Objective: This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of selenium (Se) source and level on the physiological response, reproductive performance, serum Se level, and milk composition in gestating sows.Methods: A total of 54 multiparous sows (Yorkshire×Landrace) with average body weight (BW), backfat thickness (BF), and parity were assigned to one of five treatments with 10 or 11 sows per treatment using a 2×2 factorial arrangement with one additional treatment in a completely randomized design. Inorganic or organic Se (IS or OS) sources were added to the diet at 0.30 ppm and 0.50 ppm Se. A non-Se-fortified corn-soybean meal basal diet served as a negative control. Treatments were as follows: i) Control: corn-soybean based diet, ii) IS30: control+inorganic Se 0.30 ppm, iii) IS50: control+inorganic Se 0.50 ppm, iv) OS30: control+ organic Se ppm, and v) OS50: control+organic Se 0.50 ppm.Results: At day 21 of lactation, piglet weight and weight gain in the OS treatments were higher than those in the IS treatments (p<0.05). Meanwhile, adding 0.5 ppm Se also resulted in the same significant differences in piglet BW and weight gain (p<0.05). Colostrum and milk Se concentrations increased (p<0.05) with Se level for both Se sources but were greater when sows were fed organic Se (p<0.05). Except for 24 hours postpartum, the Se concentrations were higher when sows were fed organic Se (p<0.05). Sow serum Se content was greater as Se levels increased from 0.3 ppm to 0.5 ppm at day 110 of gestation, 24 hours postpartum and day 21 of lactation (p<0.05). The pig serum Se concentration increased as the dietary Se level increased (p<0.05) and was higher when the sow dietary Se source was organic (p<0.05). Organic Se 0.5 ppm also had the highest serum Se level at two measured points (p<0.05).Conclusion: Consequently, supplementation with organic Se or 0.5 ppm Se in a gestating diet could improve piglet performance, the Se status of sows and piglets and milk composition, but organic Se at 0.5 ppm is optimal.

Objective: This experiment was conducted to evaluate the inclusion of dietary nontoxic sulfur levels on growth performance, immune response, sulfur amino acid composition and pork qualitymeat characteristics in growing-finishing pigs.Methods: A total of 140 crossbred pigs ([Yorkshire × Landrace] × Duroc) with an average body weight of 34.73 ± 0.66 kg were used for the 12-week feeding trial. Experimental pigs were allotted to one of 5 treatments in 4 replicates of 7 pigs per pen in a randomized complete block (RCB) design. The experimental treatments were as follows (0%, 0.1%, 0.2%, and 0.4% nontoxic sulfur (NTS) levels): 1) Control: corn soybean meal (SBM)-based diet, 2) NTS0.1: basal diet + NTS 0.1%, 3) NTS0.2: basal diet + NTS 0.2%, 4) NTS0.4: basal diet + NTS 0.4%.Results: Body weight increased linearly as dietary nontoxic sulfur (NTS) levels increased up to 2% (linear, p=0.04) in the early finishing phase (9 weeks). During the whole experimental period, body weight and average daily gain linearly increased as the dietary nontoxic sulfur level increased in the diet (linear, both p=0.01), but quadratic responses in body weight and average daily gain were observed with the addition of NTS 0.4% (quadratic, both p=0.01). In the late finishing period, the IgG concentration increased linearly (linear, p=0.01) as the dietary nontoxic sulfur level increased up to 4%. In the finishing period, a linear response was observed as a dietary nontoxic sulfur level was added (linear, p=0.03), and supplementation with 0.2% NTS resulted in a higher methionine content than the other treatments (quadratic, p=0.01). NST 0.2% had a lower value of TBARS (quadratic, p=0.01). Conclusion:Consequently, supplementation with dietary nontoxic sulfur up to 0.2% could improve growth performance, IgG concentration amino acid composition in hair and meat antioxidation capacity.ve ability in meat quality, suggesting that 0.2% NTS supplementation is the optimal dosage for growing finishing diet.