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The impact of feeding natural betaine to lactating sows during periods of heat stress
Two studies were conducted over a period of two years to evaluate the impact of feeding natural betaine (Betafin®) during summer months on reducing the impact of heat stress during lactation. In both studies, PIC Camborough 1050 sows were blocked by parity and randomly allotted to one of two experimental diets containing either no betaine or 0.2% of betaine in diets containing corn, soybean meal and 20% corn dried distillers grain with solubles. All diets were formulated to have 3.2 Mcal ME/kg, 1.05% SID lysine, and contained vitamins and minerals that exceeded recommendations (NRC, 1998). Sows were allowed ad-libitum access to food and water and remained on respective treatments until breeding (sows on the betaine diet received the product for a minimum of 23 days). In study one, 80 primiparous and multiparous sows were evaluated in a study to determine the impact of natural betaine in reducing the impact of heat stress in lactating sows. The study was conducted during July of 2012 with seasonal temperatures in the farrowing house ranging from 25.5 to 34.5 degrees C in the daytime to 21.1 to 26.7 degrees C in the nighttime. Average daily feed intake was not significantly different between the control and natural betaine diets (5.12 vs. 5.25 kg/day, P>0.52, respectively). Sow wean to estrus was significantly reduced (7.91 vs. 4.88 days, P<0.02) when natural betaine was included in the diet. Sow weight loss was not significantly different (4.43 vs. 4.72 kg, P>0.93). There were no differences in litter gain (2.30 vs. 2.26 kg/day, P>0.69) or the percent of piglet removals (8.76 vs. 6.58%, P<0.43). Subsequent total born tended to be improved with the addition of natural betaine (9.78 vs 12.57 pigs/sow, P>0.06). In study 2, 200 multiparous sows were evaluated during the summer of 2013. The feeding of natural betaine did not improve sow feed intake (5.48 vs. 5.62 kg, P>0.34), sow weight loss (3.28 vs. 2.47 kg, P>0.74), or wean to estrus (4.45 vs. 5.10 days, P>0.48). The feeding of natural betaine tended to improved total litter gain (44.91 vs. 48.14 kg, P<0.07). In conclusion, the feeding of natural betaine did significantly improve sow wean to estrus during periods of reduced feed intake, but did not improve sow performance when feed intake was adequate.
Keywords: Sow, Lactation, Betafin, Natural Betaine