Influence of Diet Contaminated with Deoxynivalenol (DON) on Lactating Sow and Litter Performance

The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the effects of increasing concentrations of deoxynivalenol (DON) in sow lactation diets on sow and litter performance. A total of 93 primiparous and multiparous hybrid sows were blocked based on parity (1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd or more), weight and backfat thickness and assigned to one of three treatments. Sows were randomly assigned to lactation diets with less than 0.5, 1.5 or 3.0 ppm DON. Lactation diets were based on 2 sources of wheat with similar nutrient composition and analyzed concentrations of <0.5 ppm and 6.8 ppm DON. Proportions of these 2 sources were varied to achieve lactation diets with <0.5, 1.5 and 3.0 ppm DON. Sows were fed their respective lactation diet from the time they entered the farrowing room (approximately day 110 of gestation), until weaning (20 days of lactation, on average). Increasing concentrations of DON in sow lactation diets linearly (P < .05) decreased total (121.3, 118.5 and 107.8 kg ± 3.1) and average daily sow feed intake (5.97, 5.95 and 5.20 kg/d ± 0.15), sow weaning weight (242.3, 240.6 and 231.6 kg ± 3.2) and backfat depth at weaning (16.3, 15.7 and 15.1 mm ± 0.3). Sow weight loss (7.1, 9.9 and 15.1 kg ± 1.7) and backfat depth loss (1.51, 2.15 and 2.51 mm ± 0.28) during lactation increased linearly (P < 0.05) as DON levels in the lactation diet increased. The concentration of DON in the lactation diet had no effect (P > 0.05) on litter size at weaning, litter performance, or pig performance during lactation. Sow health and reproductive performance during lactation was not (P > .05) influenced by DON levels in the lactation diet. In conclusion, increasing levels of DON in sow lactation diets decreases feed intake, increases sow body weight loss, and increases backfat loss during lactation, although pig performance does not appear to be influenced.