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ARS Home » Plains Area » Grand Forks, North Dakota » Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center » Dietary Prevention of Obesity-related Disease Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #108326
Title: BORON AFFECTS GROWTH AND SERUM METABOLITES, BUT NOT REPRODUCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS IN SWINE

Author
item ARMSTRONG, T - NORTH CAROLINA STATE U
item SPEARS, J - NORTH CAROLINA STATE U
item FLOWERS, W - NORTH CAROLINA STATE U
item Nielsen, Forrest - Frosty

Submitted to: Journal of Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/10/1999
Publication Date: 3/15/2000
Citation: Armstrong, T.A., Spears, J.W., Flowers, W.L., Nielsen, F.H. 2000. Boron affects growth and serum metabolites, but not reproductive characteristics in swine [abstract]. The Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology Journal. 14:A478.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: A study was conducted to examine the effects of dietary boron (B) on serum metabolites, bone mechanical properties, and reproductive characteristics of pigs (18-21 days of age) were assigned to one of ten pens based on weaning weight and litter origin. Pens were randomly assigned to treatments. Dietary treatments consisted of: 1) basal diet low in B or 2) 5 mg supplemental B/kg diet. Diets were fed through the nursery phase (43 days), grow-finish phase (111 days), and gestation (114 days). Blood samples were obtained at the completion of each production phase, and eight animals per treatment were slaughtered between day 30 and 40 of gestation for the assessment of reproductive characteristics and bone mechanical properties. Boron supplementation improved (P<.05) gain during the grow-finish phase. Serum concentration of thyroid hormones were reduced (P<.05) in pigs receiving supplemental B. During the growing phase, serum alkaline phosphates activity and serum cholesterol concentrations were increased (P<.05) and blood urea N concentrations tended (P<.09) to be increased by B supplementation. Boron had no effect on age to puberty, number corpora lutea, number of embryos, fertilization rate, or embryo viability between day 3 and 40 of gestation. Boron tended to increase being moment (22%) and bone stress (19%) of the femur compared to the animals not receiving supplemental B. These data indicate a relationship between dietary B, growth, and energy metabolism; however, dietary B did not improve the reproductive characteristics of swine.