title: Effects of dietary star anise (Illicium verum Hook f) supplementation during gestation and lactation on the performance of lactating multiparous sows and nursing piglets.
abstract: Thirty-two sows were allocated to four treatments to evaluate the effect of dietary star anise (SA) supplementation during gestation and lactation on the lactational performance of sows. At 85 days of gestation, sows were randomly allotted to one of two diets supplemented with 0.5% SA or basal diet. After farrowing, sows were further allotted to one of two lactation diets supplemented with 0.5% SA or basal diet. On a weekly basis, body weight (BW) of sows and piglets was measured. Blood and milk samples were obtained from the sows and piglets. Number of days from weaning to estrus, milk yield and feed intake were also recorded. Weight gain of piglets from sows fed the SA-supplemented diet during lactation was greater between days 7 and 14, days 14 and 21 and the overall experimental period compared with control groups. Supplementation of SA during lactation improved weaning weight of piglets, milk yield and average daily feed intake (ADFI) of sows. The SA diet increased concentrations of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) in ordinary milk and prolactin (PRL) in serum of sows. In conclusion, this study has indicated the beneficial effects of dietary SA addition in improving the lactation performance of sows.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Sciences and Technology, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, Shandong, China.
authors.forename: Gong Ying
authors.initials: GY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: ChongWu
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Zaibin
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Weiren
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Shuzhen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Guiguo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yixuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Maolian
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wei
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000502:physiology*; D001835:Body Weight; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004435:Eating / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D029523:Illicium; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000378:metabolism; D007774:Lactation / Q000502:physiology*; D008892:Milk / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000502:physiology*; D011388:Prolactin / Q000378:metabolism; D013552:Swine / Q000502:physiology*; D014886:Weaning
chemical_list: D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D011388:Prolactin
keywords: growth performance; lactation performance; sows; star anise