Interpretive Summary: Effect of maternal dietary starch-to-fat ratio and daily energy intake during late pregnancy on the performance and lipid metabolism of primiparous sows and newborn piglets

By: Wenhui Wang, Zijie Wang, Dongxu Ming, Caiyun Huang, Song Xu, Zhe Li, Zhenyu Wang, Hu Liu, Xiangfang Zeng, and Fenglai Wang

Given the growing concern regarding nutrition during gestation, the present study was designed to investigate the effects of energy on the reproductive performance and lipid metabolism of primiparous sows. Fat and starch are common dietary energy sources. Late gestation is a critical period for both sows and piglets. During late gestation, primiparous sows were administered one of the four dietary treatments (two daily energy intakes × two dietary starch-to-fat ratios). High energy intake increased the body weight of sows and birth weight of piglets. Additionally, increased energy intake elevated the plasma triglyceride concentration of sows and piglets. Moreover, maternal nutrition affected the hepatic lipid metabolism of newborn piglets. Therefore, offspring metabolism can be regulated through maternal diet. In conclusion, high daily energy intake of sows increased the birth weight of newborn piglets. Moreover, maternal high daily energy intake and high dietary starch-to-fat ratio improved the lipid metabolism of newborn piglets.

Read the full article on the Journal of Animal Science.