Effect of Gestational β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate Supplementation and Sire Line on Piglet Quality.

The objective was to investigate the impact of gestational β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate (HMB) supplementation and sire line on piglet quality. During gestation, second parity sows (n=63) were fed daily 2.1 kg of a diet formulated to 0.58% SID lysine and 2979 kcal ME per kg. All other nutrients met or exceeded NRC (2012) requirements. From 100 d of gestation to farrowing, sows were randomly chosen to receive either 6 g of HMB daily or no supplementation (CON). Supplementation was added to the sow’s feed drop box. Genetics consisted of composite PIC Landrace × Large White females mated to either Duroc or composite Landrace × Large White (L×LW) males. Sows were housed in individual gestation stalls with ad libitum access to water and natural ventilation. Sow body condition was monitored at the last rib with the sow body condition caliper. Sows farrowed near Plymouth, NC in the fall of 2015. Piglets were individually weighed and identified within 1 d of birth and at 21 d of age. Traits included total number born (TNB), litter birth weight (LBW), average piglet birth weight (BWT), litter birth weight CV (BWT_CV), litter size at weaning (LSW), litter weaning weight (LWW), average piglet weaning weight (WWT), litter weaning weight CV (WWT_CV) and piglet survival. All litter traits were calculated as those of the biological dam. Data was analyzed using PROC GLM in SAS. Fixed effects included HMB supplementation and sire line. Total number born and LSW were include as covariates for LBW, BWT, and BWT_CV and LWW, WWT and WWT_CV, respectively. Supplementing HMB from day 100 of gestation to farrowing did not impact (P>0.05) LBW (15.6 vs. 15.5 kg), BWT (1.20 vs. 1.19 kg), BWT_CV (18.4 vs. 19.5%), LWW (53.1 vs. 53.0 kg), WWT (5.1 vs. 5.3 kg), WWT_CV (16.0 vs. 16.1%) or piglet survival (81.0 vs. 77.8%) when compared to CON sows. Sows mated to Duroc sires had greater (P<0.01) LBW (16.0 vs. 14.3 kg), BWT (1.26 vs. 1.15 kg), LWW (55.4 vs. 49.5 kg) and WWT (5.5 vs. 4.9 kg) when compared to litters sired by L×LW. Yet Duroc sired litters had comparable BWT_CV to L×LW sires (18.6 vs. 18.2%, respectively) and WWT_CV (16.7 vs. 17.7%, respectively). Results suggest sire line, but not HMB, can substantially impact piglet quality. Hence terminal sire lines should be evaluated for piglet quality and reproductive throughput in addition to grow-finish traits.