Mechanistic model to predict colostrum intake based on deuterium oxide dilution technique data and impact of gestation and prefarrowing diets on piglet intake and sow yield of colostrum.

The aims of the present study were to quantify colostrum intake (CI) of piglets using the D2O dilution technique, to develop a mechanistic model to predict CI, to compare these data with CI predicted by a previous empirical predictive model developed for bottle-fed piglets, and to study how composition of diets fed to gestating sows affected piglet CI, sow colostrum yield (CY), and colostrum composition. In total, 240 piglets from 40 litters were enriched with D2O. The CI measured by D2O from birth until 24 h after the birth of first-born piglet was on average 443 g (SD 151).

Intrauterine growth restricted piglets defined by their head shape ingest insufficient amounts of colostrum.

The increasing litter sizes of modern pig breeds have led to a significant number of piglets that are born undersized ("small" piglets) and some have been exposed to different degrees of intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). The aim of this study was to investigate the physiology and capability to ingest colostrum of these small piglets, suffering from various degrees of IUGR, to see if their IUGR score could be a useful tool for easy identification of piglets in need of intervention in the colostrum period. Piglets were classified at birth based on head morphology.

Body composition of piglets from sows fed the leucine metabolite β-hydroxy β-methyl butyrate in late gestation.

Supplementation of the leucine metabolite β-hydroxy β-methyl butyrate (HMB) to sows during late gestation or lactation has been shown to improve piglet health, survival, and growth. This study aimed to investigate long-term effects of HMB supplementation to late-gestating sows on body characteristics of piglets at weaning. Sows were fed a standard lactation diet from day -15 relative to parturition and throughout the experiment and a diet supplemented with (HMB; n = 2) or without [control (CON); n = 3] 15 mg Ca(HMB)(2)/kg BW in morning meals from day -10 until parturition.

Effect of β-hydroxy β-methyl butyrate supplementation of sows in late gestation and lactation on sow production of colostrum and milk and piglet performance.

This trial was conducted to investigate whether β-hydroxy β-methyl butyrate (HMB) supplementation during late gestation and throughout lactation would influence colostrum and milk production of sows and neonatal piglet survival (0 to 24 h). Control sows (CON; n = 8) were fed a standard lactation diet from day 108 of gestation and until 28 d after parturition (weaning). Sows fed HMB (n = 8) were fed the CON diet topdressed with 2.

Colostrum and milk production of sows is affected by dietary conjugated linoleic acid.

The present experiment was conducted to investigate dietary effects of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) on sow traits related to piglet survival and growth performance. A total of 23 gestating sows were fed either a standard lactation diet (control diet [CON]) or the CON supplemented with 1.3% CLA (cis-9, trans-11 and trans-10, cis-12) from day 108 of gestation until weaning (4 wk after parturition) to evaluate whether dietary CLA affects the yield and composition of colostrum, time for initiation of milk production, and sow milk yield.

Metabolic profiling of plasma from sows before parturition and during lactation using a liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry-based approach.

During transition from late gestation to lactation, the sow undergoes large and sudden metabolic changes to adapt from anabolic to catabolic metabolism. Little is known about changes in nutrient uptake and intermediary metabolism of transition sows. This study was undertaken to screen the metabolic profile for qualitative changes in nutrient uptake and metabolism during transition.

Effects of β-hydroxy β-methyl butyrate supplementation to sows in late gestation on absorption and hepatic metabolism of glucose and amino acids during transition.

A multicatheter sow model was established to study the effects of dietary β-hydroxy β-methyl butyrate (HMB) supplementation on net portal flux (NPF) and net hepatic flux (NHF) of HMB, glucose, and the AA Ala, Gly, Ile, Leu, Phe, Tyr, and Val. Eight second parity sows were fitted with permanent indwelling catheters in an artery and in the portal, hepatic, and mesenteric veins. Eight hourly sets of blood samples were taken starting 30 min before the morning meal on day -3 and day 3 relative to parturition.

Impact of feeding and post prandial time on plasma ketone bodies in sows during transition and lactation.

Two experiments were conducted with the aim of studying how dietary fat source, reproductive stage (Exp. 1), and diurnal variation (Exp. 2) affect plasma ketone bodies in sows.