Reconstitution of body reserves in multiparous sows during pregnancy: effect of energy intake during pregnancy and mobilization during the previous lactation.

Abstract

Multiparous Large White sows were used in two experiments to determine the effects of energy intake on the reconstitution of body reserves during pregnancy. In Exp. 1, 21 sows received one of three different energy levels during pregnancy: 7.4, 8.8, or 10.4 Mcal DE/d. In Exp. 2, two energy levels (7.9 and 9.2 Mcal DE/d) were fed to 36 sows that mobilized low or high amounts of body reserves during the previous lactation (6 or 12 pigs per litter, respectively). Nitrogen balances were conducted during five 7-d periods at 11, 32, 53, 82, and 104 d of gestation. All the experimental sows were slaughtered and dissected at the end of pregnancy; 24 control sows were similarly slaughtered at mating in order to estimate composition of BW gain, according to the comparative slaughter technique. In the two experiments, average nitrogen (N) retention increased linearly with energy supply from 9.9 to 14.5 g/d in Exp. 1 (P < .001) and from 10.2 to 12.5 g/d in Exp. 2 (P < .05). Nitrogen retention was not affected by the extent of mobilization of body reserves during the previous lactation in Exp. 2. In both experiments, carcass weight (P < .001), muscle weight (P < .01), and dissectable fat weight (P < .001, Exp. 1; P < .01, Exp. 2) increased with energy supply. We conclude that in high-producing modern multiparous sows, energy supply during gestation is a limiting factor for N retention and muscle weight gain and should be approximately 8,500 kcal DE/d to ensure adequate restoration of body reserves.

Energy and nutrient deposition and excretion in the reproducing sow: Model development and evaluation1

“…The model was evaluated using data from the literature (King et al, 1993;Dourmad et al, 1996Dourmad et al, , 1998Sauber et al, 1998;Jones and Stahly, 1999;McNamara and Pettigrew, 2002;Gill, 2006). Studies containing all the necessary inputs to the model were used in the evaluation.…”

High physiological demands in intensively raised pigs: impact on health and welfare

“…During pregnancy, live weight increase is due to growth in gilts (20 to 50 kg) or body reserve restoration in primiparous and multiparous sows (5 to 50 kg), development of the mammary glands (6 to 10 kg), development of the uterus (3 to 5 kg) and development of the foetuses including the placenta and fluids (15 to 30 kg) (Noblet et al, 1985;Dourmad, 1991;Dourmad et al, 1996). Overall, live weight gain during the first pregnancy reaches 40 to 90 kg representing an increase of 20% to 60% in live weight (Dourmad, 1991;Prunier et al, 2001).…”

“…Nutritional deficiency during lactation is frequent in primiparous and multiparous sows and results in mobilization of fat and protein body reserves (Noblet and Etienne, 1986;Dourmad et al, 1996). It is more severe in young sows that still need nutrients for body growth and have a lower appetite than older sows (reviewed by Eissen et al, 2000) despite an already good milk production (Noblet and Etienne, 1986).…”

Evaluation of Different Calcium Sources on the Performance of Highly Prolific Lactating Sows

“…Body protein, fat, and energy contents at farrowing and at weaning were estimated according to the equations of Dourmad et al [11]. Protein, lipid, and energy losses during lactation were estimated as the difference between calculated values determined at weaning and farrowing.…”