Effects of dietary arginine supplementation during gestation and lactation on the performance of lactating primiparous sows and nursing piglets1

Abstract

A 2 x 2 factorial arrangement of treatments in a randomized block design was used to determine the effects of dietary Arg supplementation during gestation and lactation on the lactation performance of 38 first-parity sows. At 30 d of gestation, pregnant gilts were allotted based on BW to 1 of 2 diets supplemented with 1% L-Arg.HCl or 1.7% L-Ala (isonitrogenous control). After farrowing, sows were further allotted based on BW within previous gestation treatment groups to 1 of 2 lactation diets supplemented with 1% L-Arg.HCl or 1.7% L-Ala (isonitrogenous control). All gestation diets contained 3.1 Mcal/kg and 12.2% CP (as is) and were fed 2 kg/d in 2 equally sized meals, whereas all lactation diets contained 3.2 Mcal/kg and 18.6% CP (as is) and were fed ad libitum. Litter size was standardized to 10 piglets by cross-fostering within 24 h postfarrowing. On a weekly basis, BW and backfat (BF) thickness of sows, as well as piglet BW were measured, and blood and milk samples were obtained from the sows. Number of days from weaning to estrus and ADFI were also recorded. There were no differences in BW, BF thickness, ADFI, or days until return to estrus among treatment groups. There was no effect of the gestation diet or a gestation x lactation diet interaction on any parameter measured. On d 7 of lactation, plasma concentrations of Arg and insulin in sows, as well as concentrations of most AA in milk, were greater (P < 0.05) in response to Arg supplementation during lactation compared with the control. Weight gain of piglets from sows fed the Arg-supplemented diet during lactation was greater between d 0 and 7 (P < 0.01) and between d 0 and 21 (P < 0.05) of lactation compared with piglets from sows fed the control diet. Collectively, results from this study indicate the potential beneficial effects of dietary Arg supplementation in improving the lactation performance of first-parity sows.

Oxidative stress status of highly prolific sows during gestation and lactation

“…This study utilized multiparous sow to better comprehend the status of oxidative stress during different stages of reproduction. The performance of all sows in this study was normal, which is similar to our previous publications, with regard to BW gain during gestation, BW changes during lactation, feed intake during gestation and lactation, litter size, litter birth weight and litter weight gain (Mateo et al, 2007(Mateo et al, , 2008(Mateo et al, and 2009Kim et al, 2009). In this study, there was no truly non-pregnant sow to compare the oxidative damage with pregnant sow because of practical difficulty in obtaining non-pregnant sows with similar age, parity and BW to those used in this study.…”

Strategies for optimizing nitrogen use by ruminants

“…L-Arginine is an important substrate for NO, and increasing the supply of Arg to the mammary gland could have a positive effect on total AA supply. Indeed, Mateo et al (2008) observed a higher total protein concentration in milk of lactating sows supplied with extra Arg compared to sows on a control diet. However, this effect was only apparent in the first week of lactation.…”

Top-dressing 1% arginine supplementation in the lactation diet of sows does not affect the litter performance and milk composition

“…Arginine stimulates the secretion of prolactin and growth hormone (ReYeS et al, 1994) and participates in angiogenesis in mammary tissue (MATeO et al, 2008). Due to the effects of arginine on nitric oxide production and vasodilation, this amino acid causes an increase in local blood flow, resulting in higher nutrient supply which could increase milk production (TROTTIeR et al, 1997;WU & MeININGeR, 2000).…”

“…In the last decade, research efforts have been directed toward reviewing the nutritional requirements of sows from modern genetic lines at various levels: in the energy and amino acid content of diets, ratios of other amino acids to lysine according to the stage of production, as well as the individual supplementation of some amino acids via top-dressing (KIM et al, 2004;MATeO et al, 2008;YANG et al, 2008).…”

“…Among the amino acids, arginine has been studied due to its importance in milk production and the development of suckling piglets (WU & MORRIS, 1998;KIM et al, 2004;MATeO et al, 2008;LIMA, 2010). Arginine stimulates the secretion of prolactin and growth hormone (ReYeS et al, 1994) and participates in angiogenesis in mammary tissue (MATeO et al, 2008).…”