• Animal Bioscience
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.461-474
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• 2022

Objective: This experiment investigated the effects of supplementing vitamin D₃-fortified sow and progeny diets with 25(OH)D₃ on growth performance, carcass characteristics, immunity, and pork meat quality. Methods: The present study involved the assessment of supplementing the diet of sows and their progeny with or without 25 (OH)D₃ in a 2×2 factorial arrangement on the performance and production characteristics of wean-finish pigs. Forty-eight multiparous sows were assigned to a basal diet containing 2000 IU/kg vitamin D₃ and supplemented without (CON) or with (TRT) 50 ㎍/kg 25 (OH)D₃. At weaning, a total of 80 pigs each from CON and TRT sows were allocated to weaning and growing-finishing basal diets fortified with 2,500 and 1,750 IU/kg vitamin D₃ respectively and supplemented without or with 50 ㎍/kg 25(OH)D₃. Results: Sows fed 25(OH)D₃-supplemented diets improved pre-weaning growth rate of nursing piglets. A significant sow and pig weaning diet effect was observed for growth rate and feed efficiency (p<0.05) during days 1 to 42 post-weaning. Pigs consuming 25(OH)D₃-supplemented diets gained weight faster (p = 0.016), ate more (p = 0.044) and tended to convert feed to gain more efficiently (p = 0.088) than those fed CON diet between days 98 and 140 post-weaning. Supplemental 25(OH)D₃ improved water holding capacity and reduced drip loss of pork meat, increased serum 25(OH)D₃ level, produced higher interleukin-1 and lower interleukin-6 concentrations in blood circulation, downregulated myostatin (MSTN) and upregulated myogenic differentiation (MYOD) and myogenic factor 5 (MYF5) gene expressions (p<0.05). Conclusion: Supplementing vitamin D₃-fortified sow and wean-finish pig diets with 50 ㎍/kg 25(OH)D₃ significantly improved production performance suggesting their current dietary vitamin D₃ levels are insufficient. In fulfilling the total need for vitamin D, it is strongly recommended to add 50 ㎍/kg 25(OH)D₃ "on top" to practical vitamin D₃-fortified sow and wean-finish pig diets deployed under commercial conditions.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.66 no.1
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• pp.135-144
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• 2024

The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of feeding frequency on a sow's reproductive performance and stress response during gestation. A total of twenty multiparous sows (Yorkshire × Landrace) were used in a completely randomized design based on their parity, body weight (BW), and backfat thickness (BFT), and the sows were allotted to two different feeding systems: 1) once daily feeding (OF) and 2) twice daily feeding (TF) in corn-soybean meal based diets. The gestation diet was formulated to contain 3,265 kcal of metabolizable energy (ME) / kg, 12.90% of crude protein (CP), and 0.75 % of total lysine. The lactation diet was formulated to contain 3,265 kcal of ME / kg, 16.80% of CP, and 1.08% of total lysine and provided ad libitum during lactation. In gestation, sow BFT and BF changes were not affected by feeding frequency, but higher BW and BW gain from day 35 to 90 and day 35 to 110 were observed in OF sow (p < 0.10). In lactation, feeding frequency did not influence on BW, BW gain, BFT, BF changes, average daily feed intake, and wean-to-estrus interval. Also, there were no differences in litter size, litter weight and piglet weight in lactating sows. OF sows had higher (p < 0.05; p < 0.10) protein, solid-not-fat, and total solid concentrations in colostrum compared to TF sows, while OF sows had a lower (p < 0.05) lactose concentration in colostrum compared to TF sows. Sows in OF showed significantly lower average daily water consumption (ADWC) from day 35 to 110 of gestation (p < 0.05). While there were no significant differences in stereotypic behaviors and salivary cortisol levels during gestation between treatments, the OF sows showed less time spending on the activity at day 105 (p < 0.05). In conclusion, reduced feeding frequency increased BW gain during gestation, decreased activation time, and changed the colostrum composition. This information may contribute to the understanding of the physiological and behavioral change of gestating sows by manipulating feeding frequency.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.565-572
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• 1999

Two experiments were conducted to determine the effects of conditioning (conventional vs expander) corn- and sorghum-based diets on production traits for lactating sows and finishing pigs. In Exp. 1, one hundred sixty-eight sows (parity 1-4, PIC line C15) were fed the corn or sorghum grain diets as a meal, standard (steam) conditioned pellets, or expanded pellets to give a $2{\times}3$ factorial arrangement of treatments. Pellet durability index (PDD was similar for the sorghum- vs corn-based diets, but increased when diets were expanded pellets for both corn- and sorghum-based diets. The corn-based meal diet supported 3.3% greater litter weight gain than the sorghum-based meal diet (44.0 kg vs 42.8 kg). However, the advantage for the corn-based diet disappeared with expander processing (ie., sows fed the sorghum-based diet responded more to diets processed with the alternative processing technology). Sow weight change during lactation was similar (p>0.15) among treatments, although average daily feed intake tended to be greater (p<0.09) for the sows fed sorghum. For Exp. 2, a total of 71 barrows (average initial weight of 58.0 kg) were used in a growth assay to determine the effects of feeding com- and sorghum-based diets, as meal or pellets, after processing with a conventional steam conditioner or an expander (high-shear) conditioner. PDI was not different for the sorghum- vs corn-based diets, but increased from 84 to 95% with expander conditioning compared to conventional steam conditioning. Rate and efficiency of gain, and carcass leanness were similar for pigs fed sorghum and corn (p>0.15). Efficiency of gain was greater (p<0.04) for pigs fed the pelleted (356 g/kg) diets compared to those given the meal (348 g/kg) diets. However, efficiencies of gain were similar (p>0.11) for pigs fed the conventional- and expander-conditioned diets. Pelleting increased (p<0.01) the incidence and severity of stomach lesions regardless of grain type. In conclusion, corn-based meal diet resulted in a greater litter weight gain than the sorghum-based meal diet. However, that advantage disappeared when the diets were expanded and pelleted. Finishing pigs fed pelleted diets were more efficient than those fed meal diets.

• Journal of Animal Environmental Science
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.129-134
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• 2010

This survey was carried out to investigate the dimensions of farrowing accommodation and farrowing crate by types. Farrowing crates are used to prevent the crushing death in the swine industry generally but farrowing crates include many problems in the animal welfare viewpoint: e.g. restriction of movements and maternal instincts. Therefore, the studies of alternative systems have been discussed for a while in U.K., U.S.A. and Canada. We surveyed eight farms for about eight months. To accurately compare the farrowing housing, small scale swine farms (3,000hd or less) were excluded from all data in this survey. Lactating accommodations were divided into vertical lactating accommodation type and diagonal accommodation type, and farrowing crates were divided into vertical bar type and horizontal bar type. In this survey, nipple waterer, partial slotted floor and total slotted floor were 80%, 40% and 60% respectively, and the lactating accommodations' dimensions ranged from 3.90 to $4.92\;m^2$. We believe that these data of the survey contribute to develop alternative systems and then contribute to improve the animal welfare in Korea.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.451-458
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• 2007

This study was to investigate the effectiveness of pre-weaning injection of gonadotropin and scheduled fixed-time insemination on sow fertility. Sows were randomly assigned to receive gonadotropin 2 days before weaning, 1 day after weaning or none as control. In gonadotropin treated groups, half of sows were inseminated twice at 24 and 36 hours after onset estrus and half of sows were inseminated twice at scheduled fixed-time. Weaning to onset of estrus was the shortest in lactating sows injected with gonadotropin prior to weaning. Liter size was significantly higher in AI groups after detection of estrus, compared to fixed-time AI group. Results of these experiments indicated that injection of gonadotropin in lactating sows could initiate the final follicular development, and has potential to enhance the reintegration of estrus. Further researches are needed to define the relationship between reduced interval of wean to onset estrus and enhanced fertility in lactating sows.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.273-283
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• 2019

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of dietary supplementation of anise flavor on the performance of lactating sows and suckling pigs at different weaning ages. A total of 120 sows (Landrace ${\times}$ Yorkshire) were used in this experiment. Sows were fed with a commercial lactation diet (60 sows) or diet with flavor (60 sows) during days 100 to 114 of gestation period and the whole lactation period. Piglets were allotted to 2 dietary treatments based on their initial body weight (BW) using a $2{\times}2$ factorial arrangement of treatments with 2 levels of anise flavor (0 or 0.5 g/kg) and weaning periods (weaned at 21 day or 28 day after birth). Sows fed with flavor supplemented diets had higher (p < 0.05) back fat and average daily feed intake (ADFI) at weaning, lower (p < 0.05) back fat loss than those fed with non-flavor diets. Sows weaned at 28 day had higher (p < 0.05) weaning back fat and lower (p < 0.05) back fat loss than those weaned on 21 day. During weaning, piglet average daily gain (ADG), ADFI, digestibility of dry matter (DM), nitrogen (N), and gross energy (GE) and fecal score were affected by anise flavor, respectively. In conclusion, dietary flavor supplementation could increase feed intake of lactating sows, improve growth performance and reduce weaning stress of piglets, especially effective in the early weanling piglets. Meanwhile, interactive effects were observed about the piglet performance between weaning ages and anise flavor supplementation after weaning.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.28 no.8
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• pp.1150-1154
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• 2015

This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of palm kernel expellers on productive performance, nutrient digestibility, and changes in white blood cells (WBC) of lactating sows. A total of 14 sows ($200{\pm}12kg$ of average body weight [BW]; 2.5 of average parity) were used and moved from gestation room to farrowing room on d 109 of gestation. Sows were randomly assigned to 2 dietary treatments in a completely randomized design. The treatments were a diet based on corn and soybean meal (CON) and CON added with 20% of palm kernel expellers (PKE). Sows were fed the treatments for 28 days (weaning) after farrowing. Blood was collected from each sow and 4 randomly selected piglets from each sow before farrowing or on d 3, 7, or 14 of lactation. Sows were fed respective treatments containing 0.2% chromic oxide from d 15 to 21 of lactation. Fecal samples were collected daily for the last 3 days after the 4-d adjustment period. Measurements were performances and WBC changes of sows and litter, nutrient digestibility of sows, and daily diarrhea of litter. Sows fed PKE had greater average daily feed intake (7.38 vs 7.10 kg/d; p<0.05) and lost less BW (-6.85 vs -8.54 kg; p<0.05) and backfat depth (-0.42 vs -0.71 mm; p<0.05) than those fed CON. However, there were no differences on digestibility of dry matter, nitrogen, and energy and weaning to estrus interval of sows fed either CON or PKE. Piglets from sows fed PKE gained more BW (203 vs 181 g/d; p = 0.08) and had less frequency of diarrhea (6.80 vs 8.56%; p = 0.07) than those from sows fed CON. On the other hand, no difference was found on preweaning mortality of piglets from sows fed either CON or PKE. Sows fed PKE had lower number of WBC (9.57 vs $11.82{\times}10^3/{\mu}L$; p = 0.09) before farrowing than those fed CON, but no difference on d 3 and 7. Similarly, piglets from sows fed PKE had also lower number of WBC (7.86 vs $9.80{\times}10^3/{\mu}L$; p<0.05) on d 14 of lactation than those from sows fed CON, but no difference on d 3 and 7. In conclusion, addition of 20% palm kernel expellers to lactation diet based on corn and soybean meal had no negative effects on productive performance, nutrient digestibility, and WBC changes of lactating sows.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.361-368
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• 2011

The growth rate of piglets will be decreased and the mortality of piglets will be increased in the postpartum sow with mastitis. The aim of this study was to isolate microorganisms from milk samples found in postpartum sows with suckling piglets and to further investigate antimicrobial susceptibility against isolated bacteria. Milk samples were collected from 567 udders of 42 lactating sows and the isolated bacteria was then identified. Isolated bacteria were tested with 12 antimicrobial agents. Bacteria were isolated from 260 milk samples (64.5%). Staphylococcus spp. were the most common microorganisms (74.5%) isolated from sow milk, followed by Streptococcus hyicus (53.9%), Staphylococcus epidermis (11.8%), Staphylococcus aureus (9.8%), and Staphylococcus haemolyticus (53.9%). In the Staphylococcus spp., Streptococcus pneumoniae (5.1%) was isolated as was Streptococcus sanguinis (3.8%) and Streptococcus ovis (2.9%). Results indicated that bacteria isolated from healthy sow milk were mostly susceptible to cephalothin (88.0%), amikacin (85.3%) and cefoxitin (82.4%), but were resistant to streptomycin (10.0%), kanamycin (33.1%) and tetracycline (19.6%).

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.295-306
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• 2007

The growth and health of the fetus and neonate are directly influenced by the nutritional and physiological status of sows. Sows are often under catabolic conditions due to restrict feeding program during pregnancy and low voluntary feed intake during lactation. The current restrict feeding program, which aims at controlling energy intake during gestation, results in an inadequate supply of dietary protein for fetal and mammary gland growth. Low voluntary feed intake during lactation also causes massive maternal tissue mobilization. Provision of amino acids and fatty acids with specific functions may enhance the performance of pregnant and lactating sows by modulating key metabolic pathways. These nutrients include arginine, branched-chain amino acids, glutamine, tryptophan, proline, conjugated linoleic acids, docosahexaenoic acid, and eicosapentaenoic acid, which can enhance conception rates, embryogenesis, blood flow, antioxidant activity, appetite, translation initiation for protein synthesis, immune cell proliferation, and intestinal development. The outcome is to improve sow reproductive performance as well as fetal and neonatal growth and health. Dietary supplementation with functional amino acids and fatty acids holds great promise in optimizing nutrition, health, and production performance of sows and piglets. (Supported by funds from Texas Tech, USDA, NLRI-RDA-Korea, and China NSF).

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.61 no.5
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• pp.294-303
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• 2019

This study was performed to evaluate the effects of dietary vitamin levels on physiological responses, blood profiles, and reproductive performance in gestating sows. A total of 52 F1 multiparous sows ($Yorkshire{\times}Landrace$) with an average body weight of $223.5{\pm}31.7kg$, an average parity of $6.4{\pm}2.7$, and an average backfat thickness of $18.5{\pm}4.9mm$ were divided into four treatment groups considering body weight, backfat thickness, and parity in a completely randomized design with 13 replicates. The treatments were 100% (V1), 300% (V3), 600% (V6) and 900% (V9) of the National Research Council (NRC) Nutrient Requirements of Swine. The gestation diet was formulated based on corn-soybean meal (SBM) and contained 3,265 kcal of metabolizable energy (ME)/kg and 12.00% crude protein. During the lactation period, all sows were fed the same commercial lactation diet. There was no significant difference in body weight of gestating sows. However backfat thickness tended to increase when higher levels of vitamins were provided to gestating sows (p < 0.10). When high levels of dietary vitamins were provided, the body weight change of lactating sows increased (p < 0.01). When sows were fed higher levels of vitamins, the feed intake of lactating sows tended to decrease (p = 0.06). There were no treatment differences in the number of total born, born alive, stillbirth piglets, or the body weight of piglets according to different dietary vitamin level. As dietary vitamin level increased, the serum concentration of $25(OH)D_3$ in sows at 90 days of gestation linearly increased (p < 0.01). Furthermore, the serum vitamin E level of gestating sows was linearly increased with increasing dietary vitamin level (p < 0.05). The current NRC vitamin requirements are sufficient for gestating sows and higher levels of vitamins in the gestation diet did not show any beneficial effects for gestating and lactating sows.