title: Effect of peripartal feeding strategy on colostrum yield and composition in sows.
abstract: Research showed a positive association between back fat (BF) change the week before farrowing and colostrum yield (CY). This study tested the causality of this association, hence to optimize CY by altering the sows' peripartal feeding strategy. Sows were randomly divided into 2 treatment groups at d 108 of gestation. The first group (L, n = 28) received 1.5 kg feed·d(-1), the second group (H, n = 22) received 3 times 1.5 kg feed·d(-1) until farrowing. Daily feed intake and CY were measured. Colostrum was analyzed for nutrient composition, AA and fatty acids, IgG and IgA. Sow serum was obtained at d 108 of gestation and d 1 of lactation after overnight fasting and analyzed for NEFA, (iso)butyrylcarnitine (C4), creatinine, urea, 3-OH-butyrylcarnitine (3-OH-C4), IgG, and IgA. Based on BF at d 108, sows were divided into body condition (BC) groups: skinny (<17 mm, n = 15), moderate (17 to 23 mm, n = 21), fat (>23 mm, n = 14). We performed ANOVA with treatment and BC as fixed factors and Scheffé post-hoc test. The week before farrowing, the L group had the lowest daily feed intake (DFI; 1.5 kg), and within the H group, fat sows (3.8 kg) had a lower DFI than skinny sows (4.3 kg; p = 0.006). The H group tended to have a greater total CY (P = 0.074) and had a greater CY/kg liveborn piglet (P = 0.018) than the L group. Compared with sows in moderate BC, fat sows had a lower total CY (P = 0.044) and a lower CY/kg liveborn piglet (P = 0.005). The H group had a greater concentration of lactose (p = 0.009) and n-3 PUFA (p < 0.001) but a lower concentration of protein (p = 0.040) in colostrum than the L group. The concentration of IgG and IgA did not differ between treatment and BC groups. Serum parameters at d 108 were similar between the treatment groups and BC groups. At d 1, the H group mobilized less body fat (NEFA: p = 0.002) and protein (creatinine: p < 0.001, C4: p = 0.016) reserves but had a greater ratio urea:NEFA (p < 0.001) and less ketone bodies (3-OH-C4: p < 0.001) compared with the L group. This indicates a more balanced entry of metabolites in the citric acid cycle and thus a better support of the maternal peripartal metabolism in the H group. Serum parameters did not differ between BC groups. Both CY and composition can be influenced by the peripartal feeding strategy and BC. The highest CY and most beneficial colostrum composition were obtained when sows entered the farrowing unit in a moderate BC and were provided a high peripartal feeding strategy.
authors: Department of Nutrition, Genetics and Ethology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium Department of Obstetrics, Reproduction and Herd Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium ruben.decaluwe@ugent.be.
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Decaluwé
authors: Department of Obstetrics, Reproduction and Herd Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Maes
authors: Department of Nutrition, Genetics and Ethology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium Department of Obstetrics, Reproduction and Herd Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Cools
authors: Department of Clinical Biology, Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
authors: B
authors: B
authors: Wuyts
authors: Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, 9090 Melle, Belgium.
authors: S
authors: S
authors: De Smet
authors: Laboratory of Neurochemistry and Behavior, Institute Born-Bunge, University of Antwerp, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium.
authors: B
authors: B
authors: Marescau
authors: Laboratory of Neurochemistry and Behavior, Institute Born-Bunge, University of Antwerp, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium.
authors: P P
authors: PP
authors: De Deyn
authors: Department of Nutrition, Genetics and Ethology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.
authors: G P J
authors: GP
authors: Janssens
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000502:physiology; D000596:Amino Acids / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D003126:Colostrum / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*; D004435:Eating / Q000502:physiology*; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D058725:Peripartum Period / Q000502:physiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011897:Random Allocation; D013552:Swine / Q000502:physiology*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G
keywords: colostrum; energy; feeding strategy; peripartal; protein