Effect of Rapeseed Meal Supplementation to Gestation Diet on Reproductive Performance, Blood Profiles and Milk Composition of Sows.

A total of 55 mixed-parity sows (Yorkshire × Landrace, average parity 3.82) were used in this experiment to determine the effect of rapeseed meal (RSM) supplementation to gestation diet on reproductive performance, blood profiles and milk composition of sows. Sows with an initial body weight (BW) of 193.0 kg were used allotted to five treatments at breeding based on BW and BF thickness in a completely randomized design. Five different levels of RSM (0, 3, 6, 9 or 12%) were supplemented in each experimental diet. Lactating sows were fed common lactation diet without RSM. Body weight, backfat thickness, litter size, lactation feed intake, milk composition of sows, and growth of their progeny in this experiment were not differed among dietary treatments. In blood profiles, a quadratic increase (p<0.05) of serum triiodothyronine (T3) concentration and a linear increase (p<0.01) of serum thyroxine (T4) concentration in sows were observed at d 110 of gestation as dietary RSM supplementation levels in gestation diets increased. However, serum T3 and T4 concentrations in lactating sows and their piglets were not affected by RSM supplementation to gestation diets. Concentrations of serum total cholesterol and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) in sows were not influenced by dietary treatments while serum glucose level in sows was decreased linearly at d 110 of gestation (p<0.05) by increasing dietary RSM supplementation levels in gestation diets. The effect of RSM supplementation to gestation diets up to 12 % in this experiment with no detrimental effects on reproductive performance and growth of their progeny, but it had little effect as increasing supplementation levels of RSM in gestation diets affect to increase serum T3 and T4 concentrations and decrease serum glucose concentration of sows in late gestation.