title: Effects of beet pulp supplementation on growth performance, fecal moisture, serum hormones and litter performance in lactating sows.
abstract: This study was conducted to evaluate effects of beet pulp supplementation on growth performance, fecal moisture, serum hormones and litter performance in lactating sows. Ninety primiparous sows (Landrace × Yorkshire) were randomly allotted to one of three dietary treatments in a 21-day trial starting 3 days before parturition. The three dietary treatments were supplemented with 0, 10 and 20% beet pulp, respectively. Backfat loss and fecal moisture content were increased (P < 0.05), where cortisol and norepinephrine levels were decreased (P < 0.05) in sows fed beet pulp supplementation diets compared with control diet, but there was no difference between 10% and 20% beet pulp supplementation treatments. No effect was observed on bodyweight, average daily intake, weaning to estrus interval, epinephrine level in sows and litter weight, litter size, survivability in piglets among dietary treatments. Taken together, beet pulp supplementation has no significant effect of growth performance of lactating sows and piglets with decreased cortisol and norepinephrine levels in lactating sows, but it can increase fecal moisture content which is beneficial for sow feces excretion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Resource and Science, Dankook University, Cheonan, Choongnam, South Korea.
authors.forename: Pinyao
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: College of Life Science and Technology, Southwest University for Nationalities, Chengdu, China.
authors.forename: Zhengfan
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Resource and Science, Dankook University, Cheonan, Choongnam, South Korea.
authors.forename: In Ho
authors.initials: IH
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000378:metabolism; D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D027461:Beta vulgaris; D004032:Diet / Q000662:veterinary*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood*; D007774:Lactation / Q000502:physiology*; D008098:Litter Size; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000097:blood*; D013552:Swine / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000502:physiology*; D014867:Water / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D014867:Water; D006854:Hydrocortisone; D009638:Norepinephrine
keywords: beet pulp; fecal moisture; growth performance; lactating sow; serum hormones