; or 2.4 % inulin. Backfat thickness at 65 mm on each side of the dorsal midline at the last rib was determined using ultrasonography on gestation d80, d112 and on lactation d18. After farrowing, the number of total piglets born, piglets dead at birth, mummified piglets and piglets born alive were recorded. The birth time of each piglet was recorded, and piglets were weighed before suckling, and these data were used to calculate the farrowing duration and litter weight, respectively.
Sows fed with 1.6 % inulin resulted in larger weights of the litter at birth a shorter farrowing duration, lower average birth interval between piglets, lesser number of piglets dead at birth, and fewer piglets/sow dead at birth. When sows were fed 0.8 % and 1.6 % inulin, there was a larger litter weight at weaning, sow average daily feed intake and piglet average daily gain during lactation compared than in the control group. Additionally, a positive impact of inulin supplementation was observed on the levels of circulating metabolites and hormones in blood samples.
In conclusion, results of the present study indicated that inulin supplementation during late gestation improves reproductive performance of sows, thus, may be result as novel feed ingredient to improve the efficiency of the swine industry.
Li H, Liu Z, Lyu H, Gu X, Song Z, He X, Fan Z. Effects of dietary inulin during late gestation on sow physiology, farrowing duration and piglet performance. Animal Reproduction Science. 2020; 219: 106531. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anireprosci.2020.106531
