Dietary Levan-type fructan improved growth performance of lactating sows and their offspring and reduced fecal noxious gas emission

Abstract Text: A total of 28 multiparous sows (n = 7/treatment) and their offspring were used to determine effects of levan-type fructan supplementation on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, blood profiles and fecal noxious gas emission. Treatments were CON (basal diet) and CON with 0.1% (FC1), 0.2% (FC2), and 0.3% (FC3) fructan, experimental diets were given to sows from 7 days before parturition until weaning. Body weight (BW) of sows was recorded 7 days before parturition, at 24 hours after parturition, and at weaning. Individual piglet BW was assessed on day 0, 7, 14, and 21 (weaning). During the lactation, feed intake of sow was recorded daily to determine the ADFI. The day before parturition and at weaning, back fat of sow was measured 6 cm off the midline at the 10th rib using a real-time ultrasound instrument. One week before farrowing and weaning, chromium oxide (0.20%) was added to experimental diet as indigestible marker to calculate digestibility. Before farrowing and at the end of lactation, fecal samples were taken from each sow to determine nutrient digestibility. Sows were bled via venipuncture before feeding on day 110 of gestation and at weaning. In this experiment, the sow was considered the experimental unit. Data were analyzed using the ANOVA procedure of SAS (1996) suitable for a dose response, with linear and quadratic effects determined. No significant difference (P > 0.05) was observed on BW, ADFI, or back fat loss in lactating sows among treatments. Whereas, sows blood lymphocyte count were higher (P < 0.05) in levan inclusion treatments than in CON. Weaning BW and overall ADG of piglets in FC3 treatment was higher (P < 0.05) than piglets in CON. Blood lymphocyte counts and nutrient digestibility of sows, weaning BW and ADG of piglets increased linearly (P < 0.05) as concentration of levan in the diet increased. Diarrhea score of piglets and fecal gas emission of sows were decreased linearly (P< 0.05) as dietary levan increased. In conclusion, levan supplementation did not affect feed intake or decrease back fat loss of lactating sows, whereas, it improved nutrient digestibility and increased lymphocyte counts, decreased fecal noxious gas emission of lactating sows, moreover, it improved growth performance and reduced diarrhea of piglets.

Keywords: fructan, performance, sows