Supplementation of high levels of essential fatty acids using soybean oil in lactation diets benefits the subsequent reproduction of sows but can be detrimental to the performance of young sows if provided after weaning
Abstract Background This study investigated the potential impacts of increasing linoleic and α-linolenic acid intake during lactation and wean-to-breeding on subsequent reproduction of sows. A total of 309 sows (PIC Camborough L42) were balanced by parity (140 and 169 sows representing parity 1 to 2...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2025-04-01
|
| Series: | Journal of Animal Science and Biotechnology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40104-025-01192-y |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850184462579531776 |
|---|---|
| author | Garrin Lee Shipman David Rosero Eric van Heugten |
| author_facet | Garrin Lee Shipman David Rosero Eric van Heugten |
| author_sort | Garrin Lee Shipman |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background This study investigated the potential impacts of increasing linoleic and α-linolenic acid intake during lactation and wean-to-breeding on subsequent reproduction of sows. A total of 309 sows (PIC Camborough L42) were balanced by parity (140 and 169 sows representing parity 1 to 2 [P1-2] and 3 to 9 [P3+], respectively) and assigned within parity to a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement. Factors included essential fatty acid (EFA) supplementation (control diets containing 1.2% linoleic and 0.15% α-linolenic acid or diets with 3.0% linoleic and 0.38% α-linolenic acid) and supplementation period (lactation or wean-to-breeding). Tallow (low EFA diets) or soybean oil (high EFA diets) were included at 4% in sorghum-soybean meal-wheat middlings-based diets to attain targeted EFA levels. Results High levels of EFA fed during lactation had no effect on feed intake or litter performance, but increased subsequent farrowing rate (P = 0.027; 82.1% vs. 70.4%), tended to reduce the proportion of sows removed (P = 0.070; 12.4% vs. 20.8%), decreased the number of total pigs born in the following litter (P = 0.072; 15.3 vs. 16.2), and increased total pigs born alive per 100 sows weaned (P = 0.062; 1,122 vs. 974), regardless of sow parity. Young sows (P1-2) consuming the high EFA diet during lactation displayed a shorter wean-to-estrus interval (P = 0.035; 4.2 vs. 4.6), but P3+ sows were unaffected. Increasing EFA intake for P3+ sows, but not P1-2 sows, resulted in more sows bred by d 5 (P = 0.028; 91.1% vs. 81.7%) and more mummies in the subsequent litter (P = 0.040; 0.32 vs. 0.16). Feeding increased EFA to P1-2 sows during the wean-to-breeding period decreased subsequent farrowing rate (P = 0.042; 72.0% vs. 87.7%), and increased removal rate (P = 0.003; 28.8% vs. 9.4%). Total pigs born alive per 100 sows weaned was reduced (P = 0.007) in P1-2 sows when supplemented with EFA during wean-breeding (939 vs. 1,149) but was not impacted in P3+ sows (1,131 vs. 982). Conclusions Supplemental EFA in lactation diets benefited subsequent reproduction of sows, regardless of parity. Increasing dietary levels of EFA during the wean-to-breeding period to younger sows negatively impacted subsequent reproduction. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-1cc90d2da3b44e8e83f4b646b1a76193 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2049-1891 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Animal Science and Biotechnology |
| spelling | doaj-art-1cc90d2da3b44e8e83f4b646b1a761932025-08-20T02:17:01ZengBMCJournal of Animal Science and Biotechnology2049-18912025-04-0116111410.1186/s40104-025-01192-ySupplementation of high levels of essential fatty acids using soybean oil in lactation diets benefits the subsequent reproduction of sows but can be detrimental to the performance of young sows if provided after weaningGarrin Lee Shipman0David Rosero1Eric van Heugten2Department of Animal Science, North Carolina State UniversityThe Hanor Company, Inc.Department of Animal Science, North Carolina State UniversityAbstract Background This study investigated the potential impacts of increasing linoleic and α-linolenic acid intake during lactation and wean-to-breeding on subsequent reproduction of sows. A total of 309 sows (PIC Camborough L42) were balanced by parity (140 and 169 sows representing parity 1 to 2 [P1-2] and 3 to 9 [P3+], respectively) and assigned within parity to a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement. Factors included essential fatty acid (EFA) supplementation (control diets containing 1.2% linoleic and 0.15% α-linolenic acid or diets with 3.0% linoleic and 0.38% α-linolenic acid) and supplementation period (lactation or wean-to-breeding). Tallow (low EFA diets) or soybean oil (high EFA diets) were included at 4% in sorghum-soybean meal-wheat middlings-based diets to attain targeted EFA levels. Results High levels of EFA fed during lactation had no effect on feed intake or litter performance, but increased subsequent farrowing rate (P = 0.027; 82.1% vs. 70.4%), tended to reduce the proportion of sows removed (P = 0.070; 12.4% vs. 20.8%), decreased the number of total pigs born in the following litter (P = 0.072; 15.3 vs. 16.2), and increased total pigs born alive per 100 sows weaned (P = 0.062; 1,122 vs. 974), regardless of sow parity. Young sows (P1-2) consuming the high EFA diet during lactation displayed a shorter wean-to-estrus interval (P = 0.035; 4.2 vs. 4.6), but P3+ sows were unaffected. Increasing EFA intake for P3+ sows, but not P1-2 sows, resulted in more sows bred by d 5 (P = 0.028; 91.1% vs. 81.7%) and more mummies in the subsequent litter (P = 0.040; 0.32 vs. 0.16). Feeding increased EFA to P1-2 sows during the wean-to-breeding period decreased subsequent farrowing rate (P = 0.042; 72.0% vs. 87.7%), and increased removal rate (P = 0.003; 28.8% vs. 9.4%). Total pigs born alive per 100 sows weaned was reduced (P = 0.007) in P1-2 sows when supplemented with EFA during wean-breeding (939 vs. 1,149) but was not impacted in P3+ sows (1,131 vs. 982). Conclusions Supplemental EFA in lactation diets benefited subsequent reproduction of sows, regardless of parity. Increasing dietary levels of EFA during the wean-to-breeding period to younger sows negatively impacted subsequent reproduction.https://doi.org/10.1186/s40104-025-01192-yα-Linolenic acidLactationLinoleic acidSowsSubsequent reproductionWean-to-breeding |
| spellingShingle | Garrin Lee Shipman David Rosero Eric van Heugten Supplementation of high levels of essential fatty acids using soybean oil in lactation diets benefits the subsequent reproduction of sows but can be detrimental to the performance of young sows if provided after weaning Journal of Animal Science and Biotechnology α-Linolenic acid Lactation Linoleic acid Sows Subsequent reproduction Wean-to-breeding |
| title | Supplementation of high levels of essential fatty acids using soybean oil in lactation diets benefits the subsequent reproduction of sows but can be detrimental to the performance of young sows if provided after weaning |
| title_full | Supplementation of high levels of essential fatty acids using soybean oil in lactation diets benefits the subsequent reproduction of sows but can be detrimental to the performance of young sows if provided after weaning |
| title_fullStr | Supplementation of high levels of essential fatty acids using soybean oil in lactation diets benefits the subsequent reproduction of sows but can be detrimental to the performance of young sows if provided after weaning |
| title_full_unstemmed | Supplementation of high levels of essential fatty acids using soybean oil in lactation diets benefits the subsequent reproduction of sows but can be detrimental to the performance of young sows if provided after weaning |
| title_short | Supplementation of high levels of essential fatty acids using soybean oil in lactation diets benefits the subsequent reproduction of sows but can be detrimental to the performance of young sows if provided after weaning |
| title_sort | supplementation of high levels of essential fatty acids using soybean oil in lactation diets benefits the subsequent reproduction of sows but can be detrimental to the performance of young sows if provided after weaning |
| topic | α-Linolenic acid Lactation Linoleic acid Sows Subsequent reproduction Wean-to-breeding |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40104-025-01192-y |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT garrinleeshipman supplementationofhighlevelsofessentialfattyacidsusingsoybeanoilinlactationdietsbenefitsthesubsequentreproductionofsowsbutcanbedetrimentaltotheperformanceofyoungsowsifprovidedafterweaning AT davidrosero supplementationofhighlevelsofessentialfattyacidsusingsoybeanoilinlactationdietsbenefitsthesubsequentreproductionofsowsbutcanbedetrimentaltotheperformanceofyoungsowsifprovidedafterweaning AT ericvanheugten supplementationofhighlevelsofessentialfattyacidsusingsoybeanoilinlactationdietsbenefitsthesubsequentreproductionofsowsbutcanbedetrimentaltotheperformanceofyoungsowsifprovidedafterweaning |