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The objective of this study was to determine the effect of time of feeding pre-farrow on farrowing time and duration. Two hundred and ninety-eight mixed parity sows were assigned to morning (0700 h) or evening (1900 h) feeding upon entry into the farrowing room until farrowing. More sows from the morning-fed group farrowed between 0700 and 1500 h than the evening-fed group (51.43 vs. 21.95%, P < 0.001). There were no differences (P > 0.10) in farrowing duration. Number of piglets born alive, stillborn, and mummies did not differ (P > 0.10) among treatments. Evening-fed sows had an increased number of pigs weaned, resulting from reduced preweaning mortality compared to the morning-fed sows (P < 0.05). Morning feeding may be beneficial for maximizing the number of farrowing events that start during working hours and evening feeding may improve litter outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The current study investigated the impacts of different feeding regimes during early gestation on conception rate, litter traits, piglet birthweight, and litter uniformity in primiparous sows. Methods: In total, 108 primiparous sows were inseminated and assigned to either a standard (1.9±0.5 kg/d, S) or high (2.9±0.8 kg/d, H) feeding levels during the first 35 days of gestation. The feeding regimes were categorized based on periods of gestation: 1 to 3, 4 to 15, and 16 to 35 days, resulting in four groups: standard-standard-standard (SSS, n = 26), standardstandard- high (SSH, n = 28), standard-high-high (SHH, n = 28), and high-high-high (HHH, n = 26). Afterwards, sows were placed into a group-housed system equipped with electronic sow feeders. The sows were weighed and assessed for backfat thickness and loin muscle depth at 0 and 35 days of gestation. At farrowing, data were collected on the total number of piglets born per litter, piglet birthweights, and the coefficient of variation of piglet birthweights. Results: On average, sows gained 22.5±21.6 kg during the first 35 days of gestation, showing a positive correlation with backfat gain (r = 0.954; p = 0.006). The backfat gain in the HHH group was higher than in the SSS (p = 0.016) and the SSH groups (p = 0.023), but did not differ from the SHH group (p = 0.684). Conception rates did not show differences among the feeding regimes (p>0.05). Individual piglet birthweights in the HHH group were higher than those in the SSH group (p<0.001). Likewise, the percentage of piglets with birthweights <1,000 g in the HHH group was lower than that in the SSH group (p<0.001). However, the variation of piglet birthweight did not differ among the groups (p>0.05). Conclusion: Increasing feeding levels in primiparous sows in a group-housed system during early pregnancy can effectively restore their body condition without any detrimental effects on subsequent litters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the impact of reducing dietary crude protein (CP) coupled with supplementation of indispensable amino acids (AA) on growth performance of pigs at different growth stages. Methods: A total of 126 (63 barrows and 63 gilts), 90 (45 barrows and gilts), and 72 (36 barrows and 36 gilts) pigs with average weights of 9.8±1.62, 30.6±2.31, and 58.3±2.95 kg in the nursery, growing, and finishing stages, respectively, were assigned to three dietary treatments with six replicates in a randomized complete block design. The pigs had ad libitum access to water and fed three experimental diets, each supplemented with all indispensable AA and subjected to a 2% reduction in CP from the upper limits of 18%, 16%, and 16% established for the nursery, growing, and finishing stages, respectively. Results: In the nursery stage, from 0 to 2 weeks, reducing dietary CP concentrations decreased average daily feed intake (ADFI; linear, p = 0.04). From 2 to 4 weeks, dietary CP reduction decreased average daily gain (ADG; linear, p<0.01; quadratic, p = 0.02), ADFI (linear, p = 0.04), and gain-to-feed ratio (G:F; linear, p = 0.01). From 0 to 4 weeks, reduction in dietary CP concentrations decreased ADG (linear p<0.01), and G:F (linear, p = 0.01). In the growing stage, the dietary CP reduction did not affect growth performance. During the finishing stage, decrease in dietary CP concentrations decreased ADFI from 3 to 6 weeks (quadratic, p<0.01) and 0 to 6 weeks (quadratic, p = 0.01). Conclusion: Dietary CP reduction with indispensable AA supplementation potentially decreases the growth performance of nursery pigs but may not decrease the growth performance of growing and finishing pigs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following the use of sugar beet pulp that was retrospectively found to be predominantly contaminated with zearalenone (ZEN) in diets of reproducing sows largely exceeding the EU-guidance value for critical ZEN concentration of 0.25 mg/kg, farmers did not report any changes in the reproductive performance of sows. Thus, the aim of the study was to verify this guidance value in a dose–response setup by using sugar beet pulp as a ZEN source hitherto not considered a risky feedstuff additionally characterized by comparatively low levels of deoxynivalenol. A total of 90 sows was equally allocated to one of the three feed groups during experimental lactation 1 and up to 40 days after insemination: CON with a minimal ZEN concentration, ZEN1 with a target concentration of 250 µg ZEN/kg feed, and ZEN2 with a target concentration of 500 µg ZEN/kg feed. Thereafter, all sows received the same feed without ZEN for the rest of gestation, and the following lactation for testing of putative carry-over effects resulting from previous ZEN exposure. Exposure of sows to ZEN with blood serum as an indicator was linearly related to dietary ZEN concentrations. Reproductive and zootechnical performances of sows were only affected by ZEN exposure at weaning weight. Clinical-chemical parameters indicated no clear effect of ZEN exposure. An influence of ZEN on the occurrence of tail and ear injuries (not necrosis) in piglets and lesions on the mammary complexes in sows is possible. The influence of a ZEN concentration above the EU guidance value on the study farm can therefore not be neglected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aimed to evaluate the impact of carbohydrase supplementation, soluble fiber from sugar beet pulp (SBP; 20%), and insoluble fiber from corn dried distillers grains (DDGS; 20%) on water balance, serum electrolytes, gut motility, and fecal physicochemical properties in gestating sows. Thirty-six sows, with an initial body weight of 186 ± 4.6 kg, balanced by parity, were assigned randomly to a 2×2 factorial arrangement of treatments from day 28 to 109 of gestation. The factors were fiber type (insoluble (IF; 355 g/d) or soluble (SF; 98 g/d)) and enzyme supplementation (Rovabio Advance P10). The feeding level was 2.1 kg per day. Two 8-day metabolism periods occurred during mid- (days 50-59) and late-gestation (days 99-108). Fecal samples for physicochemical property analysis and serum samples were taken on day 1 of each period. Water balance was measured from days 4-7, with a water allowance set at 80 mL/kg of body weight per day. Data were analyzed using a linear mixed model, with parity as a random effect and fiber, enzyme, period, and their interactions as fixed effects. Daily water allowance was used as a covariate when necessary. Urine output increased by 22.3% in sows fed IF compared to SF, and by 30.5% from mid- to late-gestation (Fiber, Period P<0.05). Fecal moisture was 21.8% higher in sows fed SF and increased by 12.3% from mid- to late-gestation (Fiber, Period P<0.05). The SF treatment increased fecal water holding capacity (P<0.001) and fecal water binding capacity by 76.6% (P=0.044). Regardless of diet, fecal water binding capacity increased in late gestation (Period P=0.035). Urine output increased by 30.5% in late gestation (Period P=0.028) and fecal moisture output increased by 12.3% (Period P=0.015). Serum sodium and chloride concentrations were increased in late gestation (P<0.05). Plasma cholecystokinin tended to be 28% greater in sows fed SF (P=0.070), and motilin levels decreased among all groups from mid- to late-gestation (Fiber×Enzyme×Period P=0.006). Circulating 5-Hydroxytryptamine decreased in late gestating sows fed carbohydrases (Period×Enzyme P=0.002), as well as sows fed SF (Fiber P=0.004). These findings suggest a redistribution of water in the gastrointestinal tract of late gestational sows fed SF, altering fecal hydration and gut motility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Feeding spray dried plasma (SDP) to weanling pigs improves growth, but there is a lack of research on how SDP impacts oxidative stress and inflammatory response in lactating sows, and performance of their piglets after weaning. Therefore, an experiment was conducted to test the hypothesis that sows fed a diet with SDP in late gestation and lactation have improved reproductive performance and reduced inflammation compared with sows fed no SDP. The second hypothesis was that pigs weaned from sows fed 0.5% SDP in lactation have reduced diarrhea incidence and improved growth performance during the initial 14 d of the nursery period regardless of dietary SDP. Results: The percent of low vitality or starved pigs during lactation was less (P < 0.05) from sows fed 0.5% dietary SDP compared with sows fed the diet without SDP. Dietary SDP did not influence oxidative stress markers in the plasma of sows, but serum cytokines increased (P < 0.05) in sows fed the diet with 0.5% SDP compared with sows fed the diet without SDP. Pigs weaned from young sows fed no SDP or from mature sows fed 0 or 0.5% SDP had a greater gain to feed ratio when fed a phase 1 diet containing 6% SDP compared with pigs fed a diet without SDP, but the gain to feed ratio of pigs weaned from young sows fed 0.5% dietary SDP was not affected by dietary SDP in phase 1 (interaction, P < 0.05). Regardless of sow treatment, pigs fed a phase 1 diet with 6% SDP had greater (P < 0.05) growth performance than pigs fed a phase 1 diet without SDP, and pigs fed the phase 1 diet with 6% SDP had reduced (P < 0.05) diarrhea incidence in phase 1. Conclusions: Feeding 0.5% dietary SDP to sows may reduce the number of mummified pigs and increase pig vitality during lactation, but adding 0.5% SDP to sow diets during lactation did not improve post-weaning performance of pigs fed a starter diet with 6% SDP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sow longevity and reproductivity are essential in the modern swine industry. Although many studies have focused on the genetic and genomic factors for selection, little is known about the associations between the microbiome and sows with longevity in reproduction. Results: In this study, we collected and sequenced rectal and vaginal swabs from 48 sows, nine of which completed up to four parities (U4P group), exhibiting reproductive longevity. We first identified predictors of sow longevity in the rectum (e.g., Akkermansia) and vagina (e.g., Lactobacillus) of the U4P group using RandomForest in the early breeding stage of the first parity. Interestingly, these bacteria in the U4P group showed decreased predicted KEGG gene abundance involved in the biosynthesis of amino acids. Then, we tracked the longitudinal changes of the microbiome over four parities in the U4P sows. LEfSe analysis revealed parity-associated bacteria that existed in both the rectum and vagina (e.g., Streptococcus in Parity 1, Lactobacillus in Parity 2, Veillonella in Parity 4). We also identified patterns of bacterial change between the early breeding stage (d 0) and d 110, such as Streptococcus, which was decreased in all four parties. Furthermore, sows in the U4P group with longevity potential also showed better reproductive performance. Finally, we discovered bacterial predictors (e.g., Prevotellaceae NK3B31 group) for the total number of piglets born throughout the four parities in both the rectum and vagina. Conclusions: This study highlights how the rectal and vaginal microbiome in sows with longevity in reproduction changes within four parities. The identification of parity-associated, pregnancy-related, and reproductive performance-correlated bacteria provides the foundation for targeted microbiome modulation to improve animal production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: As pigs are exposed to multiple stressors in production systems, we must understand their ability to be resilient to a range of environmental challenges to maintain production and welfare. Stress-resilience (SR) is the capacity to cope with and recover from stressors while maintaining healthy emotional functioning. In contrast, stress-vulnerability (SV) contributes to and predicts the onset and persistence of mood disorders and pathological processes following exposure to stress. Methods: 52 focal gilts were identified through a physiological marker (cortisol) in a previous study to compare resilience to weaning stress and behavioral responses at weaning. Within pigs' home pen, we observed agonistic behavior, non-agonistic social behavior, and daily maintenance behaviors. Behavior was observed over two 4-hour periods (6 AM to 10 AM): one (D1) and four days post-weaning (D4). Results: On D1, SV pigs displayed a higher average frequency of non-injurious contact behavior (P = 0.0198) compared to SR pigs, while SR pigs exhibited a significantly longer average duration of lying behavior (P = 0.018) compared to SV. On D4, SV pigs exhibited a significantly longer duration of fighting behavior (P = 0.025) on average compared to SR pigs. Additionally, a significant effect of time on behavioral adaptation patterns was observed. On D1 post-weaning, pigs spent more time fighting (P < 0.001) and exploring (P < 0.001) and showed more frequent non-injurious contact (P = 0.029) and drinking behaviors (P < 0.001) compared to D4. Conversely, on D4, pigs spent more time feeding (P = 0.005) and lying (P < 0.001) compared to D1. Discussion: Our findings imply that non-injurious contact and lying behaviors immediately after weaning and fighting behavior several days later may be promising indicators of pigs' ability to be resilient to the stress associated with weaning. However, to better understand how pigs change their behavior in response to the stress of weaning, we need standard approaches for measuring their behavior and evaluating the degree of change. Understanding behavioral variation between SR and SV pigs can facilitate the development of resilience indexes that could be helpful in breeding programs, facilitating the selection of resilient pigs that overcome challenges associated with weaning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Group housing of sows has been extensively studied since the EU banned gestation crating. Well-managed group-housing promotes sow welfare, but the impact varies based on factors such as feeding, group characteristics, and environmental features. Adequate floor space, particularly directly post-mixing, is crucial for social interactions, natural behaviours, and to reduce injuries caused by aggression. The aim of this study was to compare two group-housing systems for gestating sows with respect to productivity, treatment frequency, and removal of sows. Both systems were static but differed in space allowance, quantity of enrichment material and feeding management. System I comprised of large sized pens with deep litter straw bedding, housing in total 40 sows, and System II of smaller sized pens with permanent access to straw, housing 8 to 10 sows. Results: The mean parity number was 3.1 ± 1.3 in both groups. Sows housed in System I with large groups (n = 40) in large pens with deep litter straw gave birth to 16.8 ± 0.33 (Least Squares Means, LSM) piglets, compared to 15.4 ± 0.31 (LSM) for sows in System II kept in smaller groups (n = 8–10) in smaller pens (p = 0.0005). Medical treatments of sows were more frequent (p < 0.001) in System II. The incidence of replacement of sows was comparable in both systems, and there was a high occurrence of sows becoming pregnant during the subsequent insemination in both groups. Conclusions: This study indicated that sows kept in larger groups provided with a larger floor space (a total area of 156 m2, corresponding to 3.9 m2 per sow) and housed on deep straw had a higher number of liveborn and weaned piglets and lower incidence of antibiotic treatments than sows with less floor space (a total area of 24.5 m2, corresponding to 2.5–3.1 m2 per sow) and less bedding/manipulable material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is an observational study that aimed to evaluate whether exposure to music in the final third of sows' gestation and during farrowing/lactation would change behavior, reduce stress, and improve reproductive rates. Forty-eight sows were used at 90 days of gestation until the weaning of their piglets. During gestation, sows were divided into two treatments: control and with music enrichment. In farrowing/lactation, sows were divided into four treatments: control – control (without music); control – music (music during farrowing/lactation); music – control (music during pregnancy); music – music (music in both phases). Sows' behavior, eye temperature, and reproductive performance were evaluated. In the gestation phase, control group sows remained standing more times and had more negative interactions with the other sows in the pen. In the farrowing/lactating phase, sows exposed to music presented more nursing behaviors. The number of weaned piglets was higher in litters in which the sows had environmental enrichment in at least one of the phases of reproductive lives. Music may be used as environmental enrichment for sows in their reproductive phases due to beneficial responses in behavior, stress relief, and reproductive rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maternal nutritional supplementation has a profound effect on the growth and development of offspring. FAM® is produced by co-cultivation of Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bacillus subtilis and has been demonstrated to potentially alleviate diarrhea, improve growth performance and the intestinal barrier integrity of weaned piglets. This study aimed to explore how maternal FAM improves the reproductive performance through mother-infant microbiota, colostrum and placenta. A total of 40 pregnant sows (Landrace × Large White) on d 85 of gestation with a similar parity were randomly divided into two groups (n = 20): the control group (Con, basal diet) and the FAM group (FAM, basal diet supplemented with 0.2% FAM). The experimental period was from d 85 of gestation to d 21 of lactation. The results revealed that maternal supplementation with FAM significantly decreased the number of weak-born litters and the incidence of diarrhea, as well as increasing birth weight and average weaning weight, accompanied by increased levels of colostrum nutrient composition and immunoglobulins. In addition, FAM modulated the structure of mother-infant microbiota and promoted the vertical transmission of beneficial bacteria, such as Verrucomicrobiota and Akkermansia. Furthermore, FAM contributed to improving the expression of GLU and AA transporters in the placenta, and increasing the activity of the mTOR signaling pathway. Collectively, maternal supplementation with FAM during late pregnancy and lactation could improve reproductive performance through the transmission of beneficial mother-infant microbiota and placental mTOR signaling pathway and promote fetal development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Antibiotic additives have significant effects in relieving the stress of sow delivery and weaning piglets and improving disease resistance in animals. However, the abuse of antibiotics led to bacterial resistance. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of GML on the reproductive performance of sows and the growth performance of piglets in late gestation and lactation diets and to preliminarily explore its possible mechanism to replace antibiotics. In conclusion, 0.2% GML supplementation improved the reproductive performance of sows and the growth performance of piglets during late gestation and lactation by improving the antioxidant capacity, anti-inflammatory action, and gut microflora balance. This study aimed to investigate the effects of maternal glycerol monolaurate complex (GML) and antibiotic (acetylisovaleryltylosin tartrate, ATLL) supplementation during late gestation and lactation on the reproductive performance of sows and the growth performance of piglets. In total, 64 pregnant sows were randomly divided into control, antibiotic, 0.1% GML, and 0.2% GML groups. The GML shortened their delivery interval and farrowing duration. The ATLL increased the level of malondialdehyde (MDA) in sows and piglets and enhanced glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in piglets, while reducing the tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) level in sows. The GML tended to increase milk protein in the colostrum and decreased the TNF-α of sows at lactation. Meanwhile, 0.2% GML increased the serum total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) activity and interleukin-6 level in weaned piglets and decreased the TNF-α level in sows and weaned piglets. Furthermore, ATLL decreased the microbial diversity of sows, and GML tended to increase the microbial diversity of sows and piglets. The ATLL group had an increased relative abundance of Bacteroidota in weaned piglets. The GML decreased the relative abundance of Peptostreptococcales-Tissierellales, Proteobacteria, and the harmful bacteria Romboutsia in sows. Compared with the ATLL group, the 0.2% GML reduced the relative abundance of Bacteroidota in weaned piglets. Interestingly, both ATLL and GML supplementation decreased the relative abundance of harmful bacteria Peptostreptococcaceae in sows. Correlation analysis also found positive effects of ATLL and GML in anti-inflammatory and antioxidant aspects. In conclusion, GML enhanced reproductive and growth performance by improving antioxidant and anti-inflammatory status and maintaining intestinal flora balance, making it a promising alternative to ATLL in future applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was conducted in pregnant sows to evaluate the oxidative status and inflammatory markers during the transition period. Blood samples were collected from sows on the days -30, -10, -3, 0, +3, and +10 of farrowing. Markers of oxidative status such as malondialdehyde (MDA), lipid hydroperoxides (LHP), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione-S-transferase (GST), catalase, glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and C- reactive protein (CRP) were evaluated. Lipid hydroperoxide levels significantly increased, while TAC and GSH levels significantly decreased on days 0 and +3 compared to day -30 of farrowing. The highest activity of SOD was observed on day -10, while GST activity was at its peak on day 0. Before farrowing, glutathione peroxidase was the active peroxidase enzyme; catalase was more active after farrowing. C-reactive protein (CRP) levels increased significantly during the transition period compared to day -30 of farrowing. Depleted levels of antioxidant molecules after farrowing emphasize the significance of antioxidant supplementation to maintain the increased antioxidant enzyme activity. Elevated serum CRP levels during the transition period indicate the risk of development of metabolic disturbances like mastitis, metritis, and agalactia in transition sows.

The analysis of the influence of biologically active preparations on the biochemical status of the body of sows is given in the article. Nanoaquachelate of Ge (G18Ge and G9Ge groups) and Quatronan-Se (Q-Se group) were used 4 days before and 10 days after farrowing, Glutam 1M was used 3 days after the farrowing (GM1, G18Ge and G9Ge groups). Based on the results obtained, it has been found that use of preparations in the period from 4 days after the farrowing to weaning contributes to lower cholesterol level in the G18Ge, G9Ge and Q-Se groups by 21.7%, 29.2 % and 33.3%, respectively. Also, significant changes have been observed in the in the concentration of protein, in all groups to which the studied drugs were administered before weaning it tended to decrease by 9.9; 7.6; 6.6 and 6.3%, respectively, while in the group C (control) the difference was only 1.6%. In addition, a study of the influence of preparations on the body of piglets through sow milk shows that the level of piglets’ survival in the GM1, G18Ge, G9Ge and Q-Se groups was higher than in the C group. The highest sur-vival has been observed in the G18Ge group and on the day of weaning was 90.2%.

Abstract Background Progressive oxidative stress easily occurs as a result of a gradual increase in the intensity of maternal metabolism due to rapid foetal development and increased intensity of lactation. However, studies on the effects of processive oxidative stress on nutrient transport in the placenta have received little attention. The present study was conducted on sows at 85 days of gestation to study the effects of pterostilbene (PTE) on maternal oxidative stress status and placental nutrient transport. Results PTE increased the antioxidant capacity and immunoglobulin content in mothers’ blood and milk, reduced the level of inflammatory factors, and improved the nutrient content of milk. PTE also reduced sow backfat loss and the number of weak sons, and increased piglet weaning weight and total weaning litter weight. We subsequently found that PTE enhanced placental glucose and fatty acid transport and further affected glycolipid metabolism by increasing the expression of LAL, PYGM, and Gbe-1, which activated the PI3K phosphorylation pathway. Moreover, PTE addition altered the relative abundance of the Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Parabacillus, and Bacteroidetes-like RF16 groups in sow faeces. PTE increased the levels of acetate, propionate, butyrate and isovalerate in the faeces. Conclusions These findings reveal that the addition of PTE during pregnancy and lactation mitigates the effects of processive oxidative stress on offspring development by altering maternal microbial and placental nutrient transport capacity. Graphical Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of supplementary feeding with Chinese herbal mixtures on perinatal sows, focusing on their reproductive performance, immunity and breast milk quality. Sixty healthy pregnant sows (Large white, 4 parities) were randomly allocated into five treatment groups (n = 12 per group): the control group received a basal diet, the TRT1 group received a basal diet supplemented with 2 kg/t Bazhen powder (BZP), while the TRT2, TRT3, and TRT4 groups received a basal diet supplemented with 1 kg/t, 2 kg/t, and 3 kg/t Qi-Zhu-Gui-Shao soothing liver and replenishing blood powder (QZGSP), respectively. The trial lasted for a duration of 5 weeks, commencing from day 100 of gestation and concluding on day 21 postpartum. The results showed that supplemental feeding of 2 kg/t and 3 kg/t QZGSP to periparturient sows significantly improved reproductive performance to different degrees, as evidenced by the shortened farrowing intervals and increased average daily feed intake and milk yield. Supplemental feeding of 2 kg/t and/or 3 kg/t QZGSP significantly elevated levels of IL-4, IL-10, IgG, and IgA in sow serum while reduced levels of TNF-α and IL-1β in sow serum. In addition, supplemental feeding of 2 kg/t and 3 kg/t QZGSP to perinatal sows significantly increased the protein and fat content in colostrum and milk. Analysis of 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing data in colostrum and milk microbiota revealed that supplemental feeding of QZGSP to perinatal sows is influenced the composition of colostrum and milk composition in sows. Specifically, at the genus level, a decrease in the relative abundance of Escherichia-Shigella , Staphylococcus and Streptococcus was observed in the TRT3 and/or TRT4 groups on day 0 of lactation. The findings from this study indicate that supplemental feeding of 2 kg/t and 3 kg/t QZGSP significantly improved the reproductive performance, immunity and milk quality in sows. Therefore, QZGSP is a beneficial feed additive for perinatal sows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The backfat thickness of sows reflects their nutrient reserve levels. Controlling the backfat thickness within an appropriate range at different production stages can improve the production performance of sows. However, in large-scale pig farms, due to the cumbersome process of measuring backfat thickness and the large number of sows, it is often not possible to obtain or visually measure the backfat thickness during production. Often, a small difference in feed intake will lead to a large difference in production performance, such that sow production performance cannot be fully optimized. In this study, the relationships between backfat thickness and parameters related to hip area, hip width, hip height, and hip radius are discussed, and a sow backfat thickness estimation model is established. Finally, a sow backfat thickness estimation system is built using the LabVIEW 2023 Q1 (64-bit) software development platform. After inputting the sow buttock image, the system can automatically preprocess the image and extract the parameters required to quickly estimate the backfat thickness of the sow, thereby enhancing the automation of the sow farm. Controlling the backfat thickness of sows within an appropriate range during different production stages helps to increase the number of pigs weaned per sow per year and ultimately enhances the economic benefit to the pig farm. To obtain the backfat thickness of sows automatically, a backfat thickness estimation method based on machine vision is proposed. First, the backfat thickness values and 3D images of the buttocks of 154 Landrace–Yorkshire crossbred sows were obtained using a veterinary ultrasound backfat meter and Azure Kinect DK camera. After preprocessing the 3D images utilizing Python 3.9.16 software, 10 external morphological parameters reflecting the area, width, height, and contour radius of the sow's buttocks were extracted. The relationships between backfat thickness and external morphological parameters were analyzed in a randomly selected group of 100 sows. A significant positive correlation was observed between backfat thickness and buttock morphological parameters, with the Pearson coefficient for the fitted ellipse area achieving values up to 0.90. A backfat thickness estimation model was developed based on selected buttock feature parameters. The model's generalization performance was evaluated using 54 additional sows that were not involved in the model development. The coefficient of determination (R2) between the estimated and actual backfat thicknesses was 0.8923, with a mean absolute error (MAE) of 1.23 mm and a mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) of 5.73%. These metrics indicate that the model can meet production requirements, and the proposed technique offers improved estimation accuracy compared to existing methods. Ultimately, a backfat thickness automatic estimation system was developed using LabVIEW 2023 Q1 (64-bit) software. This research helps to address the cumbersome process of measuring sow backfat thickness and promotes the automation of sow farms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Throughout gestation, sows are conventionally fed one diet formulated to meet the requirements of most sows. However, those diets can lead to nutritional excesses or deficiencies based on each sow's parity or stage of gestation. To overcome this, one strategy currently employed is bump feeding, which involves increasing feed intake for sows at the end of gestation to address their higher nutritional requirements during this period. Another approach is precision feeding, which utilizes two types of feed simultaneously—one rich and the other low in nutrients—mixed in varying proportions according to the sow's parity and stage of gestation. The objective of this project was to validate the impact of both bump feeding and precision feeding in comparison to conventional feeding on the reproductive performance of sows monitored over three cycles of gestation and lactation. Results indicated that bump feeding did not significantly enhance sow performance during lactation. However, precision feeding was found to reduce nitrogen intake by 10–13% and total phosphorus intake by 6–9% while also decreasing piglet mortality during lactation. These findings suggest that precision feeding can be a sustainable strategy for gestating sows, improving lactation performance, and reducing the environmental impact of swine production. This study evaluated the impact of precision feeding and bump feeding strategies during gestation on the reproductive performance of sows monitored over three cycles. Four treatments were compared: two constant-concentration feeding strategies (0.53% standardized ileal digestible lysine content; SID Lys) with the feed supply remaining constant (flat feeding; FF) or variable (bump feeding; BF) and two precision feeding strategies based on the InraPorc model considering performance by parity (precision feeding per parity; PFP) or the weight of each sow at breeding (precision feeding by individual; PFI). Sows were followed over three gestation and lactation cycles. In the first cycle (n = 502), the birth-to-weaning piglet mortality for PFP (8.7%) and PFI (10.3%) was lower than for BF (13.8%), with FF (11.3%) being intermediate (p = 0.001). No differences were observed in litter performance during the second cycle (n = 340). During the third cycle (n = 274), the stillborn rate was lower for PFP (6.2%) than for BF (9.1%) and FF (10.4%), with PFI (7.0%) being intermediate (p = 0.01). The BF strategy did not significantly improve sow or litter performance during lactation. Meanwhile, precision feeding could reduce nitrogen (10–13%) and total phosphorus intake (6–9%) with PFP and PFI strategies. Also, the results showed that it could even reduce piglet mortality during lactation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The use of probiotic supplements in pig feed is a nutritional tool that promotes gut health. Probiotics are live microorganisms that make up the gut microbiota and provide a physiological benefit to the host. In this article, we evaluate the potential of a probiotic supplement composed of Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis) 541 and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens (B. amyloliquefaciens) 516 as a feed additive for sows in the gestation and lactation periods. We found that the probiotic treatment had a positive effect on the performance and physiological parameters of the sows and their litter. This study investigated the efficacy of using probiotics on the performance and health parameters of sows and their litters. A randomized block design was used with 584 sows and 292 replications, with two dietary treatments: the control group (basal diet without probiotics) and the probiotic group (basal diet supplemented with 400 g/ton of a probiotic composed of Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis) 541 and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens (B. amyloliquefaciens) 516). Feed intake was evaluated throughout the experimental period. Bodyweight and backfat thickness of the sows were measured at the beginning and end of each phase. Piglets were weighed individually at birth and at weaning. Performance variables and physiological parameters were analyzed. Sows that received the probiotic supplement exhibited increased milk production (p = 0.05) and bodyweight loss, along with reduced postpartum cortisol levels (p < 0.05). The piglets from the probiotic treatment group had higher (p < 0.001) weaning weight and fewer (p < 0.05) crushing deaths, received fewer (p < 0.001) medications, and had lower (p < 0.05) excretion of pathogenic bacteria and lower (p < 0.05) excretion of fecal Lactobacillus sp. They also had higher (p < 0.05) concentration of fecal myeloperoxidase (MPO) close to weaning and improved ileal histomorphometric measures. In conclusion, supplementation with the probiotic product improves performance and promotes health parameters of the sows their litters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: 25-hydroxycholecalciferol has been widely used to increase the calcium and phosphorus absorption in lactating sows, while there have been only a few studies focusing on its effect on performance and health status of gestating sows and their offsprings. In this study, the dietary 25-hydroxycholecalciferol supplementation from day 85 of gestation was shown to effectively enhance the performance, antioxidant capacity, and immunoglobulin levels in sows and newborn piglets, which demonstrated that 25-hydroxycholecalciferol was an efficient additive for improving the reproductive performance and immune-antioxidant status of gestating sows during production. In this study, the aim was to evaluate the effects of dietary 25-hydroxycholecalciferol supplementation from day 85 of gestation on performance, antioxidant capacity, and immunoglobulin level of sows and newborn piglets. On day 85 of gestation, forty Landrace × Yorkshire gestating sows (average body weight of 241 ± 6.8 kg; average parity of 3.47 ± 0.6) were allotted into two treatments (20 replicates per treatment) based on parity, body weight, and back fat thickness. From day 85 of gestation to farrowing, sows were fed a normal vitamin D3 diet as control (containing 50 μg/kg vitamin D3; CON), or a 25-hydroxycholecalciferol-supplemented diet (containing 50 μg/kg 25-hydroxycholecalciferol). Compared with CON, dietary 25-hydroxycholecalciferol supplementation increased (p < 0.05) protein and fat content in colostrum and the average birth body weight of newborn piglets. Sows fed 25-hydroxycholecalciferol showed increased (p < 0.05) apparent total tract digestibility of crude protein compared with CON. Diets supplemented with 25-hydroxycholecalciferol also increased (p < 0.05) the content of superoxide dismutase (SOD), and tended to increase (p = 0.06) the total antioxidant capacity content and reduce (p = 0.09) the malondialdehyde (MDA) level in colostrum. An increase (p < 0.05) in the content of SOD and a reduction (p < 0.05) in the content of MDA in the serum of newborn piglets was also observed in the 25-hydroxycholecalciferol treatment compared with CON. Dietary 25-hydroxycholecalciferol supplementation also enhanced (p < 0.05) the immunoglobulin G content and reduced (p < 0.05) the concentration of tumor nuclear factor-α in the serum of sows, as well as reducing (p < 0.05) the content of immunoglobulin G and immunoglobulin A in the serum of newborn piglets compared with CON. Supplementation of 25-hydroxycholecalciferol in sow diets increased (p < 0.05) the content of alkaline phosphatase in the serum and colostrum of sows, the concentration of insulin and crosslap in serum of sows, and the serum calcium content of newborn piglets compared with CON. In conclusion, dietary 25-hydroxycholecalciferol supplementation from day 85 of gestation could enhance performance, antioxidant capacity, and immunoglobulin in sows and newborn piglets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Managing livestock, especially on large-scale farms, is becoming more difficult due to a shortage of labor and an aging farming population. Traditionally, farmers monitor animals manually, which can result in missing important behaviors that impact the health and survival of pigs. This study introduces a new system that uses artificial intelligence to detect critical pig behaviors like crushing and lying down in real time. By improving the capabilities of existing AI models (YOLOv7 and YOLOv9), the system can more accurately monitor pig behavior, helping farmers prevent accidents and ensure better animal welfare. This technology will make it easier to manage livestock more efficiently, improving the quality of life of both animals and farmers. Effective livestock management has become essential owing to an aging workforce and the growth of large-scale farming operations in the agricultural industry. Conventional monitoring methods, primarily reliant on manual observation, are increasingly reaching their limits, necessitating the development of innovative automated solutions. This study developed a system, termed mixed-ELAN, for real-time sow and piglet behavior detection using an extended ELAN architecture with diverse kernel sizes. The standard convolution operations within the ELAN framework were replaced with MixConv using diverse kernel sizes to enhance feature learning capabilities. To ensure high reliability, a performance evaluation of all techniques was conducted using a k-fold cross-validation (k = 3). The proposed architecture was applied to YOLOv7 and YOLOv9, yielding improvements of 1.5% and 2%, with mean average precision scores of 0.805 and 0.796, respectively, compared with the original models. Both models demonstrated significant performance improvements in detecting behaviors critical for piglet growth and survival, such as crushing and lying down, highlighting the effectiveness of the proposed architecture. These advances highlight the potential of AI and computer vision in agriculture, as well as the system's benefits for improving animal welfare and farm management efficiency. The proposed architecture enhances the real-time monitoring and understanding of livestock behavior, establishing improved benchmarks for smart farming technologies and enabling further innovation in livestock management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Yucca extract (YE) is natural additive derived from the Yucca genus of plants, which is rich in active substances such as saponins, polyphenols, and polysaccharides. As a safe new type of feed additive, YE can play multiple biological roles in animal production, including promoting growth, improving reproductive performance, enhancing feed utilization efficiency, and improving animal husbandry. Our results showed that supplementing the diets of gilts with 0.25 g/kg of YE can enhance apparent nutrient digestibility, improve antioxidant status and increase fecal microbial diversity, ultimately benefiting the overall health status of gilts. The aim of this study is to provide experimental evidence for the application of yucca extract in animal production. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of yucca extract (YE) supplementation on estrus, nutrient digestibility, antioxidant capacity and fecal microorganisms of gilts. Twenty gilts were randomly divided into two groups: basal diet (CONT) and basal diet + 0.25 g/kg YE (YETG). The results showed that supplementing 0.25 g/kg YE in the diet of gilts significantly increased the apparent digestibility of dietary energy, crude fat and crude protein (p < 0.05). In addition, YE could also improve the antioxidant capacity of gilts, significantly increase the serum total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) activity and decrease the malondialdehyde (MDA) content of gilts (p < 0.05). In terms of fecal microorganisms, YE significantly increased the Shannon index and Simpson index of fecal microorganisms of gilts (p < 0.05), decreased the abundance of Proteobacteria, Actinobacteriota and Streptococcus sp., and increased the abundance of Muribaculaceae and Prevotalla sp. in the feces of gilts (p < 0.05). In conclusion, dietary YE increased the apparent digestibility of nutrients, improved the antioxidant status of gilts and increased the α diversity of fecal microorganisms. These results provide a reference for the application of YE in gilts production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary sargassum powder, sargassum powder extract, and sargassum residue on serum biochemical indexes, antioxidant capacity, and production performance of sows under heat stress. Eighty sows (Landrace x Yorkshire) with gestation age of about 107 days were randomly divided into four groups, with four replicates in each group, and five sows in each replicate. Sows were divided into group SP, group SPE-1, group SPE-2 and heat stress control group (group C). The experiment lasted for 28 days. The results showed as follows: Compared with group C, the concentrations of malondialdehyde (MDA), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and interleukin- 6 (IL-6) in groups SP and SPE-1 were significantly decreased on days 14 and 28 (P<0.05). The activities of catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were significantly increased (P<0.05). On day 14, the activities of cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1) and cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-2) in groups SP and SPE-1 were significantly decreased (P<0.05). On day 28, the content of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) was significantly decreased ( P<0.05). In addition, on days 14 and 28 of the trial, the concentrations of total bilirubin (TBIL), direct bilirubin (DBIL), indirect bilirubin (IBIL), total protein (TP), albumin (ALB), and globulin (GLB) and the activities of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) in groups SP and SPE-1 were significantly decreased ( P<0.05). On day 28, the concentrations of urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine (CREA), and uric acid (UA) were also significantly decreased ( P<0.05). The average daily feed intake of sows and average weight of weaned piglets in groups SP and SPE-1 were significantly increased (P<0.05), and the number of healthy piglets produced was two more than that in group C. The results show that sargassum powder and sargassum powder extract can increase serum antioxidant capacity, improve serum biochemical indices, improve production performance and relieve heat stress of sows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The analysis of the influence of biologically active preparations on the biochemical status of the body of sows is given in the article. Nanoaquachelate of Ge (G18Ge and G9Ge groups) and Quatronan-Se (Q-Se group) were used 4 days before and 10 days after farrowing, Glutam 1M was used 3 days after the farrowing (GM1, G18Ge and G9Ge groups). Based on the results obtained, it has been found that use of preparations in the period from 4 days after the farrowing to weaning contributes to lower cholesterol level in the G18Ge, G9Ge and Q-Se groups by 21.7%, 29.2 % and 33.3%, respectively. Also, significant changes have been observed in the in the concentration of protein, in all groups to which the studied drugs were administered before weaning it tended to decrease by 9.9; 7.6; 6.6 and 6.3%, respectively, while in the group C (control) the difference was only 1.6%. In addition, a study of the influence of preparations on the body of piglets through sow milk shows that the level of piglets’ survival in the GM1, G18Ge, G9Ge and Q-Se groups was higher than in the C group. The highest survival has been observed in the G18Ge group and on the day of weaning was 90.2%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to assess the impact of yeast single-cell protein (YP) supplementation in diets from late gestation through lactation on sow reproductive performance and the associated gut microbiome and metabolomic changes in milk. A total of 172 sows, at 103 days of gestation, were randomly assigned to four treatment groups: a control group receiving 2% fishmeal and three groups receiving 0.5%, 1.0%, and 2.0% YP, replacing 0.3%, 0.6%, and 1.5% fishmeal, respectively. No significant effects were observed on litter performance in sows. The inclusion of 2% YP displayed an augmented litter weight gain and piglet weight gain during lactation. Microbial sequencing revealed a marked decrease in Enterobacteriaceae abundance in sow feces at day 113 of gestation following dietary YP supplementation. Moreover, it led to a notable reduction of microbial-associated lipids, such as endotoxin, in serum and milk. In summary, YP supplementation in sow diets reduced gut pathogenic microbiota and their components, contributing to enhanced growth performance in suckling piglets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maternal dietary supplementation with chitosan oligosaccharide (COS) has been considered as a potential intervention to mitigate the occurrence of intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and improve postnatal growth. The present study investigated the effect of COS as a dietary supplement for sows during late gestation and lactation on their productivity, placental function, and the intestinal health of IUGR piglets. From day (d) 85 of late gestation to d 21 of lactation, 30 sows were randomly divided into either a control group (basal diet) or a COS group (basal diet + 100 mg kg−1 COS). At d 21 of lactation, eight normal and eight IUGR littermates from eight litters belong to control sows, as well as eight IUGR littermates from COS sows, were selected for further analysis. The results showed a significant reduction in the number of stillbirths and mummies in COS groups (p < 0.05). Maternal dietary supplementation with COS also significantly up-regulated the expression levels of GLUT1 , GLUT3 , and VEGFA mRNA in the placenta of IUGR piglets compared to those in control group (p < 0.05). Furthermore, there was a significant decrease in MDA content and a significant increase in GSH content in the placenta of IUGR piglets from COS sows compared to those from control group (p < 0.05). Additionally, the expression levels of MUC2 and occludin mRNA as well as claudin1 protein significantly up-regulated in the jejunum of 21-day-old IUGR piglets from COS sows group compared to those from control group (p < 0.05). Moreover, IL-10 mRNA expression level was significantly increased while MDA content was significantly reduced in the jejunum of 21-day-old IUGR piglets from COS sows group compared to those from control group (p < 0.05). The results indicated that maternal dietary COS supplementation during late gestation effectively reduced the incidence of stillbirths and mummies, potentially linked to enhanced placental function, reduced oxidative stress, and improved immune status. Furthermore, maternal dietary COS supplementation exhibited positive impact on intestinal digestive and absorptive function, intestinal barrier integrity, intestinal antioxidant capacity and immune status in 21-day-old suckling IUGR piglets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Progressive oxidative stress easily occurs as a result of a gradual increase in the intensity of maternal metabolism due to rapid foetal development and increased intensity of lactation. However, studies on the effects of processive oxidative stress on nutrient transport in the placenta have received little attention. The present study was conducted on sows at 85 days of gestation to study the effects of pterostilbene (PTE) on maternal oxidative stress status and placental nutrient transport. Results: PTE increased the antioxidant capacity and immunoglobulin content in mothers' blood and milk, reduced the level of inflammatory factors, and improved the nutrient content of milk. PTE also reduced sow backfat loss and the number of weak sons, and increased piglet weaning weight and total weaning litter weight. We subsequently found that PTE enhanced placental glucose and fatty acid transport and further affected glycolipid metabolism by increasing the expression of LAL, PYGM, and Gbe-1, which activated the PI3K phosphorylation pathway. Moreover, PTE addition altered the relative abundance of the Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Parabacillus, and Bacteroidetes-like RF16 groups in sow faeces. PTE increased the levels of acetate, propionate, butyrate and isovalerate in the faeces. Conclusions: These findings reveal that the addition of PTE during pregnancy and lactation mitigates the effects of processive oxidative stress on offspring development by altering maternal microbial and placental nutrient transport capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The herd age structure, i.e., distribution of sows within a farm based on their parity number, and its management are essential to optimizing farm reproductive efficiency. The objective of this study is to define different types of herd age structure using data from 623 Spanish commercial sow farms. Additionally, this study aims to determine which type of herd age structure can enhance reproductive efficiency at the farm level. Results: Farms are classified into three groups according to the quadratic function fitted to the percentage of sows by parities. This classification unveils three types of herd structures: type 1 (HS1) exhibits a concave-downward trend, with a higher percentage of sows in intermediate parities (mean of 45.5% sows between the 3rd to 5th parity); type 2 (HS2) presents a trend curve that is close to a straight line, with a gradual decrease in the percentage of sows per parity (approximately 2% loss of sows census per parity); and type 3 (HS3) shows an upward concave trend curve, with an increase in the percentage of sows in later parities (19.0% of sows between 7th and ≥ 8th parity). Parametric tests assess productivity differences between the three types of herd structures (p < 0.01). HS1 farms have the best productive outcomes over a year, with 31.2 piglets weaned per sow and year (PWSY) and a farrowing rate of 87%, surpassing HS2 and HS3 farms (30.1 and 28.7 PWSY; 85.3% and 83.4% farrowing rates, respectively). HS1 also have the lowest percentage of sows returning to oestrus (11.8%) and the highest number of weaned piglets per litter (12.8), compared to HS2 (13.2% and 12.4 piglets weaned) and HS3 (15.1%, 11.9 piglets weaned). These differences show a medium effect size (η2 between 0.06 to < 0.14). Conclusions: This study shows the importance of herd age structure on sow-breeding farms as a factor of reproductive efficiency. The results endorse the proposed classification based on the curvature of the trend parabola obtained with the quadratic function to categorize herd structures into three groups. Additionally, these findings highlight the importance of considering the herd age structure in farm decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Porcine circovirus 3 (PCV3) is a recently discovered swine pathogen associated with reproductive disease. To date, clinical problems linked to PCV3 have been described in intensive rearing pig farms. The present case describes an Iberian semi-outdoors sow farm affected by PCV3 reproductive disease. Case presentation: The affected farm was composed of 420 self-replaced Iberian sows, working in 3-week batches (60 sows per batch). The farm was free from porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) and had been previously affected by porcine circovirus 2 (PCV2) reproductive disease, which was successfully managed through sow vaccination. In spring 2022, reproductive disease was noticed with a high increase in the number of mummified foetuses and stillborn piglets from gilts as the most remarkable finding; multiparous sows were not affected. A first analysis with pooled stillborn tissues ruled out most swine reproductive pathogens and revealed detection of PCV3. To further elucidate PCV3 implication in the reproductive disease, a complete post-mortem examination of stillborn and mummified foetuses from two affected litters was conducted. Pooled tissue samples yielded high PCV3 loads by quantitative PCR. Grossly, one (out of 5) stillborn had an enlarged, flaccid heart. Histopathological evaluation revealed PCV3 lesions consisting of lymphohistiocytic and systemic periarteritis (3/5). The grossly affected heart had lymphohistiocytic myocarditis with fibrosis and lymphohistiocytic endocarditis. By in situ hybridization, high amounts of PCV3 genome were observed within histological lesions. Moreover, immunohistochemistry against PRRSV and PCV2 resulted negative in the same tissues. Conclusions: This is the first report of PCV3 reproductive disease in a semi-extensive production Iberian pig farm, affecting exclusively gilts. Moreover, this is the first description of grossly apparent myocarditis associated to PCV3 infection. Therefore, PCV3 should be considered within the differential diagnostic list of swine reproductive problems in non-intensive pig rearing production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Piglets encounter numerous challenges post-birth, and positive maternal influences can significantly aid their survival. Aims: This study aimed to investigate the potential impact of dietary fiber (DF) consumption during pregnancy on the establishment of colonic flora and immunity in offspring. Methods: Sixty-eight multiparous sows were randomly assigned to either a control diet lacking fiber sources or a diet supplemented with a fiber mixture. The study evaluated the developmental status, intestinal microecology, and immune indices, including the expression of Toll-like receptors and nuclear factor kappa-B, tumor necrosis factor α, interleukins 6 and 10, and interferon γ, as well as the concentrations of complement components 3 and 4, and immunoglobulins G and M in the offspring. Key results: The findings revealed a significant reduction in Toll-like receptor 4 and nuclear factor kappa-B messenger RNA levels in the colon and tumor necrosis factor α levels in the serum of 21-day-weaned piglets from the fiber group, indicating a decrease in inflammation. Moreover, there was a notable increase in the abundance of Roseburia and Lactobacillus in the colons of weaned piglets from the fiber-supplemented group, whereas Odoribacter showed a substantial decrease. This indicates that sows transfer beneficial microorganisms to their piglets, and fiber supplementation further enhances these positive microbial changes. Conclusion: This study highlights the positive impact on the microbiota profile and immunity of piglets of fiber supplementation in sow diets during pregnancy, using a 3% purified fiber mixture. These findings hold implications for the enhanced development of weaned piglets, providing valuable theoretical support. Piglets face many survival challenges after birth, and maternal beneficial influences can aid in their survival. This study found that supplementing a sow's diet during pregnancy with 3% purified fiber mixture could beneficially impact the piglets' microbiota profile and immunity. These results can provide some theoretical support for the subsequent better development of weaned piglets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Exogenous gonadotropin-controlled ovarian stimulation is the critical step in animal reproductive management, such as pig, sheep, bovine and other species. It helps synchronize ovulation or stimulate multiple ovulations. However, a number of evidence indicated an unexpected decrease in pregnancy outcomes following ovarian stimulation. This study aimed to explore the underlying mechanism of the pregnancy defect and develop a practical rescue strategy. Results: Compared with those in the control group, gilts that underwent ovarian stimulation showed a decrease in pregnancy rate, farrowing rate, and total number of piglets born. Stimulated gilts also showed an increase in estradiol (E2) levels. The supraphysiological E2 level was correlated with the decrease in the number of piglets born. Furthermore, we found that high levels of E2 impair uterine receptivity, as shown by the overproliferation of endometrial epithelial cells. In vitro mechanistic studies demonstrated that high levels of E2 hyperactivate FGF-FGFR-ERK signaling cascade in the uterine endometrium, and in turn induces overproliferation of endometrial epithelial cells. Of note, N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) supplementation effectively inhibits ERK hyperphosphorylation and ameliorates endometrial epithelial overproliferation. Importantly, in vivo experiments indicated that dietary NAC supplementation, compared with ovarian stimulation group, improves the uterine receptivity in gilts, and significantly increases the pregnancy rate and total number of piglets born. Conclusions: Ovarian stimulation-induced supraphysiological levels of E2 impairs uterine receptivity by hyperactivating FGF-FGFR-ERK signaling cascade, thereby reducing pregnancy rate and litter size. Supplementing NAC to a conventional diet for gilts ameliorates hyperactivated ERK signaling and improves uterine receptivity, thus rescuing adverse pregnancy outcomes following ovarian stimulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of glycine and glutamate, as components of glutathione (GSH) precursors, was studied as a factor in determining the growth rate of weaning pigs, their digestion of nutrient supplements and their blood concentration levels. There were 180 crossbred weaning pigs with an average body weight (BW) of 7.94 ± 1.53 kg (five pigs per pen [two barrows and three gilts]; nine pens per treatment) that were randomly assigned to one of four diets. We used a basal diet as the control, TRT1 as the treatment with 0.10% precursor of GSH, TRT2 as the treatment with 0.20% precursor of GSH and TRT3 as the treatment with 0.30% precursor of GSH. The BW of weaning pigs exhibited a linear increase on days 7 (p < 0.001), 21 (p < 0.001) and 42 (p < 0.009) following the supplementation with the GSH precursor. Supplementation with GSH precursor led to a consistent and gradual increase in average daily gain (ADG) on days 8–21, 22–42 and overall, as indicated by a significant linear trend (p < 0.05). G: F was linearly increased (p < 0.05) on days 22–42 and overall with the increment in the precursor of GSH supplementation. However, GSH precursor supplementation did not have any impact on nutrient digestibility and blood profile in the treatment group. In summary, the administration of GSH precursor improved BW, ADG and G: F ratio while not affecting nutrient digestibility or blood profile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The premise was tested that the additional genetic gain was achieved in the overall breeding objective in a pig breeding program using genomic selection (GS) compared to a conventional breeding program, however, some traits achieved larger gain than other traits. GS scenarios based on different reference population sizes were evaluated. The scenarios were compared using a deterministic simulation model to predict genetic gain in scenarios with and without using genomic information as an additional information source. All scenarios were compared based on selection accuracy and predicted genetic gain per round of selection for objective traits in both sire and dam lines. The results showed that GS scenarios increased overall response in the breeding objectives by 9% to 56% and 3.5% to 27% in the dam and sire lines, respectively. The difference in response resulted from differences in the size of the reference population. Although all traits achieved higher selection accuracy in GS, traits with limited phenotypic information at the time of selection or with low heritability, such as sow longevity, number of piglets born alive, pre‐ and post‐weaning survival, as well as meat and carcass quality traits achieved the largest additional response. This additional response came at the expense of smaller responses for traits that are easy to measure, such as back fat and average daily gain in GS compared to the conventional breeding program. Sow longevity and drip loss percentage did not change in a favourable direction in GS with a reference population of 500 pigs. With a reference population of 1000 pigs or onwards, sow longevity and drip loss percentage began to change in a favourable direction. Despite the smaller responses for average daily gain and back fat thickness in GS, the overall breeding objective achieved additional gain in GS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of study was to evaluate the influence of biologically active additives on the hormonal status of lactating sows and the absolute growth of suckling piglets. Glutam 1M, nanoaquachelates of germanium (NPs-Ge) and Quatronan-Se (Cu-NPs, Se-NPs, Cr-NPs, Ge-NPs, Mn-NPs) have been administered orally (lat. per os) for animals in different percentage doses and schemes. Five animals groups have been formed by the method of analogues: control (20 ml physiological solution) and four experimental (group M: 18 mg/kg Glutam 1M; group G18: 5 μg/kg Ge-NP + 18 mg/kg Glutam 1M; group G9: 5 μg/kg Ge-NP + 9 mg/kg Glutam 1M; and group Q: Quatronan-Se (0.02 ml/kg) administered for 14 days). Results showed positive effects of the use of supplements on prolactin secretion. Administration of 5 mg/kg live weight NPs-Ge for sows G18 and G9 for 4 days before the farrowing increased the level of prolactin in the blood serum. On farrowing day, the hormone level in these groups was 14.6 ng/ml (G18) and 13.42 ng/ml (G9), while in K and M groups it was 12.02 and 9.94 ng/ml, respectively. On the day of weaning, the highest prolactin content has been observed in the G18 group as 14.9 ng/ml. Also, suckling piglets from this group have had the highest growth during the studied period. During the entire suckling period, the growth of piglets in the G18 group was 3.65 kg and was higher compared to the K (2.94 kg), M (3.58 kg), G9 (3.31 kg) and Q (3.44 kg) groups. It's suggested that the scheme introduction of Germanium (5 mg/kg) additives, 4 days before and 10 days after farrowing + Glutam 1M (18 mg/kg) 3 days after farrowing is the most effective (group G18) in means of grow performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Complex adaptation strategies concerning nutrition, housing technology, and veterinary treatment are required to maintain current production levels under increasingly stringent regulations on the preventive application of antibiotics. The reduced application of antibiotics is recommended for the sustainability of industrial pig production. Probiotic supplementation may contribute to improved sow and piglet health, mitigating the need for antibiotics. The effects of probiotic supplementation on sow performance and the quantity of fecal bacterial communities in lactating sows were investigated. Experimental sows received probiotic supplementation (n=10) and were compared to control sows (n=10). Fecal samples were collected from 20 sows in the second week of lactation. The quantitative measurement of total bacteria, Prevotella genus, Lactobacillus spp., and Bifidobacterium spp. was done by qPCR. Differences in backfat thickness (BFT), BFT loss, and feed intake of control and experimental sows were not significant (p>0.05). The amount of total bacteria, Prevotella, and Lactobacillus spp. was lower (p<0.05) in the fecal samples of experimental sows. The Prevotella percentage in total bacteria decreased, whereas Bifidobacterium spp. the ratio increased in experimental supplemented sows. Overall, probiotic supplementation resulted in notable alterations regarding some of the analyzed bacterial communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Getah virus (GETV) is a multi-host virus found in pigs, horses, and blue foxes. Clinically, GETV can cause fever, diarrhea, and reproductive disorders in pigs, representing significant threats to pig breeding. At present, few studies have examined the pathogenicity of GETV in pigs of different ages. Methods: In the present study, a new strain, named GETV-QJ, was isolated from clinically ill pigs, and whole genome sequencing analysis was performed. Besides the pathogenicity of piglets and pregnant sows of this strain was further studied. Results: the results illustrated that the strain belonged to group III. The strain had 93.6%-96.3% homology with other subtypes, and its homology with the same subtype strain ranged 96.5%-99%. Further studies on the pathogenicity of the virus indicated that this strain caused severe diarrhea, fever, and intestinal and lung damage in 7-day-old piglets, resulting in their death. The piglet survival rate was 0%. In pregnant sows, this strain did not cause fever, death, or abortion, but it induced viremia, which affected the farrowing performance of sows and led to reduced piglet survival. Discussion: In this study, we isolated a highly virulent group III and comprehensively established a pathogenic model of GETV in piglets and sows, providing a reference and guidance for the prevention and control of this infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Animal boredom is a potentially prevalent, but underresearched animal welfare concern. To study the characteristics of boredom and its welfare consequences, we need to be sure that animals are actually bored and do not suffer from other negatively valenced states like apathy and depression. Animals' responses towards stimuli of different valence (positive, ambiguous, negative) have been suggested to help differentiating between these states. Apathetic animals are hypothesised to show a decreased interest in stimuli of all valences, whereas depressed animals are thought to be less interested in positive stimuli only, due to anhedonia, a key symptom of depression. In contrast, bored animals are hypothesised to show an increased interest in all types of stimuli, including negative ones. To ensure that the applied stimuli are indeed judged as positive, ambiguous or negative by the animals, we aimed to validate the valence of a range of stimuli in domesticated pigs, a species commonly kept under barren and monotonous conditions likely to induce boredom, as a basis for developing a task to distinguish between different negative states. Applying a within-subject design, 39 pigs (20 weaned piglets, 19 gilts) were individually exposed to twelve stimuli pre-classified as positive, ambiguous or negative in an approach-avoidance paradigm. The effects of stimulus, age (piglet, gilt) and their interaction on various approach and avoidance measures were analysed. Stimulus had a statistically significant effect on all measures and the observed pattern was according to pre-classification for many stimuli, but not all, resulting in a re-classification of the valence of five stimuli. The significant interaction between stimulus and age for some outcome measures indicates that age differences should be considered. Our study paves the ground for the selection of stimuli as well as outcome measures of future tasks aiming to differentiate between boredom, depression and apathy in pigs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Erysipelas still causes large economic losses to pig industry. Maternal immunity is critical to prevent erysipelas in young animals, thus, intensive vaccination protocols or practices focused on the improvement of the maternally derived immunity could provide substantial benefits. The present study evaluates potential changes in antibodies levels in sows and their offspring using two types of tests (commercial ELISA, Ingenasa or rSpaA415 ELISA) when two different vaccination programs (before farrowing or after farrowing) against Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae were applied to sows from Iberian (A) or conventional Large White-Landrace (B) pig farms. The results showed a statistical correlation between titers found in sows and their one-week old piglets in both tests. The overall mean of (log) antibody titers in farm B measured by the commercial ELISA test was significantly higher in pre-farrowing vaccinated sows compared to the post-farrowing vaccine protocol (p = 0.0278). Additionally, using the rSpaA415 ELISA test, the overall mean of (log) antibody titers was significantly higher in pre-farrowing sows (p = 0.0056) compared to sows following post-farrowing vaccine protocol (p = 0.0003) or non- vaccinated sows. None of the above-mentioned differences were found in farm A. The overall mean of (log) antibody titers in piglets from the pre-farrowing vaccination protocol was significantly higher than piglets from the post-farrowing vaccination protocol in farm A (p = 0.0059; rSpaA415 ELISA) and farm B (p = 0.0168 and p = 0.0098 for the commercial and rSpaA415 ELISA data, respectively). Additionally, higher proportion of piglets from pre-farrowing vaccinated sows remained seropositive during the post-weaning period (days 42 to 84) compared to piglets from non-vaccinated or post-farrowing vaccinated groups in both farms A and B. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Lawsonia intracellularis is the causative agent of Porcine Proliferative Enteropathy (PPE), one of the most prevalent pig enteric diseases worldwide, but with sparse information about early infections in suckling piglets in the epidemiology of PPE. With that aim, this study evaluates the prevalence of L. intracellularis in 3-week-old piglets by analysing ileal digesta content and mucosal scrapings from 383 pigs from 16 farms (aprox., 25 pigs/batch) by real-time qPCR and droplet digital PCR (ddPCR). Results: Forty-nine samples yielded a qPCR positive result. Eleven samples from eight farms were confirmed as positive with concentrations of L. intracellularis from 3.5 log10 to 4.5 log10 bacteria/g of sample. Another 16 samples, eight farms, were classified as low positive (2.07–2.38 log10 bacteria/g) and 22 provided an uncertain result. Finally, 334 samples tested negative for L. intracellularis. At batch level, half of the farms included in the study had at least one positive sample and in 10 farms (62.5%) there was at least one low positive sample. The ddPCR was run in 50 of the 383 samples based on their PCR output (including low positive, uncertain and negative samples). Correlation analyses revealed a strong association between qPCR and the ddPCR results (ρ = 0.75; p < 0.001). The ddPCR allowed us to detect and confirm a positive result in the 19 samples classified as uncertain by the qPCR and detect L. intracellularis in 8 of 15 negatives by qPCR. Conclusions: The results of the study demonstrate that a number of piglets are already infected with L. intracellularis during the suckling period evidencing early infection in certain animals, adding information of PPE epidemiology and opening new research topics such as sow-piglet transmission. Study results also evidence the usefulness of a combination of qPCR and ddPCR to improve qPCR sensitivity but assuring high specificity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A Tonsil-Oral-Scrubbing (TOSc) method was developed to sample the sow's oropharyngeal and tonsillar area without snaring and has shown comparable porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) RNA detection rates with tonsil scraping in infected sows. This study investigated the effect of specific TOSc collection factors on the PRRSV RT-rtPCR results (detection rates and Ct values). Those factors include whether the sow was snared or not snared at TOSc collection ("snared" vs. "not snared"); whether the sow was laying down or standing at collection ("laying down" vs. "standing"); and type of collectors used for TOSc collection ("TOSc prototype" vs. "Spiral-headed AI catheter (SHAC)"). Volume of fluid was compared between "snared" and "not snared" groups, and collection time was compared between "laying down" and "standing" groups as well. Results: The effect for each factor was assessed in three independent studies following the same design: TOSc was collected twice from each studied sow, once with the baseline level for a factor ("not snared", or "standing", or "TOSc prototype"), and another time followed by the other level of the paired factor ("snared", "laying down", or "SHAC", correspondingly). Results showed that "not snared" TOSc had numerically higher PRRSV RNA detection rate (60.7% vs. 52.5%, p = 0.11), significantly lower median Ct values (31.9 vs. 32.3, p < 0.01), and significantly higher volume of fluid than "snared" samples (1.8 mL vs. 1.2 mL, p < 0.01); "laying down" TOSc samples did not differ statistically (60.7% vs. 60.7%) in the PRRSV RNA detection rate, obtained numerically lower median Ct values (30.9 vs. 31.3, p = 0.19), but took 40% less collection time compared to "standing" TOSc samples; samples collected using the "TOSc prototype" had numerically higher PRRSV RNA detection rate (91.7% vs. 88.3%, p = 0.27) and significantly lower median Ct values (32.8 vs. 34.5, p < 0.01) than that from "SHAC". Conclusions: Under the conditions of this study best practices for TOSc collection aiming higher detection rate of PRRSV RNA while minimizing time for collection were suggested to be sampling TOSc without snaring, when sows are laying down, and using a prototype TOSc collector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, video monitoring of farrowing and automatic video evaluation using Deep Learning have become increasingly important in farm animal science research and open up new possibilities for addressing specific research questions like the determination of husbandry relevant indicators. A robust detection performance of newborn piglets is essential for reliably monitoring the farrowing process and to access important information about the welfare status of the sow and piglets. Although object detection algorithms are increasingly being used in various scenarios in the field of livestock farming, their usability for detecting newborn piglets has so far been limited. Challenges such as frequent animal occlusions, high overlapping rates or strong heterogeneous animal postures increase the complexity and place new demands on the detection model. Typically, new data is manually annotated to improve model performance, but the annotation effort is expensive and time-consuming. To address this problem, we propose a Noisy Student approach to automatically generate annotation information and train an improved piglet detection model. By using a teacher-student model relationship we transform the image structure and generate pseudo-labels for the object classes piglet and tail. As a result, we improve the initial detection performance of the teacher model from 0.561, 0.838, 0.672 to 0.901, 0.944, 0.922 for the performance metrics Recall, Precision and F1-score, respectively. The results of this study can be used in two ways. Firstly, the results contribute directly to the improvement of piglet detection in the context of birth monitoring systems and the evaluation of the farrowing progress. Secondly, the approach presented can be transferred to other research questions and species, thereby reducing the problem of cost-intensive annotation processes and increase training efficiency. In addition, we provide a unique dataset for the detection and evaluation of newborn piglets and sow body parts to support researchers in the task of monitoring the farrowing process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: This study reports the results of two studies aiming to determine, under commercial farm conditions, the effects of electronic sow feeders on the production and economic yields of lactating sows. The results indicate remarkable technical and economic outputs compared with traditional feeders due to the weaning of heavier piglets with a lower amount of feed per kg of weaned piglet. Adequate nutritional management in maternities is one of the most challenging aspects of swine production. This study reports the results of two studies aiming to determine, under commercial farm conditions, the effects of precision feeding (electronic sow feeders, ESFs) on the production and economic yields of lactating sows and possible nutritional and metabolic differences when compared to a control group fed with traditional feeders. The first trial showed that sows fed with ESFs weaned heavier piglets than sows fed with traditional feeders. Feed intake during the lactation period was similar in the sows of both groups; consequently, the amount of feed per kg of weaned piglet was lower in the sows fed with ESFs, which is a remarkable economic output. The second trial confirmed these findings and showed that, despite similar feed intakes, the sows fed with ESFs had lower bodyweight losses during the lactation period, but there were no major differences in milk composition or metabolic traits of sows and piglets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aimed to evaluate the impact of carbohydrase supplementation, soluble fiber from sugar beet pulp (SBP; 20%), and insoluble fiber from corn dried distillers grains (DDGS; 20%) on water balance, serum electrolytes, gut motility, and fecal physicochemical properties in gestating sows. Thirty-six sows, with an initial body weight of 186 ± 4.6 kg, balanced by parity, were assigned randomly to a 2×2 factorial arrangement of treatments from day 28 to 109 of gestation. The factors were fiber type (insoluble (IF; 355 g/d) or soluble (SF; 98 g/d)) and enzyme supplementation (Rovabio Advance P10). The feeding level was 2.1 kg per day. Two 8-day metabolism periods occurred during mid- (days 50-59) and late-gestation (days 99-108). Fecal samples for physicochemical property analysis and serum samples were taken on day 1 of each period. Water balance was measured from days 4-7, with a water allowance set at 80 mL/kg of body weight per day. Data were analyzed using a linear mixed model, with parity as a random effect and fiber, enzyme, period, and their interactions as fixed effects. Daily water allowance was used as a covariate when necessary. Urine output increased by 22.3% in sows fed IF compared to SF, and by 30.5% from mid- to late-gestation (Fiber, Period P

The flow cytometry method is used in many fields, not only scientific, but also clinical. In science, flow cytometry is used in immunology, molecular biology, microbiology or plant biology. In medicine, has its use, in the diagnosis of tumours, in reproductive and prenatal diagnosis, in transplants or in haematology. In our experimental work, we used this method to analyse colostrum and milk of sows. The aim of this study was to determine the number of somatic cells, the number of leukocytes and the number of T-lymphocytes. Colostrum samples were collected within 24 hours of delivery and then milk samples were collected at weekly intervals during 3 weeks. Statistical analysis revealed significant differences in the number of leukocytes (CD45+) in colostrum and milk. The most significant difference was noted between colostrum and milk in weeks 2 and 3 of the experiment (P < 0.0001), with the highest values found in colostrum. On the other hand, we found that the levels of helper T-cells (CD4+) and cytotoxic T-cells (CD8+) gradually increased over time (P > 0.05), with the highest values observed in the third week after farrowing. We can conclude that flow cytometry can be successfully used for the examination of somatic cells in sows’ milk.

Serum from 88 pregnant sows and gilts was sampled 24 and 28 days after their first insemination or mating day. The oestrone sulphate (E1S) concentration in the samples was assessed with a commercially available radioimmunoassay kit modified for use with swine serum. The first aim was to test whether it was possible to predict litters of total number <10 piglets at term. The second aim was to compare the use of day 24 or day 28 samples, or of both, in this prediction. Day 24 E1S levels were positively correlated with litter size at term (R2 = 0.26; p < 0.001). E1S levels on day 28 were correlated with the levels on day 24 in the same animals but could not be used for prediction of large or small litters. The odds ratio for a small litter size was 0.16 (p < 0.01). This means that odds for a litter size <10 piglets decreased by 84% when E1S levels increased by 1.0 ng/ml. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]