Objective: This experiment was to evaluate the effects of the dietary energy levels on the physiological parameters and reproductive performance during gestation over three parities in sows.
Methods: A total of 52 F1 gilts (Yorkshire×Landrace) were allotted to one of four dietary treatments using a completely randomized design. The treatments contained 3,100, 3,200, 3,300, or 3,400 kcal of metabolizable energy (ME)/kg diet but feed was provided at 2.0, 2.2, and 2.4 kg/d in the first, second and third parity, respectively.
Results: The body weight and body weight gain during gestation increased as the dietary energy level increased (p<0.05, and p<0.01) in the first parity. In the second parity, the body weight of sows was the lowest (p<0.05) when 3,100 kcal of ME/kg treatment diet was provided. The body weight was higher as the dietary energy level increased (p<0.05) during the gestation period in the third parity. During lactation, the voluntary feed intake of lactating sows tended to decrease when gilts were fed higher energy treatment diet (p = 0.08) and the body weight, body weight gain were increased by dietary energy level during gestation (p< 0.05). Backfat thickness was not affected by dietary treatment during the gestation period in three parities, interestingly backfat change from breeding to d 110 of gestation was higher as the dietary energy level increased at the first parity (p<0.05). When gilts were fed 3,400 kcal of ME/kg treatment diet a higher number of weaning piglets was observed in the first parity (p<0.05). The highest culling rate (69%) was seen when gestating sows were fed 3,100 kcal/kg ME treatment diet during three parities.
Conclusion: In conclusion, the adequate energy intake of gestating sows should be 6,400 or 6,600 kcal of ME/d, 7,040 or 7,260 kcal of ME/d, and 7,680 or 7,920 kcal of ME/d for parity 1, 2, and 3, respectively.
Keywords: Bakfat Thickness; Body Weight; Energy Level; Reproductive Performance; Sow.