Interpretive Summary: Effects of 25-hydroxycholecalciferol supplementation during gestation on sow performance, offspring development, and intestinal microbiota in sows and piglets
By: Shengyu Xu, Changqin Wang, Qiang Zhou, Yifan Wang, Hui Yan, Jiayong Tang, Ruinan Zhang, Hua Li, Xilun Zhao, Xuemei Jiang, Guangmang Liu, Hefeng Luo, De Wu, Lianqiang Che
Vitamin D (VD) plays an important role in bone mineralization and animal reproductive performance. As a metabolite of VD in the liver, 25-hydroxycholecalciferol (25OHD3) is gradually becoming a substitute for VD3. However, reported effects of administering 25OHD3 to sow diet instead of VD3 are inconsistent. We found that dietary supplementation with 25OHD3 (50 µg·kg−1) during gestation increase prolactin plasma concentrations and tend to increase estradiol concentrations at farrowing, improve sow milk dry matter and fat contents at lactation, increase newborn piglet blood calcium contents, and alter sow and piglet intestinal microbiota. Dietary supplementation with 25OHD3 in gestation sows has the potential to promote intestinal development in newborn piglets, thus promoting weaned piglet skeletal weight. These results indicate that maternal 25OHD3 supplementation benefit bone and intestinal development of offspring.
Read the full article in the Journal of Animal Science.
