• Toxicological Research
• /
• 제32권4호
• /
• pp.275-280
• /
• 2016

Prenatal nicotine exposure over an entire pregnancy has been associated with an increased prevalence of hyperactivity, anxiety-like behavior and depression-like behavior in mature rats. However, the effects of maternal nicotine exposure in late gestation and lactation on the psychology and behavior of adolescent rat offspring are unclear. Thus, we investigated the effect of nicotine exposure during late gestation and lactation on anxiety-like and impulsive decision-making behavior in adolescent offspring of rat. Female rats were orally exposed to nicotine which is within range of plasma level of human chronic smokers during the period of third last period of gestation and lactation. When the offspring were weaned, we observed alterations in the anxiety-like behavior and decision-making ability of adolescent rat offspring using light/dark box test and T-maze delay-based cost-benefit decision-making task. The maternal consumption of nicotine reduced both the time spent in the light compartment and the number of transitions compared to nicotine-free rats. Moreover, such nicotine exposed adolescent offspring rats showed impulsive decision making which chose the instant reward in a decision-making situation. We found that nicotine exposure during late gestation and lactation induces an increase in anxiety-like and impulsive decision-making behavior at this developmental stage. These findings suggest that maternal nicotine-exposed offspring are at an increased risk of developing anxious and impulsive behavior.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• 제33권8호
• /
• pp.1323-1331
• /
• 2020

Objective: Three types of dietary fiber were fed to sows during gestation and lactation stages to monitor their physiological and metabolic adaptations during the pre-partum period and to determine how these effects may influence the lactation period and sow performance. Methods: Soon after breeding, 54 sows were selected and were fed with 20% supplementation as fed of wheat bran (WB), soya hulls (SH), or rice hulls (RH) in diets during gestation and lactation. Sows were weighed, backfat thickness was measured ultrasonically and jugular blood samples were collected from all sows. The litter size was equalized to 10, by fostering piglets from sows on the same treatment. Results: Sows gained 22.0, 21.8, and 25.5 kg of net maternal body weight during gestation (for WB, SH, and RH sows, respectively; p = 0.007). There was no treatment effect on the body weight change during lactation (p = 0.158), however RH sows consumed an average of 133.66 kg of feed, WB sows took 121.29 kg and SH sows took 126.77 kg during lactation (p<0.001). The SH litters gained an average of 59.34 kg of weight during lactation, while other litters gained 51.58 and 49.98 kg (for WB and RH litters, respectively; p<0.001). Exception for aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase, measured serum biochemical values were broadly in agreement with earlier reports. Despite the use of additional vegetable oil to balance the energy level, RH sows still had lower concentrations of serum triglycerides in late gestation. Conclusion: Different types of fibrous ingredients in the gestation diet influenced most of the investigated reference values for sows. The values of serum biochemical parameters were generally not affected by fiber type during the lactation stage. The SH supplementation for sows is an effective approach to give heavier litters at birth and weaning and to increase voluntary feed intake in early lactation.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
• /
• 제52권1호
• /
• pp.57-64
• /
• 2010

This study was conducted to compare the aspects of behavior between miniature pigs and conventional sows during gestation and lactation periods. Miniature pigs and conventional sows at 3 parity were used in this experiment with 4 pigs per treatment. The behavioral patterns and stereotyped behaviors were observed on day 60 and 90 of gestation, at farrowing, and on day 10 of lactation before and after the feeding. On 60 and 90 days of pregnancy, both treatments showed the tendency of frequent lateral lying rather than other postures. On ventral lying, eating and drinking, miniature pigs spent more time than conventional pigs at day 90 of gestation (P<0.01, P=0.0539, P<0.05, respectively). The occurrence of stereotyped behaviors included bar biting and bar mouth chewing. At 90 day of pregnancy was observed, conventional pigs was higher than miniature pigs (P<0.05). At farrowing, miniature pigs spent more time on ventral lying, standing and walking than conventional sows (P<0.05), however, there were more frequency of drinking and eating. And on day 10 of lactation, there was no significant difference in stereotyped behaviors between miniature pigs and conventional sows. In conclusion, miniature pigs were generally more sensitive than conventional sows although sows were reared in stall during gestation and lactation period and the behavioral pattern during lactating period showed the similarity between miniature pigs and conventional sows for protection of nursing pigs. In consideration of the general reproductive performance of conventional sows, the high sensitivity and stress of miniature pigs did not affect the reproductive performance of miniature pigs.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• 제24권4호
• /
• pp.540-572
• /
• 2011

The present review focuses on the effects of energy intake on performance, changes in body tissue during lactation, and metabolic parameters in dairy cows. Especially, pre-partum nutrition and its influence on lactation are emphasized. In recent decades the increase in genetic potential of dairy cows has increased milk yield. This fact sharpens the problem of a negative energy balance in early lactation because the amount of energy required for maintenance and milk production exceeds the amount of energy cows can consume. Around parturition, reduced feed intake reinforces the situation. Continuing negative energy balance causes decreasing milk yield, fertility problems, and incidence of metabolic diseases. Hence, the cow has to rely on body reserves that were stored in late lactation and the dry period. It is evident that the nutritional status pre-partum acts as the key factor for milk yield and fertility parameters in the following lactation. Cows overfed during the foregoing gestation and which have gained large quantities of body fat have lower dry matter intake along with the need to mobilize larger quantities of body reserves in lactation. The milk yield in the following lactation is lower than in cows fed according to their requirements. Cows restrictively fed in late gestation have a higher feed intake in lactation and a lower mobilization of body reserves. The effect of energy intake post-partum plays only a minor role for performance parameters in lactation. Lipid mobilized from body reserves makes a substantial contribution to the energetic cost of milk production in early lactation and adipose tissue undergoes specific metabolic alterations. Adipose tissue is degraded to free fatty acids, which are used in liver for energy purposes. High lipid mobilisation promotes the development of a fatty liver and therefore a reduced gluconeogenesis.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
• /
• 제62권3호
• /
• pp.334-347
• /
• 2020

The adequate intake of energy and lysine for primiparous sows are necessary for maternal growth of sows and growth of their progeny. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary energy and lysine levels on primiparous sows and their progeny. A total of 48 gilts (Yorkshire × Landrace), with an initial body weight (BW) of 168.1 ± 9.71 kg and at day 35 of gestation, were allotted to eight treatment groups with a 2 × 4 factorial arrangement. The first factor was metabolizable energy levels in diet (3,265 or 3,365 kcal of ME/kg), and the second factor was lysine levels in diet (gestation 0.55%, 0.65%, 0.75%, 0.85%, lactation 0.70%, 0.85%, 1.00%, 1.15%). The BW gain (p = 0.07) and backfat thickness (p = 0.09) in the gestation period showed a tendency to be increased in sows fed the high-energy diets. In the lactation period, sows fed the high-energy diets tended to be greater BW (p = 0.09) and less BW loss (p = 0.05) than those of sows fed the low-energy diets. Sows fed high-energy diets had a tendency of greater piglet weight at day 21 of lactation and greater piglet weight gain (p = 0.08 and p = 0.08, respectively). Although the blood urea nitrogen (BUN) was increased linearly as dietary lysine level increased at day 110 of gestation (Linear, p = 0.03), the BUN was decreased linearly as dietary lysine level increase at day 21 of lactation (Linear, p < 0.01). In the composition of colostrum, sows fed high-energy diets had greater casein, protein, total solid, solid not fat, and free fatty acid concentrations than those of sows fed low-energy diets (p < 0.05). Supplementation of total lysine 0.75% for gestation and 1.00% for lactation with 3,365 kcal of ME/kg energy level could be applied to the primiparous sows' diet to improve performance of sows and growth of their progeny.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• 제22권11호
• /
• pp.1574-1580
• /
• 2009

To evaluate the effect of different housing systems on sow behavior, 80 gilts were randomly allocated at puberty to four treatments: i) sow stall in gestation followed by farrowing crate (SC), ii) group housing with individual feeding in gestation followed by farrowing crate (GC), iii) ESF (Electronic Sow Feeding) system in gestation followed by farrowing crate (EC), and iv) ESF system followed by group farrowing pen (EG). Behavioral observations were carried out on a total of 16 animals per treatment at the following stages: first day of allocation to housing treatment, day of service, 80 days after service, 109 days after service on entry to farrowing accommodation, 24 h before farrowing, day of farrowing, 14, 27 and 28 days after farrowing, at weaning. On each occasion, individual animals were observed for a 24 period with one minute time sampling. There were significant differences (p<0.001) between stages of the reproductive cycle for all the behavior patterns in all treatments. On the first day in experimental housing treatments, sows spent more time rooting and dog-sitting. Activity and investigatory behavior decreased as pregnancy progressed. An activity peak was apparent just before farrowing, followed by a high level of inactivity on the day of farrowing. Time spent active, eating and drinking increased as lactation progressed, and greatest activity and locomotion was seen immediately following weaning. There were significant differences between housing treatments (p<0.01) for standing, moving, eating, drinking, dog-sitting and lying. During pregnancy SC sows spent more time standing, rooting, drinking and dog sitting, while EC sows spent less time rooting and drinking and more time lying. During lactation, GC sows spent more time standing, moving and eating, less time dog sitting and lateral lying. Nursing frequency was reduced in GC sows (p<0.001). The maternal and piglet behaviors were influenced strongly by environment during lactation. However, it was also shown that previous housing history can influence the maternal behavior in the pre-farrowing stage and during early lactation.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• 제17권4호
• /
• pp.533-537
• /
• 2004

The experiment was conducted to test the hypothesis that supplementing diets of lactating first parity sows with a mixture of carbohydrases (CS) improves lactation performance and second parity reproductive performance. The CS used in this study contained 7 units/g of $\alpha$-1,6-galactosidase, 22 units/g of $\beta$-1,4-mannanase, $\beta$-1,4-mannosidase and trace amounts of other enzymes. Twenty primiparous sows (Newsham Hybrid) were allotted to either the control group (no CS supplement) or the CS group (0.1% CS supplement) and fed the experimental diets during 21 d lactation period. Sows and nursing pigs were weighed at birth and weekly until weaning. Days of weaning-to-estrus were recorded. Sows had free access to feed and water. Feed intake of sows was measured daily. During the second parity gestation and lactation, all the sows were fed the same gestation and lactation diets and their reproductive performance was measured. During the second parity, there were 14 sows (7 sows per group) remained productive. For the first lactation, maternal body weight loss of the CS group was smaller (p<0.05) than that of the control group. There was no difference in litter weight gain between two groups. Voluntary feed intake of sows did not differ between the two groups. Days of weaning-to-estrus of the CS group were smaller (p<0.05) than those of the control group. In the second parity, there was no difference in the reproductive performance between the two groups. In conclusion, supplementing CS in the diet of lactating sows during the first parity decreased body weight loss and days of weaning-to-estrus of sows. However, these effects of the CS supplementation in the first parity were not successfully carried over to the second parity.

• Animal Bioscience
• /
• 제36권12호
• /
• pp.1860-1868
• /
• 2023

Objective: This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of optimal trace mineral levels on the physiological responses, reproductive performance, litter performance, blood profiles and milk composition in gestating sows. Methods: A total of 59 multiparous sows (Yorkshire×Landrace) with similar body weight (BW), backfat thickness (BF), and parity were assigned to one of four treatments with 14 or 15 sows per treatment using a completely randomized design. The treatments were 100% (M1), 300% (M3), 600% (M6), and 900% (M9) of the National Research Council (NRC) Nutrient Requirements of Swine. During lactation period, all the sows were fed the same commercial lactation diet. Results: No significant differences were observed in the BW, BF, reproductive performance, milk composition, or growth performance of the piglets. On day 70 of gestation, the serum zinc concentration showed a quadratic response to M6 treatment (quadratic, p<0.05). Moreover, as the dietary mineral levels increased, the zinc concentration increased linearly at 110 days of gestation (linear, p<0.05). Furthermore, copper and iron concentrations in the serum of sows at 24 h postpartum decreased linearly when high levels of dietary minerals were provided (linear, p<0.05). In the serum of piglets, serum zinc concentrations decreased linearly (linear, p<0.05), and iron concentration showed a quadratic response (quadratic, p<0.05) with an increase in trace mineral premix levels in gestation diets. Conclusion: The current trace mineral requirements of NRC (2012) are suitable for gestating sows, and the addition of dietary mineral levels in the gestating diet did not show any improvements during the gestation and lactation periods.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
• /
• 제45권6호
• /
• pp.1067-1078
• /
• 2003

산차가 다른 임신모돈의 임신기간 동안 스톨수용과 군사수용이 임신, 분만 및 비유기간 중 모돈의 행동패턴과 이상반복행동 및 분만성적에 미치는 영향을 조사하기 위하여 총 18두의 듀록(Duroc)종 모돈을 산차별로 1산차, 2${\sim}$3산차 및 4${\sim}$5산차 각각 3두씩 배치하여 임신초기 4주간은 스톨에 수용 후 각각 스톨과 군사돈방에 수용하였고, 분만예정일 7일전에 분만돈방으로 옮겼으며 21일간 포유로 수행하여 얻은 성적은 다음과 같다. 임신기간 동안의 모돈 행동패턴과 이상반복행동은 임신 60일과 90일 경과 시점에 24시간 동안, 분만당일 모돈 행동은 분만 2시간 전부터 후산이 배출되는 시점까지 약 6시간 동안, 비유기간 동안의 모돈 행동은 분만 10일 후, 2시간 반 동안 조사하였다. 또한 임신기간 동안 군사수용과 스톨수용 모돈의 분만성적을 비교하였다. 임신기간 동안 군사수용과 스톨수용 모돈의 행동은 옆으로 누워(ventral lying)있는 시간 비율이 양쪽 모두 가장 높았고, 산차에 따라서는 초산 모돈(71.3%)이 가장 높았다. 걷는(walking) 동작은 스톨수용 보다 군사수용이 월등히 높게 나타났고(8.68% 대 16.38%, SE=1.74; P<0.01), 산차 간에는 초산 모돈이 가장 낮았다. 마시는 (drinking) 동작으로 보낸 시간 비율은 군사수용 보다 스톨수용(0.27% 대 1.99%, SE=0.28)이 월등히 높게 나타났다(P<0.01). 임신기간 동안 나타내는 이상반복행동 발현수는 헛 씹기(vacuum chewing)가 스톨수용 임신 60일 경과시 가장 높았고, 산차와 임신일 간의 상호작용에서는 4${\sim}$5산차 임신돈의 임신 60일 경과가 높았다(P<0.05). 코로 바닥 문지르기(floor snout rubbing)는 수용형태${\times}$산차의 상호작용이 나타났으며, 군사 1산차가 가장 높게 나타났다(P<0.05). 바닥 핥기(floor licking)는 임신 90일이 높았고(P<0.01), 수용형태$\times$임신일의 상호작용에서는 군사 90일이 높게 나타났다. 머리 흔들기(head waving)은 임신 60일이 높게 나타났으며, 쇠 핥기(bar licking)는 임신 90일이 높게 나타났다(P<0.05). 총 이상행동의 발현수는 스톨수용과 군사수용 간에 차이가 나타나지 않았다. 분만돈의 행동패턴은 앉아 있는 자세와 먹는 자세로 보낸 시간 비율만 유의적인 차이를 나타내었고, 앉아 있는 자세에서는 스톨수용 1산차(3.7%)와 군사수용 2${\sim}$3산차(2.7%)가 다른 산차 보다 높게 나타났다. 먹는 자세로 보낸 시간 비율은 군사 2${\sim}$3산차 만이 낮게 나타났다. 비유모돈의 행동패턴은 임신기간 동안 군사수용 1산차 모돈의 옆으로 누워 있는(ventral lying) 시간 비율이 높았고, 마시는(drinking) 동작은 임신기간 동안 스톨 수용 모돈이 높았으며, 특히 초산 모돈이 다른 산차의 모돈에 비하여 많은 시간을 물먹는데 소비하는 것으로 나타났다. 이상의 결과를 종합해 보면, 임신기간 동안 수용형태에 따른 임신돈의 임신기간 동안의 행동패턴과 이상반복행동 발현수의 차이는 나타나지 않았으나, 비유모돈의 행동패턴과 이상반복행동 발현에 대한 결과는 군사수용 모돈이 보다 좋은 복지 상태에 있다는 것을 나타내고 있다. 또한 분만성적이 임신기간 동안 스톨수용과 군사수용 간에 차이를 나타내지 않았다. 따라서 모돈의 보다 많은 정상행동을 보장하고 복지상태를 개선하기 위해서는 임신돈의 군사수용은 스톨수용을 대체할 사양체계로서 그 가능성은 충분하며, 실제 적용을 위한 보다 진전된 연구가 필요한 것으로 사료된다.

• 농업과학연구
• /
• 제49권2호
• /
• pp.297-306
• /
• 2022

This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of δ-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) when added to sows' diet on their reproductive performance and growth performance and on the hematology parameters of the sows and their piglets. Sixteen multiparous sows (Yorkshire × Landrace) were allotted into two treatment groups and fed basal diets (CON, piglets were injected with iron dextran) or the basal diet containing 0.1% ALA (ALA, piglets were not injected with iron dextran) from day 100 of gestation to day 28 of lactation. Supplementation of ALA had no effect on the body weight (BW), backfat thickness (BFT), or litter sizes of sows in the present experiment. However, the average daily feed intake (ADFI) of the sows was significantly improved (p < 0.05) in the ALA group. Supplementation of ALA had no effect on the growth performance or survival of suckling piglets but had a significant effect on the birth weight (p < 0.05). With regard to the blood profiles, serum concentrations of iron were unaffected in sows and piglets as compared to the control group. Red blood cell (RBC) counts were significantly improved (p < 0.05) in sows during late gestation to the time before farrowing period and in piglets at weaning. In summary, these results suggest that dietary supplementation of ALA can have positive effects by improving growth performance and blood RBC in sows and suckling piglets.