| The reproductive performance of sows is a key factor affecting the production and economic benefits of pig farming enterprises.Maintaining suitable body condition and gut health are crucial ways to improve sow reproductive performance.Previous studies in our lab have shown that appropriate farrowing body condition in sows can increase piglet birth weight,reduce the number of weak piglets,and improve sow feed intake and weaning weight of piglets.Our lab’s established precision feeding technology for sows has also improved the backfat thickness and number of live births during pregnancy and farrowing.Additionally,the functionally fermented,highly expansive,and highly water-absorbent fiber developed by our lab effectively promotes sow gut health,improves insulin sensitivity during the perinatal period,increases feed intake,and enhances reproductive performance.However,the potential effects of adding functional fibers to pregnancy diets in precision feeding technology on improving sow reproductive performance and overall health compared to conventional feed sources remains to be explored.Therefore,we conducted a large-scale feeding trial to investigate the effects of different fiber sources in precision feeding technology on sow reproductive performance and health during pregnancy.The study selected 1000 healthy Danbred sows of similar parity and divided them into two groups,with 500 sows in each group.One group was fed diets consisting primarily of sugar beet pulp and barley(control group),while the other group was fed a diet containing 1% functional fiber(experimental group).Precision feeding technology was used to adjust feed intake dynamically based on sow backfat measurements at different pregnancy stages,along with recommended baseline feeding levels.Feed intake,backfat thickness changes,constipation status,and reproductive performance were recorded and measured.During the trial,20 healthy sows with the same parity(second parity)were selected from each group for blood and sampling before feeding(7:00)on 30th and 109th day of pregnancy,as well as on the 3rd and 14th day of lactation period,to check fecal levels of endotoxin,interleukin-6,interleukin-10,and lipocalin-2;and to measure endotoxin,interleukin-6,interleukin-10,reactive oxygen species,malondialdehyde,total superoxide dismutase,glucose,and insulin levels in pre-feed blood samples.The main results are as follows:1.Feed intake and backfat thickness of sows: During the pregnancy period,due to the strict precision feeding mode given to each sow,there was no significant difference in the total feed consumption(297.85 kg VS 298.15 kg)and daily feed consumption(2.73 kg/d VS 2.74 kg/d)between the two groups of sows(P > 0.05).During the lactation period,compared with the control group,the total feed intake of the experimental group sows during the 21-day lactation period(118.74 kg VS 121.12kg)was significantly increased(P = 0.01),while the daily feed intake(5.72 kg/d VS5.78 kg/d)showed no significant difference(P > 0.05).There was no significant difference in backfat thickness,ideal backfat percentage at 0 d,30 d,60 d,90 d of pregnancy(14.13 mm VS 14.32 mm、16.25 mm VS 15.95 mm、17.19 mm VS 16.92mm、17.22 mm VS 16.97 mm、17.20 mm VS 17.01 mm),and the overall ideal backfat percentage(54.59 % VS 53.65 %)between the two groups of sows(P > 0.05),and both groups of sows had an ideal backfat percentage(16 mm-19 mm)of over70 %(75.69 % VS 73.20 %).However,the backfat thickness of the experimental group sows at weaning was significantly higher than that of the control group(14.09 mm VS 13.48 mm)(P < 0.05),and the backfat loss was significantly lower than that of the control group(2.74 mm VS 3.71 mm)(P < 0.01).This indicates that implementing precision feeding mode enables more sows to reach the ideal backfat condition before delivery,and there is no significant difference between the two groups.However,the experimental group,which added functional dietary fiber during the pregnancy period,significantly increased the feed intake of lactating sows and reduced backfat loss during lactation.2.Sow fecal score and constipation: Compared with the control group,the fecal score(2.49 VS 2.74)of the experimental group sows in the middle and late pregnancy(G75-G85)significantly increased(P < 0.05),and the incidence of constipation(31.36 % VS 22.27 %)significantly decreased(P < 0.05).3.Reproductive performance: In terms of piglet performance at birth,compared with the control group,the experimental group sows had a significantly increased total number of piglets born(16.58 /head VS 17.59 /head),number of healthy piglets(14.03 /head VS 14.66 /head),and birth weight of the litter(19.31 kg VS 20.11 kg)(P< 0.05);the number of weak piglets(1.16 /head VS 0.90 /head)and weak piglet rate(7.64 % VS 5.79 %)significantly decreased(P < 0.01);while there was no significant difference in the number of live piglets(15.19 /head VS 15.56 /head),mummified piglets(0.16 /head VS 0.23 /head),malformed piglets(0.02 /head VS 0.01 /head),and individual birth weight(1.30 kg/head VS 1.31 kg/head)between the two groups of sows(P > 0.05).In terms of sow lactation performance,the weaning weight of the litter at 21 d of lactation was significantly increased in the experimental group(64.82 kg VS 66.71 kg).Compared with the control group,there was no significant difference in the number of piglets weaned(12.83 /head VS 12.98 /head),weaning weight at 21 d of lactation(5.05 kg/head VS 5.13 kg/head),and the number of days from weaning to estrus between the two groups of sows(7.10 d VS 7.05 d)(P > 0.05).This indicates that adding functional dietary fiber to the pregnancy diet significantly improves the sow’s piglet performance at birth and weaning performance.4.Intestinal permeability and plasma endotoxin levels: Compared with the control group,there was a decreasing trend in endotoxin levels in the fecal samples of the experimental group sows(1524.23 ng/g VS 1359.09 ng/g)at 109 d of pregnancy(P = 0.09),while there was no significant difference in the plasma endotoxin levels between the two groups of sows(278.86 ng/mL VS 281.27 ng/mL)(P > 0.05).This indicates that adding functional dietary fiber to the pregnancy diet has a tendency to reduce the level of intestinal endotoxins in sows during the perinatal period.5.Local and systemic inflammation in sow intestines: Compared with the control group,the experimental group sows had significantly decreased levels of interleukin-6in fecal samples at 109 d of pregnancy(1370.45 ng/g VS 1168.6 ng/g)and 3 d of lactation(1165.87 ng/g VS 1074.35 ng/g)(P < 0.05);while there was no significant difference in the levels of interleukin-10(696.17 pg/g VS 730.52 pg/g)and lipocalin-2(48.11 ng/g VS 52.04 ng/g)in fecal samples between the two groups of sows(P > 0.05).Compared with the control group,the experimental group sows had significantly increased levels of IL-10 in plasma at 109 d of pregnancy(138.14 pg/mL VS 165.55 pg/mL)(P < 0.05),while there was no significant difference in the levels of interleukin-6 in plasma between the two groups of sows(236.48 pg/mL VS 211.21pg/mL)(P > 0.05).This indicates that feeding sows with functional dietary fiber in the pregnancy diet alleviates local and systemic inflammation in sows during the perinatal period.6.Oxidative stress levels in the body: Compared with the control group,the experimental group sows had significantly decreased levels of malondialdehyde in plasma at 109 d of pregnancy(8.32 mmol/mL VS 5.86 mmol/mL)and 3 d of lactation(7.96 mmol/mL VS 6.59 mmol/mL)(P < 0.05);compared with the control group,the experimental group sows had significantly decreased levels of active oxygen free radicals in plasma at 109 d of pregnancy(7.86 U/mL VS 4.93 U/mL)(P < 0.05);while there was no significant difference in the levels of total superoxide dismutase in plasma between the two groups of sows(174.66 U/mL VS 182.74 U/mL)(P > 0.05).This indicates that adding functional dietary fiber to the pregnancy diet reduces oxidative stress in sows during the perinatal period.7.Insulin sensitivity: Compared with the control group,the experimental group sows had significantly decreased levels of glucose in plasma before feeding at 109 d of pregnancy(4.67 mmol/L VS 4.33 mmol/L)and 3 d of lactation(4.91 mmol/L VS4.43 mmol/L)(P < 0.05);compared with the control group,the experimental group sows had significantly decreased insulin resistance index(2.32 VS 1.94)and significantly increased insulin sensitivity index(0.0206 VS 0.0239)before feeding at109 d of pregnancy(P < 0.05);while there was no significant difference in the levels of insulin in plasma before feeding between the two groups of sows(14.31 m IU/L VS12.10 m IU/L)(P > 0.05).This indicates that adding functional dietary fiber to the pregnancy diet improves insulin sensitivity in sows during the perinatal period.8.Economic benefits: The total feed cost for the control group and the experimental group were 1525.02 and 1545.24 yuan/nest respectively;the average weaning value per nest was 4444.80 and 4574.40 yuan/nest respectively;the average economic benefit per nest was 2919.78 and 3029.16 yuan/nest respectively;compared with the control group,the experimental group’s average nest benefit increased by 109.38 yuan/nest.In summary,the main conclusion of this study is:In a precision feeding model,compared with a diet mainly composed of sugar beet pulp and barley as the main sources of fiber,feeding sows with a diet containing functional dietary fiber during pregnancy alleviated the severity of constipation in sows during the mid-to-late pregnancy period;enhanced intestinal barrier function;reduced oxidative stress,local and systemic inflammation in sows;improved insulin sensitivity during the perinatal period,thereby improving sow reproductive performance. |
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