J. Anim Sci. 2008. 86:1573-1578. doi:10.2527/jas.2007-0662
© 2008 American Society of Animal Science
A regional evaluation of the effect of fiber type in gestation diets on sow reproductive performance1,2
C. S. Darroch,
C. R. Dove,
C. V. Maxwell,
Z. B. Johnson and
L. L. Southern3
S-288 Regional Research Committee on Nutrition and Management of Swine for Increased Reproduction Efficiency,4
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Abstract
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A cooperative regional research study using 194 sows, from which data were collected from 381 litters, was conducted at 3 research stations to determine the effects of added psyllium (a concentrated fiber source) or soybean hulls to gestation diets on reproductive performance of sows and preweaning performance of their pigs. Primiparous and multiparous sows were allotted to the 3 treatments of control (corn and soybean meal-based), 0.30% psyllium, or 20% soybean hulls. Sows fed the control and 0.30% psyllium diets were provided 1.82 kg/d, and sows fed the 20% soybean hulls diet were provided 2.0 kg/d to equalize ME, Lys, Ca, P, and vitamin and trace mineral intake. Treatments 1 to 3 had 130, 130, and 121 litters per treatment from 64, 64, and 63 sows, respectively. Gestating sows fed psyllium had a greater (P < 0.01 to 0.10) d 110 gestation, farrowing, weaning, and 17 d postpartum BW and gestation ADG compared with sows fed soybean hulls. Sows fed psyllium also had a greater (P < 0.10 and 0.08) d 110 gestation BW and gestation ADG than the control sows. Sows fed soybean hulls had a reduced (P < 0.06) farrowing BW compared with the control sows. Sows fed psyllium weaned lighter (P < 0.09) pigs than sows fed the control diet. Litter size was not affected (P > 0.10) by diet. Sows fed psyllium had a reduced (P < 0.03) feed intake compared with sows fed soybean hulls for d 5 to 7 postpartum, and sows fed the control diet were intermediate. Fecal scores (1 to 5 with 1 = dry and 5 = watery) were greater (P < 0.001) and DM content was less (P < 0.001 to 0.01) in the feces of sows fed soybean hulls compared with sows fed psyllium or the control diet on d 112 of gestation and d 4 postpartum. Fecal scores were greater (P < 0.10) and fecal DM content was less (P < 0.02) in sows fed psyllium compared with sows fed the control diet only on d 4 postpartum. In summary, sows fed soybean hulls during gestation had reduced BW compared with sows fed the control diets. In contrast, sows fed psyllium had an increased BW.
Key Words: fiber • gestation • reproduction • sow
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INTRODUCTION
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Reproductive efficiency is a primary factor that determines profitability in swine enterprises. Fiber in gestation diets has been shown to increase reproductive efficiency of sows in some instances, but not others. Regional research involving 8 research stations (699 litters) reported that wheat straw addition to gestation diets (1.8 kg/d or an additional 0.3 kg of wheat straw) increased pigs born live (Ewan et al., 1996
) More recently, Grieshop et al. (2001) summarized the results of 20 publications involving nonstarch polysaccharide addition to diets for gestating sows. They reported that sows fed nonstarch polysaccharide during gestation gained less BW during gestation, lost less BW and consumed more feed in lactation, had more pigs born alive and weaned, and had improved longevity. Grieshop et al. (2001) also commented on the variability in the data and the need for research with a large number of sows and litters to assess the effect of dietary fiber on reproductive performance, which also was pointed out by Cromwell et al. (1989). In contrast to the summary of Grieshop et al. (2001), McGlone and Fullwood (2001), Renteria et al. (2003), and Holt et al. (2006) reported that fiber addition to gestation diets did not improve reproductive performance of sows.
Sohn et al. (1992) observed improved reproductive performance of sows fed a concentrated source of fiber (0.3% psyllium, a natural fiber laxative) for 14 d before farrowing and throughout lactation. This response indicates that concentrated fiber sources fed at low dietary levels may have effects similar to those observed in sows fed high-fiber diets, and the concentrated fiber source may mitigate the detrimental effect of energy dilution in sows fed high-fiber diets (Grieshop et al., 2001). Another potential benefit from feeding fibrous diets to sows during gestation is the possible increased feed intake during lactation (Holzgraefe et al., 1986; Honeyman and Zimmerman, 1990; Yan et al., 1995; Ewan et al., 1996).
Therefore, this regional experiment was conducted to compare the effects of feeding no added fiber or fiber from soybean hulls or psyllium during gestation on reproductive performance of sows.
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MATERIALS AND METHODS
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The methods related to animal care were approved by the Animal Care and Use Committee at each station.
A cooperative regional study was conducted at the Univ. of Arkansas (AR), the Univ. of Georgia (GA), and the Univ. of Tennessee (TN). The number of sows used and other general characteristics at each station are presented in Table 1. Health care, deworming, vaccinations, and newborn pig processing procedures were according to the normal procedures at each station. Data were collected from a total of 381 litters; 153, 62, and 166 from AR, GA, and TN, respectively.
Sows or gilts were used in this experiment. They were allotted to the 3 treatments at breeding based on ancestry, parity, and BW. Sows that were rebred in this study remained on the same treatment. At the beginning of the study, the gestation diets were initiated on the day of breeding and continued through d 4 postpartum. At weaning, the gestation treatment diets were initiated and were fed at the same feeding level as during gestation. The 3 treatments were 1) control corn-soybean meal diet (Table 2) containing (as-fed basis) 3,287 kcal of ME/kg and 0.60% Lys; 2) control diet plus 0.3% psyllium containing 3,278 kcal of ME/kg and 0.60% Lys; and 3) control diet with 20% soybean hulls containing 3,000 kcal of ME/kg and 0.55% Lys. The Lys and ME concentrations were reduced in the diet with soybean hulls to maintain a constant ratio of these nutrients among all treatments. Calcium, phosphorus, salt, and the vitamin premix levels also were reduced to keep a constant nutrient:ME ratio. On d 5 postpartum, the lactation diet (Table 2) was offered on an ad libitum basis. The diets were formulated to meet or exceed the NRC (1988) requirement estimates for all nutrients. Data were collected from 130, 130, and 121 litters from 64, 64, and 63 sows for the control, psyllium, and soybean hull treatments, respectively.
Feed intake during gestation was adjusted for the soybean hull treatment to maintain constant ME and nutrient intake among treatments. Feed intake for the control and psyllium treatments during gestation was 1.82 kg/d, but was increased to 2.00 kg/d for the soybean hull treatment. Some stations (AR and TN) increased gestation feed intake by 0.45 kg/d during the winter months (December, January, and February). The soybean hull treatment feed intake was increased by 0.50 kg/d during the winter months.
Sows were weighed at breeding, d 110 of gestation, 12 h postpartum, 17 d postpartum, and at weaning. Feed consumption was collected from d 110 to d 4 postpartum, from d 4 to 7, from d 8 to 14, and from d 15 to 21 postpartum, and d 17 postpartum to weaning. The number and litter weight of pigs at birth (total and live), at 17 d postpartum, and at weaning were recorded. If pigs were weaned at less than 17 d or at 18, 19, or 20 d, then the actual day that the pigs were weaned nearest to d 17 was used as a covariate in the analysis of the litter weight data. The weaning to rebreeding interval (days to estrus) was determined. Estrus was checked on sows for 21 d after weaning. Cross-fostering was kept to a minimum and was within treatment. Fecal samples were collected on d 112 of gestation (fecal DM gestation d 112, FDMG112) and d 4 postpartum (fecal DM postpartum d 4) for determining moisture percentage by drying in a forced-air oven at 55°C for 24 h. Fecal samples also were scored on d 112 of gestation (fecal score gestation d 112, FSG112) and d 4 postpartum (fecal score postpartum d 4). The scores ranged from 1 to 5, with 1 = dry and hard, 2 = firm, 3 = normal with no evidence of compaction, 4 = loose, and 5 = watery. The subjective scores were made without knowledge of the dietary treatment.
The data were submitted by each station on standardized forms to the study coordinator. The data were analyzed by PROC MIXED (SAS Inst. Inc., Cary, NC). A preliminary analysis was conducted to determine the presence of treatment by station interactions. Station, sow, and residual were considered random effects, and treatment, farrowing number on treatment, and the interactions were considered fixed effects. After the preliminary analysis, the data were reanalyzed with station and sow within station as random effects, and treatment, farrowing number on treatment, and the treatment by farrowing number interaction as fixed effects. The linear and quadratic effects of parity within station were used as covariates. If pigs were weaned at less than 17 d or at 18, 19, or 20 d, then the actual day that the pigs were weaned nearest to d 17 was used as a covariate in the analysis of the litter weight data. The average number of days to d 17 was 16.9 d, with a range of 11 to 20 d. Age at weaning was used as a covariate in the analysis of litter and pig weaning weight data. The average age at weaning was 22 d, with a range of 11 to 37 d. The SED provided for each variable in Tables 3 through 5 represent the greatest SED (different SED for a variable were due to an unequal number of observations per treatment). Treatment means were separated by contrast statements, which were control vs. psyllium, control vs. soybean hulls, and soybean hulls vs. psyllium. Treatment differences were considered different at P 
0.10, but P-values up to 0.20 are presented.
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Table 3. Least squares means of the effect of gestational dietary fiber type on sow BW at breeding, 110 d of gestation, farrowing, and weaning, and on gestation ADG1
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Table 4. Least squares means of the effect of gestational dietary fiber type on litter size and litter and pig BW1
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Table 5. Least squares means of the effect of gestational dietary fiber type on sow feed intake in lactation and fecal scores and moisture content during gestation and postpartum1
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RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
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Statistical analysis of the data indicated that several station x parity interactions were significant; however, there were no treatment x station interactions (P > 0.10). Treatment x station interactions were observed for FSG112 (P < 0.02) and FDMG112 (P < 0.10). Given that those 2 responses were the only 2 with significant treatment x station interactions, all data were pooled.
As previously indicated (Lindemann et al., 2004), over 100 sows per treatment are needed for some reproductive traits to detect a 10% difference, 80% of the time, with a probability value of 10%. The study included herein indicates the value of cooperative research in that on average 127 litter observations per treatment were obtained, which would not have been possible in a reasonable time at any one station.
Gestating sows fed psyllium had a greater (P < 0.01 to 0.10) d 110 gestation, farrowing, weaning, and 17 d postpartum BW and gestation ADG compared with sows fed soybean hulls (Table 3
). Sows fed psyllium had a greater (P < 0.10 and 0.08) d 110 gestation BW and ADG than the control sows. Sows fed soybean hulls had a reduced (P < 0.06) farrowing BW compared with the control sows. Generally, these BW data agree with the summary compiled by Grieshop et al. (2001) who reported a reduced BW at various times during gestation and lactation as a result of fiber addition to gestation diets. We are not aware of previous data where sows were fed a concentrated fiber source such as psyllium, so there are no comparisons to be made. Body weight changes of sows fed fiber are variable as noted by Grieshop et al. (2001), and as observed in our experiment, but our data contrast with the data of McGlone and Fullwood (2001) who reported increased BW by fiber addition to sow diets. Holt et al. (2006), however, reported reduced BW from fiber addition. This variability is probably a result of some researchers equalizing nutrient intake regardless of fiber intake and others who did not. In some studies where nutrient intake was equalized, a lack of knowledge about the fiber source may have resulted in inaccurate adjustment of energy and nutrient intake.
Reproductive performance of sows is presented in Table 4. Sows fed psyllium weaned lighter (P < 0.09) pigs than sows fed the control diet. The lighter BW of weaned pigs is due to these sows nursing slightly more pigs. The increased number of pigs weaned is due to a slight, but nonsignificant increase in number of total pigs born live. There were treatment x farrowing number interactions (P < 0.02) for total born pig birth weight and born alive pig birth weight. Because of this, we analyzed the data from sows fed the treatment diets for 2 farrowing periods separate from sows fed the treatment diets for only 1 farrowing period. For total born pig birth weight (1.49, 1.57, and 1.45 kg for control, psyllium, and soybean hulls, respectively) and born alive pig birth weight (1.51, 1.58, and 1.47 kg for control, psyllium, and soybean hulls, respectively), sows fed psyllium had greater (P < 0.04) pig birth weights than sows fed soybean hulls. No other sow reproductive response variable was statistically different. As with the sow BW data, our data are in general agreement with the summary of Grieshop et al. (2001). Their summary indicated an increase of 0.50 pigs at weaning. We observed an average increase of 0.42 pigs weaned, but our response was not statistically significant. However, the recent data of McGlone and Fullwood (2001) and Holt et al. (2006) indicate a reduced number of pigs weaned in sows fed fiber. There is no obvious reason for these discrepancies. McGlone and Fullwood (2001) included 25% beet pulp in the diet and equalized nutrient intake. Holt et al. (2006) included 40% soybean hulls and also equalized nutrient intake.
One of the suggested reasons that fiber in gestation diets may increase reproductive performance during lactation is that sows fed fiber during gestation may eat more in lactation (Guillemet et al., 2006), resulting in improved litter performance. Our results indicate that fiber addition to gestation diets did not affect sow feed intake in lactation (Table 5) and agrees with Holt et al. (2006). Grieshop et al. (2001), in a summary of the literature on fiber addition to sow diets, indicated a 0.20 kg/d increase in lactation feed intake in sows fed fiber during gestation. Although our data were not statistically significant, sows fed soybean hulls had a similar increase (0.22 kg/d) in feed intake from d 4 to 17 postpartum. This increase in feed intake may relate to the bulkiness of soybean hulls as a feed ingredient in the gestation diet. In this study, feed intake of sows fed the diet with soybean hulls was increased by 9.9% in gestation to equalize ME intake when compared with sows fed the control and psyllium diets. As indicated in the literature, the increased amount of feed consumed in gestation by sows fed diets containing feed-stuffs high in fiber may have increased the capacity of the sow’s digestive tract allowing for increased ADFI in lactation. Sows fed soybean hulls in gestation in this study tended to maintain a greater (4.5%) ADFI from d 4 to 17 postpartum when compared with sows fed psyllium or the control diet with no additional fiber.
Fecal scores were greater (P < 0.001) and DM content decreased (P < 0.001 to 0.01) in feces of sows fed soybean hulls compared with sows fed psyllium or the control diet on d 112 gestation and d 4 postpartum (Table 5). Fecal scores were greater (P < 0.10) and fecal DM content decreased (P < 0.02) in sows fed psyllium compared with sows fed the control diet only on d 4 postpartum. Generally, fecal scores and DM content of sows fed psyllium were intermediate between sows fed the control diet and those fed soybean hulls. A more moist and less firm stool may decrease the incidence of constipation in sows during lactation. Treatment x station interactions were observed in FSG112 (P < 0.02) and FDMG112 (P < 0.10). The increase in fecal score in sows fed the soybean hull diets was of a greater magnitude at AR than at GA or TN. Similarly, fecal DM decreased more at AR than at GA or TN.
In summary, sows fed soybean hulls during gestation had reduced farrowing BW compared with sows fed the control diets. In contrast, sows fed psyllium had an increased BW through the reproductive cycle. Although, not statistically significant, sows fed soybean hulls tended to eat more during lactation, which agrees with much of the published literature.
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Footnotes
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1 Approved for publication by the director of the Louisiana Agric. Exp. Stn. as manuscript No. 07-18-0362. 
2 Appreciation is expressed to Bunge Corporation, Cairo, IL, for providing the soybean hulls and to Nutra Blend, Neosho, MO, for providing the vitamin and trace mineral premixes.
4 Addresses of authors at the time of the study: C. S. Darroch, Dept. Agric. and Natural Resources, Univ. Tennessee at Martin; C. R. Dove, Dept. of Anim. Sci., Univ. of Georgia, Athens; C. V. Maxwell and Z. B. Johnson, Dept. of Anim. Sci., Univ. of Arkansas, Fayetteville; L. L. Southern, School of Anim. Sci., Louisiana State Univ. Agric. Ctr., Baton Rouge.
3 Corresponding author: lsouthern{at}agctr.lsu.edu
Received for publication October 18, 2007.
Accepted for publication March 10, 2008.
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LITERATURE CITED
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Grieshop, M., D. E. Reese, and G. C. Fahey. 2001. Nonstarch polysaccharides and oligosaccharides in swine nutrition. Pages 107–130 in Swine Nutrition. 2nd ed. A. J. Lewis and L. L. Southern, ed. CRC Press, Boca Raton.
Guillemet, R., J. Y. Dourmad, and M. C. Meunier-Salan. 2006. Feeding behavior in primiparous sows: Impact of a high-fiber diet during pregnancy. J. Anim. Sci. 84:2474–2481.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
Holt, J. P., L. J. Johnston, S. K. Baidoo, and G. C. Shurson. 2006. Effects of a high-fiber diet and frequent feeding on behavior, reproductive performance, and nutrient digestibilility in gestating sows. J. Anim. Sci. 84:946–955.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
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Abstract
INTRODUCTION
