Use of high-fat diets in the feeding of pregnant and lactating sows
Drochner, W.; Markus, W.
Deutsche Tierärztliche Wochenschrift 94(7): 424-426
1987
ISSN/ISBN: 0341-6593 PMID: 3304946 Document Number: 305152
From 11 days before until 5 weeks after farrowing, when piglets were weaned, 39 German Landrace sows were given measured amounts of feed, consisting of barley, wheat bran, soyabean meal, minerals and vitamins, alone or with 8% soyabean oil. The supplement did not affect birthweight of piglets or feed intake of lactating sows with up to 12 piglets per litter. With the oil mean litter size and weight at weaning increased by 1.4 and about 10 kg, also mean piglet weight at 10 days, but not at 5 weeks. Body weight of sows given oil was maintained during lactation, fat content of their milk was increased in the first 2 weeks by 4 to 5 and in the last 2 weeks by about 2%. Changes in fatty acid composition of milk fat compared with controls included a clear rise in linoleic acid, whereas milk lactose was not affected. Effect of oil on apparent digestibility of crude nutrients was positive, with that of fat increasing from 66 to 88%.