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ARS Home » Plains Area » Lubbock, Texas » Cropping Systems Research Laboratory » Livestock Issues Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #261677
Title: Effects of supplementing a Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation product in sow diets on performance of sows and nursing piglets

Author
item SHEN, Y - North Carolina State University
item Carroll, Jeffery - Jeff Carroll
item YOON, I - Diamond V Mills, Inc
item MATEO, R - Texas Tech University
item KIM, S - North Carolina State University

Submitted to: Journal of Animal Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/23/2011
Publication Date: 8/10/2011
Citation: Shen, Y.B., Carroll, J.A., Yoon, I., Mateo, R.D., Kim, S.W. 2011. Effects of supplementing a Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation product in sow diets on performance of sows and nursing piglets. Journal of Animal Science. 89(8):2462-2471.

Interpretive Summary: As genetic selection for higher prolific sows has increased, so have the nutrient requirements during gestation and lactation to allow for increased milk production to support these larger litters of piglets. Given that yeast products have been demonstrated to improve nutrient digestibility and utilization, and milk production, the hypothesis was that providing a yeast product in the diets during critical time points would improve the overall performance of the sows and their progeny. Therefore, a collaborative study among scientists from ARS' Livestock Issues Research Unit, Texas Tech University, North Carolina State University, and Diamond V was conducted to evaluate the potential benefit of feeding a byproduct of yeast fermentation to sows prior to becoming pregnant, during gestation, and during the lactation period. The results of this study indicated that sows fed diets containing the yeast fermentation product throughout gestation and lactation raised pigs with increased litter weight gain. Possible modes of action include: improved maternal protein utilization, improved maternal health status, and increased milk production without affecting nutrient composition in colostrum and milk. Overall, the study demonstrates that feeding a byproduct of yeast fermentation may be beneficial not only to the sow, but to her offspring as well, by increasing nutrient utilization. This information will be of interest to swine nutritionist and swine producers that are seeking nutritional strategies to improve swine productivity.

Technical Abstract: Forty-two sows (Camborough-22, PIC) were used to determine the effects of supplementing a Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation product (SCFP; Diamond V Original XPC) in gestation and lactation diets on performance of sows and their progeny. On 5 d before breeding, sows were allotted to 2 dietary treatments representing: (1) sows fed a corn soybean meal basal diet without SCFP supplementation (CON, n = 20) and (2) sows fed a basal diet with 12.0 g Diamond V Original XPC/d through gestation and 15.0 g Diamond V Original XPC/d through lactation (SCFP, n = 22). Sow BW and backfat thickness were recorded throughout gestation and lactation. Blood was collected from gestating and lactating sows, as well as piglets, for the measurement of cell numbers, plasma urea nitrogen, and IgG. Fecal samples from d 7 to 9 of lactation were collected to determine apparent total tract nutrient digestibility. The composition of colostrum and milk were also measured. No difference was observed on sow reproductive performance between treatment groups. However, sows in SCFP tended to have increased (P = 0.068) total litter weaning weight and litter BW gain (P = 0.084) than sows in CON. Neutrophil count was decreased (P < 0.05) by supplementation of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation product on d 110 of gestation and d 17 of lactation, whereas, decreased (P < 0.05) white blood cell count was shown only on d 110 of gestation. Concentration of plasma urea nitrogen tended to be greater (P = 0.069) for sows in the CON group than sows in SCFP group on d 110 of gestation. Apparent total tract nutrient digestibility of ash, crude protein, dry matter, and ether extract was not affected by supplementation of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation product when measured during lactation. Protein and fat contents in colostrum and milk did not differ between treatments. Colostrum from sows in the SCFP group contained a greater (P < 0.05) amount of ash than from sows in the CON group. Immunoglobulin G measured in colostrum, milk, and plasma of piglets did not differ between sows in the CON and SCFP groups. This study indicates that dietary supplementation of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation product throughout gestation and lactation could improve litter BW gain during lactation potentially by improving maternal protein utilization as shown in reduced PUN concentrations, improving maternal health status as shown in a normal but reduced neutrophil cell count, and increasing milk production as shown in increased litter weight gain without affecting nutrient composition in colostrum and milk.