Journal of Animal Science, Vol 73, Issue 6 1741-1745, Copyright © 1995 by American Society of Animal Science

JOURNAL ARTICLE

Effect of supplemental yeast culture in sow gestation and lactation diets on apparent nutrient digestibilities and reproductive performance through one reproductive cycle

T. L. Veum, J. Reyes and M. Ellersieck
Department of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia 65211, USA.

Ninety-six crossbred sows and gilts were used to study the effect of yeast culture (Diamond V. Mills, Cedar Rapids, IA) on apparent nutrient digestibilities and reproductive performance from d 60 of gestation through d 21 of lactation. Sows were allotted to treatment groups based on parity and BW. Four dietary treatments were made by substituting 0, .5, 1.0, or 2.0% yeast culture for wheat middlings in the basal gestation and lactation diets. During gestation, sows were fed 2.15 kg/d of a 12.5% CP corn-soybean meal diet containing 25.0% alfalfa meal that provided 6.39 Mcal of ME/d. During lactation, sows were fed a 13.5% CP corn-soybean meal diet containing 12.5% alfalfa meal (3.16 Mcal of ME/kg) to appetite daily. Yeast culture supplementation did not affect (P > .3 to .9) the apparent digestibilities of DM, energy, CP, ether extract, ADF, and NDF in gestation (d 90 to 97) or lactation (d 14 to 21), sow weights on d 107 of gestation and d 1 and 21 of lactation, lactation feed intake, or days from weaning to first estrus compared to control sows. Also, yeast culture treatment had no effect (P > .3 to .5) on number of live pigs/litter at birth and d 21 or total litter weight on d 21. In conclusion, supplemental yeast culture in gestation and lactation diets containing alfalfa meal did not affect apparent nutrient digestibilities and reproductive performance criteria through one reproductive cycle.