Starch supplementation improves the reproductive performance of sows in different glucose tolerance status

Yunyu Yang; Ming Deng; Jianzhao Chen; Xichen Zhao; Kaili Xiao; Wenliang He; Xinggang Qiu; Yanzhen Xu; Yulong Yin; Chengquan Tan

doi:10.1016/j.aninu.2021.03.010

Starch supplementation improves the reproductive performance of sows in different glucose tolerance status

Anim Nutr. 2021 Dec;7(4):1231-1241. doi: 10.1016/j.aninu.2021.03.010. Epub 2021 Aug 27.

Authors

Yunyu Yang¹, Ming Deng¹, Jianzhao Chen¹, Xichen Zhao¹, Kaili Xiao¹, Wenliang He², Xinggang Qiu³, Yanzhen Xu⁴, Yulong Yin⁵, Chengquan Tan^{1

2

6}

Affiliations

¹ Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition Control, National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, Institute of Subtropical Animal Nutrition and Feed, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510642, China.
² Departments of Animal Science and of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA.
³ Guangdong Natural Industry Co., Ltd., Guangzhou, Guangdong 511363, China.
⁴ Center of Experimental Teaching for Basic Courses, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China.
⁵ National Engineering Laboratory for Pollution Control and Waste Utilization in Livestock and Poultry Production, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha, Hunan 410125, China.
⁶ Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510642, China.

Abstract

This study was to evaluate the effects of glucose tolerance status, maternal starch supplementation and soybean substitution in diets on the performance of dams and their offspring. Eighty-eight pregnant sows (Landrace × Large White) were selected from an initial total of 120 sows, based on blood glucose test values, and assigned to 4 experimental treatments in a 2 × 2 factorial design. The factors were glucose tolerance status (glucose intolerant [GIT] vs. normal glucose tolerant [NGT]) or dietary treatments (corn starch diet [CS] vs. soybean substitution diet [SS]). A higher area under the curve (AUC) for post-meal glucose was observed (P < 0.05) in the GIT group than in the NGT group on d 109 of gestation. The CS group had a lower value of homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance than the SS group (P < 0.05) on d 109 of gestation. Corn starch supplementation for sows decreased the stillbirth rate (P < 0.05), regardless of the sows' glucose tolerance status. The villus height of the jejunum and the villus height to crypt depth ratio of the ileum were greater in normal birth weight piglets from the CS group than from the SS group (P < 0.01), and so was the activity of sucrase in the jejunum and ileum (P < 0.01). Compared with the SS group, the CS group showed a reduction in pre-weaning mortality rate, an increase in the number of high-birth-weight piglets, and a decrease in the number of low-birth-weight piglets (P < 0.05) under GIT status. In conclusion, sows fed CS decreased stillbirth rate and improved insulin resistance, as well as improving the intestinal morphology and digestive enzyme activities of their progeny, regardless of glucose tolerance status. Additionally, the CS group improved birth weight distribution and decreased pre-weaning mortality rate of piglets under GIT status.

Keywords: Glucose tolerance; Insulin resistance; Sow; Soybean substitution; Starch; Stillbirth rate.