Effects of lysine and energy intake during late gestation on reproductive performance of gilts and sows under

commercial conditions

M. A. D. Gonçalves*, K. M. Gourley, S. S. Dritz, M. D. Tokach,N. M. Bello, J. M. DeRouchey, J. C. Woodworth, and

R. D. Goodband

Kansas State University, Manhattan

BackgroundBump feeding during late gestation is a widely used practice generally defined as increasing feed intake by about 0.9 kg (2 lb) during the last third of gestation.

Cromwell et al. (1989)– Observed a 40 g (0.09 lb) increase in piglet birth

weight for bump fed gilts and sows. Shelton et al. (2009) and Soto et al. (2011)

– Increase in piglet birth weight from bump fed gilts, but no differences in piglet birth weight of bump fed sows.

Background

However, are these results reproducible under

commercial conditions in high prolific herds

(14.5 total born)?

If so, is the improvement in piglet birth weight

due to amino acids, energy, or both?

ObjectiveTo determine the effects of lysine and energy

intake during late gestation on reproductive

performance of gilts and sows.

Materials and Methods

2 (parity) × 2 (lysine) × 2 (energy) factorialParity (after farrowing): P1 (Gilts) or P2+ (Sows)Lysine: 10.7 or 20 g SID Lysine intake per dayEnergy: 4.50 or 6.75 Mcal of NE intake per day

d 40 d 90 d 111

Group housed (ESF) Dietarytreatments

1,102 females(741 gilts and 361 sows; PIC 1050)

Treatment structure:

Individually housed

Materials and MethodsDesign structure

1. Females were housed in pens by parity level (Gilt vs. Sows)2. Blocked by BW3. Individually and randomly assigned to the dietary treatments

Statistical analysis Generalized Linear Mixed Model (GLIMMIX, SAS Inc.)

– Pen = experimental unit for parity– Female = experimental unit for the dietary treatments– Bonferroni adjustment was used to adjust multiple

comparisons

Feeding stations Calibrated twice a week

Dietary treatments

All other nutrients met or exceeded the NRC (2012) recommendations.

SID Lysine, %Ingredient 0.40 1.06Corn 87.98 62.48Soybean meal (46% CP) 8.05 33.58Monocalcium phosphate 1.60 1.25Limestone 1.50 1.45 Sodium chloride 0.50 0.50 L-Lys-HCl 0.05 0.05 DL-Met --- 0.20 L-Thr 0.04 0.21 Choline chloride 60% 0.10 0.10 Sow VTM 0.15 0.15 Phytase 0.04 0.04TOTAL 100.00 100.00

Dietary treatments

Low SID Lysine (0.40%) High SID Lysine (1.06%)

0.40% 0.59% 1.06%

2.52 2.48 2.45 2.39

SID Lys, %

Diet NE Mcal/kg

SID Lys and NE Intake/d:

10.7 g, 4.50 Mcal

20.0 g, 4.50 Mcal

10.7 g, 6.75 Mcal

20.0 g, 6.75 Mcal

1.9 kg/d

1.8 kg/d

2.7 kg/d

2.8 kg/d

0.73%

Blended fromLow and High Lys

Feed line 1 Feed line 2

Chemical analysis of the diets AA intake: Low High

Energy intake: Low High Low HighDry matter, % 89.3 (87.4) 90.1 (88.0) 89.3 (87.2) 89.8 (87.6)Crude protein, % 13.6 (14.2) 10.4 (11.2) 20.9 (21.5) 15.9 (16.3)Total Lysine, % 0.66 (0.69) 0.48 (0.48) 1.14 (1.21) 0.81 (0.84)

Crude fiber, % 1.6 (2.2) 1.6 (2.1) 2.1 (2.5) 1.9 (2.3)Calcium, % 0.84 (0.85) 0.74 (0.85) 0.79 (0.85) 0.78 (0.85)P, % 0.59 (0.63) 0.59 (0.62) 0.64 (0.66) 0.64 (0.64)Fat, % 2.6 (3.0) 2.5 (3.2) 2.8 (2.7) 2.5 (2.9)Ash, % 4.5 (5.1) 4.0 (4.9) 5.1 (5.8) 4.5 (5.3)

Values in parentheses indicate those calculated from diet formulation and are based on values from NRC, 2012

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

13.416.4

18.4

24.5

10.513.4

18.5

23.0

GiltsSows

BW g

ain

d 90

to d

111

, kg

BW gain (d 90 to d 111)

SID Lysine, g/d 10.7 20.0 10.7 20.0Net energy, Mcal/d 4.50 6.75

SEM = 0.68Lysine x Energy x Parity, P=0.128

Lysine x Energy, P<0.001Parity x Energy, P<0.001

In High Energy intake, BW gain increased 5.3 kg (11.7 lb) with increasing Lys intake, but in Low Energy increased 3.0 kg (6.6 lb)

Compared to High Energy, Low Energy decreased BW gain by 6.5 kg (14.3 lb) in gilts, but 8.8 kg (19.4 lb) in sows.

Total piglets bornSEM = 0.32

Lysine x Energy x Parity, P=0.249Parity, P<0.001

SID Lysine, g/d 10.7 20.0 10.7 20.0Net energy, Mcal/d 4.50 6.75

5

7

9

11

13

15

17

19

14.2 14.1 14.1 14.215.3 14.8 15.1 15.5

GiltsSows

Tota

l pig

lets

bor

n, n

Piglets born aliveLysine x Energy x Parity, P=0.569

Parity x Energy, P=0.092

5

7

9

11

13

15

17

19

13.4 13.4 13.2 13.314.3 13.7 13.5 14.1

GiltsSows

Pigl

ets b

orn

aliv

e, n

Reduced by 0.2 (P<0.001) in sows with High energy intake but no evidence for differences in gilts

95% 95% 94% 94%93% 90%93% 91% 1.0%

SEM

SID Lysine, g/d 10.7 20.0 10.7 20.0Net energy, Mcal/d 4.50 6.75

Stillborn piglets SEM = 0.83Lysine x Energy x Parity, P=0.456

Parity x Energy, P=0.014Lysine, P=0.049

012345678

3.5 3.2 3.6 3.2

5.1

3.7

6.96.1

GiltsSows

Still

born

rate

, %

SID Lysine, g/d 10.7 20.0 10.7 20.0Net energy, Mcal/d 4.50 6.75

SB increased 2.1 percentage points in Sows with High Energy

intake but no evidences for differences in Gilts

Stillborn piglets SEM = 0.83Lysine x Energy x Parity, P=0.456

Parity x Energy, P=0.014Lysine, P=0.049

012345678

3.5 3.2 3.6 3.2

5.1

3.7

6.96.1

GiltsSows

Still

born

rate

, %

SID Lysine, g/d 10.7 20.0 10.7 20.0Net energy, Mcal/d 4.50 6.75

SB reduced 0.7 percentage points in High Lys intake

females

Litter birth weight(Total born) SEM = 0.35

Lysine x Energy x Parity, P=0.453Parity, P<0.001

3

8

13

18

23

28

18.0 17.9 17.8 17.920.7 20.2 20.6 21.0

GiltsSows

Litt

er b

irth

wei

ght,

kg

SID Lysine, g/d 10.7 20.0 10.7 20.0Net energy, Mcal/d 4.50 6.75

Litter birth weight(Born alive) SEM = 0.35

Lysine x Energy x Parity, P=0.405Parity, P<0.001

3

8

13

18

23

28

17.2 17.2 17.1 17.319.6 19.5 19.1 20.0

GiltsSows

Litt

er b

irth

wei

ght,

kg

SID Lysine, g/d 10.7 20.0 10.7 20.0Net energy, Mcal/d 4.50 6.75

Individual piglet birth weight(Total born) SEM = 0.02

Lysine x Energy x Parity, P=0.885Parity, P<0.001

SID Lysine, g/d 10.7 20.0 10.7 20.0Net energy, Mcal/d 4.50 6.75

0.5

0.7

0.9

1.1

1.3

1.5

1.7

1.25 1.27 1.28 1.281.36 1.36 1.38 1.36

GiltsSows

Pigl

et b

irth

wei

ght,

kg

SEM = 0.02Lysine x Energy x Parity, P=0.489

Energy, P=0.011Parity, P<0.001

Individual piglet birth weight(Born alive)

SID Lysine, g/d 10.7 20.0 10.7 20.0Net energy, Mcal/d 4.50 6.75

0.5

0.7

0.9

1.1

1.3

1.5

1.7

1.28 1.28 1.30 1.311.36 1.39 1.40 1.41

GiltsSows

Pigl

et b

irth

wei

ght,

kg

Increased 30 grams (0.07 lb) in High Energy intake compared to Low energy intake females.

Piglets from sows were 97 g (0.21 lb) heavier than from gilts.

CV of birth weight within the litter(Born alive) SEM = 0.76

Lysine x Energy x Parity, P=0.955Parity, P<0.001

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

18.0 18.1 18.4 18.3

23.4 23.0 22.8 21.9

GiltsSows

CV o

f birt

h w

eigh

t with

in th

e lit

-te

r, %

SID Lysine, g/d 10.7 20.0 10.7 20.0Net energy, Mcal/d 4.50 6.75

Litter size after cross-fosteringSEM = 0.44

Lysine x Energy x Parity, P=0.462

Litters standardized (blinded) regardless of dietary treatment

SID Lysine, g/d 10.7 20.0 10.7 20.0Net energy, Mcal/d 4.50 6.75

5.0

7.0

9.0

11.0

13.0

15.0

17.0

19.0

14.5 14.4 14.6 14.314.2 13.7 13.9 14.0

GiltsSows

Litt

er si

ze a

fter c

ross

-fost

erin

g, n

Pre-weaning mortalitySEM = 1.21

Lysine x Energy x Parity, P=0.254Lysine, P=0.034Parity, P<0.001

SID Lysine, g/d 10.7 20.0 10.7 20.0Net energy, Mcal/d 4.50 6.75

5

7

9

11

13

15

17

10.3

8.08.9 8.4

13.7 13.1 13.312.1

GiltsSows

Pre-

wea

ning

mor

talit

y, %

PWM reduced 1.2 percentage points in piglets suckling from High Lys intake females

Wean-to-estrus intervalSEM = 0.49

Lysine x Energy x Parity, P=0.741Parity, P<0.001

SID Lysine, g/d 10.7 20.0 10.7 20.0Net energy, Mcal/d 4.50 6.75

0123456789

6.2 5.8 6.2 5.8

4.4 4.14.7 4.8

GiltsSows

Wea

n-to

-est

rus i

nter

val,

d

Subsequent performance: Farrowing rateSEM = 4.7

Lysine x Energy x Parity, P=0.436Parity, P<0.001

SID Lysine, g/d 10.7 20.0 10.7 20.0Net energy, Mcal/d 4.50 6.75

40

60

80

10088.3 88.4

84.288.6

93.7 93.9 91.387.1

GiltsSows

Farr

owin

g ra

te, %

(P1)

Subsequent performance: Total bornSEM = 0.62

Lysine x Energy x Parity, P=0.208Parity, P<0.001

SID Lysine, g/d 10.7 20.0 10.7 20.0Net energy, Mcal/d 4.50 6.75

8

10

12

14

16

18

13.2 13.2 13.0 13.414.7

15.5 15.5 15.0

GiltsSows

Tota

l pig

lets

bor

n, n

Subsequent performance: Born aliveLysine x Energy x Parity, P=0.459

Parity, P=0.004

SID Lysine, g/d 10.7 20.0 10.7 20.0Net energy, Mcal/d 4.50 6.75

89

101112131415161718

12.4 12.3 12.2 12.613.4

14.2 14.3 13.8

GiltsSows

Born

aliv

e, n

94% 93% 94% 94%91% 92%92% 92% 1.1%

SEM

Summary Body weight gain

– Greater magnitude of gain when Lys and Energy intake were increased simultaneously.

Stillborns– High energy intake increased stillborn rate in sows by 2.1

percentage points, but no effects in gilts. Piglet birth weight

– Total born: No evidence for differences in total litter birth weight and piglet birth weight between dietary treatments.

– Born alive: Increasing Energy increased piglet birth weight in 30 grams (0.07 lb) compared to low energy. No evidence for differences in total litter birth weight and CV.

Summary Pre-weaning mortality

– Piglets suckling from females fed High Lys intake were associated with a reduction of 1.2 percentage points in pre-weaning mortality

WEI and Subsequent performance

– There was no evidence for differences between dietary treatments.

Take home message1. Stillborn rate was increased in bump-fed sows,

but not in gilts.2. Energy influenced individual piglet birth

weight (born alive) but Lys failed to impact birth weight in this highly prolific herd.

3. Individual piglet birth weight (born alive) increased 30 g (0.07 lb) in females fed high energy. In contrast, the impact of parity was over 3 times more than energy (97 g; 0.21 lb).

Thank you!

Acknowledgment: