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Effect of Supplemental Choline on Reproductive Performance of Sows: A Cooperative Regional Study

Abstract

Five hundred and fifty-one sows were used in 22 trials at nine stations to evaluate the effects of supplemental choline (770 mg/kg of diet) during gestation and lactation on litter size at birth and weaning. During gestation sows were fed approximately 2.0 kg per day of a corn-soybean meal type diet calculating 15.0% protein and fortified with vitamins and minerals at levels to meet estimated requirements. A similar diet was fed during lactation except that 7.5% beet pulp was substituted for an equal amount of corn. The majority of the sows were full fed during lactation. Diet formulas and feeding methods were essentially standardized; but, each station secured ingredients and mixed its own diets. Sows fed diets supplemented with choline farrowed more total pigs per litter (10.54 vs 9.89) and more live pigs per litter (9.33 vs 8.64) and had more pigs at 2 weeks of age (7.72 vs 7.29) than did sows fed the unsupplemented diet. There were fewer spraddle leg pigs on the treated diet (29 vs 42); however, most of the spraddle leg pigs were from one station and within one breed, suggesting a genetic effect and possibly an environmental factor other than dietary choline level.

¹ The Committee during the course of this study included: L. T. Frobish, ARS; A. H. Jensen, Illinois; T. Cline, Indiana; V. C. Speer, Iowa; G. L. Allee, Kansas V. W. Hays, Kentucky; E. R. Miller, Michigan; R. J. Meade, Minnesota; T. L. Veum, Missouri; E. R. Peo, Jr., Nebraska; R. L. Harrold, North Dakota; H. S. Teague, Ohio; R. C. Wahlstrom, South Dakota; R. H. Grummer, Wisconsin and J. A. Hoefer, Michigan, Administrative Advisor. Manuscript prepared by V. W. Hays.

² Appreciation is expressed to Mr. V. R. Heaton, Calcium Carbonate Co., Quincy, Illinois for the trace mineral mixture and to Dr. T. Berry, Commercial Solvents Corp., Terre Haute, Indiana for supplying choline and for the choline assay on the sample diets.

³ Published with the approval of the Director of Agricultural Experiment Station, University of Kentucky, as Journal Article 75-5-110.