Decreasing the level of hemicelluloses in sow’s lactation diet affects the milk composition and post-weaning performance of low birthweight piglets
Hemicelluloses (HC) are polysaccharides constituents of the cell walls of plants. They are fermented in the gut to produce volatile fatty acids (VFA). The present study investigated the effects of decreasing HC level in a sow’s lactation diet on sow performances, offspring development and milk compo...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Taylor & Francis Group
2023-12-01
|
| Series: | Italian Journal of Animal Science |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/1828051X.2023.2181108 |
| _version_ | 1827276539658502144 |
|---|---|
| author | Francesco Palumbo Giuseppe Bee Paolo Trevisi Marion Girard |
| author_facet | Francesco Palumbo Giuseppe Bee Paolo Trevisi Marion Girard |
| author_sort | Francesco Palumbo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Hemicelluloses (HC) are polysaccharides constituents of the cell walls of plants. They are fermented in the gut to produce volatile fatty acids (VFA). The present study investigated the effects of decreasing HC level in a sow’s lactation diet on sow performances, offspring development and milk composition. From 110 days (d) of gestation until weaning (26 ± 0.4 d post-farrowing), 40 Swiss Large White sows were assigned to one of the four dietary treatments: (1) T13 (HC: 127 g/kg), (2) T11 (HC: 114 g/kg), (3) T9 (HC: 94 g/kg) and (4) T8 (HC: 80 g/kg). Milk was collected at 3 and 17d of lactation. At birth, piglets were divided into two groups according to their birthweight (BtW): normal (N-BtW; BtW >1.20 kg) or low (L-BtW; BtW ≤1.20 kg). Decreased HC levels in the maternal diet linearly increased (p ≤ .05) the body weight of L-BtW piglets at two weeks post-weaning and linearly decreased (p ≤ .05) diarrhoea incidence and duration in this category. The concentrations of copper, threonine and VFA, as well as the proportion of butyrate, in milk linearly increased (p ≤ .05), whereas lactose content linearly decreased (p ≤ .05) with decreased HC in the maternal diet. The present study provides evidence that decreasing HC level in a sow’s lactation diet can positively affect the composition and VFA profile of milk and ultimately favour the growth and health of L-BtW piglets.Highlights The results of this study showed that decreasing the level of hemicelluloses in a sow’s lactation diet modified milk composition and had positive effects on the post-weaning performance of low birthweight piglets. This study highlighted the role of dietary fibres in the maternal diet to alleviate body weight variations at two weeks post-weaning. Nevertheless, before advising pig producers, further research should elucidate the optimal level of hemicelluloses for lactating sows. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T17:00:25Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e52c5bc3270f41ba87371f2edaec2408 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1594-4077 1828-051X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T07:00:21Z |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Italian Journal of Animal Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-e52c5bc3270f41ba87371f2edaec24082024-04-22T08:52:28ZengTaylor & Francis GroupItalian Journal of Animal Science1594-40771828-051X2023-12-0122125026210.1080/1828051X.2023.21811082181108Decreasing the level of hemicelluloses in sow’s lactation diet affects the milk composition and post-weaning performance of low birthweight pigletsFrancesco Palumbo0Giuseppe Bee1Paolo Trevisi2Marion Girard3Agroscope, Swine Research GroupAgroscope, Swine Research GroupDipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Agro-alimentari (DISTAL), University of BolognaAgroscope, Swine Research GroupHemicelluloses (HC) are polysaccharides constituents of the cell walls of plants. They are fermented in the gut to produce volatile fatty acids (VFA). The present study investigated the effects of decreasing HC level in a sow’s lactation diet on sow performances, offspring development and milk composition. From 110 days (d) of gestation until weaning (26 ± 0.4 d post-farrowing), 40 Swiss Large White sows were assigned to one of the four dietary treatments: (1) T13 (HC: 127 g/kg), (2) T11 (HC: 114 g/kg), (3) T9 (HC: 94 g/kg) and (4) T8 (HC: 80 g/kg). Milk was collected at 3 and 17d of lactation. At birth, piglets were divided into two groups according to their birthweight (BtW): normal (N-BtW; BtW >1.20 kg) or low (L-BtW; BtW ≤1.20 kg). Decreased HC levels in the maternal diet linearly increased (p ≤ .05) the body weight of L-BtW piglets at two weeks post-weaning and linearly decreased (p ≤ .05) diarrhoea incidence and duration in this category. The concentrations of copper, threonine and VFA, as well as the proportion of butyrate, in milk linearly increased (p ≤ .05), whereas lactose content linearly decreased (p ≤ .05) with decreased HC in the maternal diet. The present study provides evidence that decreasing HC level in a sow’s lactation diet can positively affect the composition and VFA profile of milk and ultimately favour the growth and health of L-BtW piglets.Highlights The results of this study showed that decreasing the level of hemicelluloses in a sow’s lactation diet modified milk composition and had positive effects on the post-weaning performance of low birthweight piglets. This study highlighted the role of dietary fibres in the maternal diet to alleviate body weight variations at two weeks post-weaning. Nevertheless, before advising pig producers, further research should elucidate the optimal level of hemicelluloses for lactating sows.http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/1828051X.2023.2181108dietary fibreslactosepigsvolatile fatty acidsbutyrate |
| spellingShingle | Francesco Palumbo Giuseppe Bee Paolo Trevisi Marion Girard Decreasing the level of hemicelluloses in sow’s lactation diet affects the milk composition and post-weaning performance of low birthweight piglets Italian Journal of Animal Science dietary fibres lactose pigs volatile fatty acids butyrate |
| title | Decreasing the level of hemicelluloses in sow’s lactation diet affects the milk composition and post-weaning performance of low birthweight piglets |
| title_full | Decreasing the level of hemicelluloses in sow’s lactation diet affects the milk composition and post-weaning performance of low birthweight piglets |
| title_fullStr | Decreasing the level of hemicelluloses in sow’s lactation diet affects the milk composition and post-weaning performance of low birthweight piglets |
| title_full_unstemmed | Decreasing the level of hemicelluloses in sow’s lactation diet affects the milk composition and post-weaning performance of low birthweight piglets |
| title_short | Decreasing the level of hemicelluloses in sow’s lactation diet affects the milk composition and post-weaning performance of low birthweight piglets |
| title_sort | decreasing the level of hemicelluloses in sow s lactation diet affects the milk composition and post weaning performance of low birthweight piglets |
| topic | dietary fibres lactose pigs volatile fatty acids butyrate |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/1828051X.2023.2181108 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT francescopalumbo decreasingthelevelofhemicellulosesinsowslactationdietaffectsthemilkcompositionandpostweaningperformanceoflowbirthweightpiglets AT giuseppebee decreasingthelevelofhemicellulosesinsowslactationdietaffectsthemilkcompositionandpostweaningperformanceoflowbirthweightpiglets AT paolotrevisi decreasingthelevelofhemicellulosesinsowslactationdietaffectsthemilkcompositionandpostweaningperformanceoflowbirthweightpiglets AT mariongirard decreasingthelevelofhemicellulosesinsowslactationdietaffectsthemilkcompositionandpostweaningperformanceoflowbirthweightpiglets |