The effects of maternal dietary supplementation of cholecalciferol (vitamin D3) and 25(OH)D3 on sow and progeny performance1

Abstract

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title> <jats:p>A total of 69 sows (DNA Line 200 × 400) and their progeny were used to determine if feeding a combination of vitamin D3 and 25(OH)D3 influences neonatal and sow vitamin D status, muscle fiber morphometrics at birth and weaning, and subsequent growth performance. Within 3 d of breeding, sows were allotted to one of three dietary treatments fortified with 1,500 IU/kg vitamin D3 (CON), 500 IU/kg vitamin D3 + 25 μg/kg 25(OH)D3 (DL), or 1,500 IU/kg vitamin D3 + 50 μg/kg 25(OH)D3 (DH). When pigs were sacrificed at birth, there were no treatment effects for all fiber morphometric measures (P &amp;gt; 0.170), except primary fiber number and the ratio of secondary to primary muscle fibers (P &amp;lt; 0.016). Pigs from CON fed sows had fewer primary fibers than pigs from sows fed the DH treatment (P = 0.014), with pigs from sows fed DL treatment not differing from either (P &amp;gt; 0.104). Pigs from CON and DL fed sows had a greater secondary to primary muscle fiber ratio compared to pigs from DH sows (P &amp;lt; 0.022) but did not differ from each other (P = 0.994). There were treatment × time interactions for all sow and pig serum metabolites (P &amp;lt; 0.001). Therefore, treatment means were compared within the time period. At all time periods, sow serum 25(OH)D3 concentrations differed for all treatments with the magnitude of difference largest at weaning (P &amp;lt; 0.011), where serum 25(OH)D3 concentration was always the greatest when sows were fed the DH diet. At birth, piglets from DH fed sows had greater serum 25(OH)D3 concentrations than piglets from sows fed the DL treatment (P = 0.003), with piglets from sows fed CON treatment not differing from either (P &amp;gt; 0.061). At weaning, serum concentrations of 25(OH)D3 in piglets from all sow treatments were different (P &amp;lt; 0.001), with the greatest concentration in piglets from DH sows, followed by CON, and followed by DL. There were no treatment × time interactions for any of the metabolites measured in milk and no treatment or time main effects for 24,25(OH)2D3 concentration (P &amp;gt; 0.068). Colostrum collected within 12 h of parturition contained less (P = 0.001) 25(OH)D3 than milk collected on day 21 of lactation. Regardless of time, concentrations of 25(OH)D3 in milk were different (P &amp;lt; 0.030), with the largest 25(OH)D3 concentration from DH fed sows, followed by DL, and then CON. In conclusion, combining vitamin D3 and 25(OH)D3 in the maternal diet improves the vitamin D status of the dam and progeny and it increases primary muscle fiber number at birth.</jats:p>

Comparative Study of the Effects of Two Dietary Sources of Vitamin D on the Bone Metabolism, Welfare and Birth Progress of Sows Fed Protein- and Phosphorus-Reduced Diets

“…In contrast, the results of the CON animals indicate that at least individual sows presented with 25-OHD 3 plasma concentrations below the reported reference range of 35-70 ng/mL [26]. In line with the present results, Flohr et al [8], Thayer et al [9], Weber et al [10] and Coffey et al [27] also demonstrated positive effects of replacing vitamin D 3 with 25-OHD 3 on the vitamin D status of sows.…”

“…Despite increased plasma concentrations of 25-OHD 3 , the results of previous studies in sows and their offspring [8][9][10] that investigated the use of 25-OHD 3 instead of vitamin D 3 under conditions of adequate protein and phosphorus supply are inconsistent. However, with a dietary reduction in phosphorus, positive effects of 25-OHD 3 on the performance and digestibility of calcium (Ca) and phosphorus have already been demonstrated in growing pigs [11].…”

Dietary 25(OH)D3 supplementation to gestating and lactating sows and their progeny affects growth performance, carcass characteristics, blood profiles and myogenic regulatory factor-related gene expression in wean-finish pigs

“…The difference in outcomes between our study and these others may be due to the doses of vitamin D tested. For example, Thayer et al [5], investigated total vitamin D (D3 alone or combined with 25(OH)D3) levels per kg diet ranging from 1,500 IU to 3,500 IU, 1,000 IU to 2,000 IU and 800 IU to 1,600 IU for sow, nursery pigs, and growing and finishing pigs respectively and reported no effects of treatments on reproduction or pig growth performance. In the current study the total vitamin D/kg diet (basal D3 alone or basal D3 plus 2,000 IU 25(OH)D3) ranged from 2,000 IU to 4,000 IU, 2,500 IU to 4,500 IU and 1,750 IU to 3,750 IU for sows, nursery and growing and finishing pigs, respectively.…”

“…The longer-term consequences on animal health remain to be established. Several studies reported that supplementation of 25(OH)D 3 resulted in increased serum 25(OH)D 3 response in sows, neonatal pigs, nursery pig, grower, and finisher pigs [ 4 , 5 , 7 , 38 – 40 ]. In the present study, an increase in serum 25(OH)D 3 and Ca concentration was detected in growing pigs that received diets supplemented with 50 μg/kg 25(OH)D 3 post weaning.…”

“…Increases in piglet body weight (BW) at birth and weaning were observed when dams were supplemented 2,000 IU/kg 25(OH)D 3 compared to piglets from dams supplemented 2,000 IU/kg vitamin D 3 [ 4 ]. Thayer et al [ 5 ] demonstrated that the feed efficiency of progeny was improved in the nursery from day 0 to 59 when the dams and nursery pigs were fed diets containing 1,500 IU/kg vitamin D 3 +50 μg/kg 25(OH)D 3 compared with pigs from dams fed diets containing 500 IU/kg vitamin D 3 + 25 μg/kg 25(OH)D 3 but no differences in the growth performance of pigs in the finisher phases were observed. A previous study by Flohr et al [ 6 ] noted that growing pigs from sows fed 50 μg/kg 25(OH)D 3 achieved higher average daily gain (ADG) than those pigs from sows fed 800 IU/kg vitamin D 3 .…”