Acta Veterinaria et Zootechnica Sinica ›› 2025, Vol. 56 ›› Issue (6): 2801-2815.doi: 10.11843/j.issn.0366-6964.2025.06.024

• Animal Nutrition and Feeds • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Effects of Dietary Net Energy and Lysine Levels on Reproductive Performance, Serum Hormone, Lactation Performance and Fecal Flora Diversity of Rongchang Sows in Late Pregnancy

CHEN Zhihua1,2(), WANG Qi2,3, ZHANG Jin1, YANG Liandi1, YANG Tianqing1,2, WANG Jing2,3, LONG Dingbiao2,3, HUANG Jinxiu2,3,*(), HUANG Wenming1,*()   

  1. 1. College of Animal Science and Technology, Southwest University, Chongqing 402460, China
    2. Chongqing Academy of Animal Sciences, Chongqing 402460, China
    3. Center of Technology Innovation for Pig (Chongqing), Chongqing 402460, China
  • Received:2024-12-09 Online:2025-06-23 Published:2025-06-25
  • Contact: HUANG Jinxiu, HUANG Wenming E-mail:332235761@qq.com;short00@163.com;hwmyy@126.com

Abstract:

This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary net energy (NE) and standard ileal digestible lysine (SID Lys) levels on reproductive performance, serum hormone, lactation performance and fecal flora diversity of Rongchang sows in late pregnancy. Seventy-two Rongchang sows (2 to 4 parities) were randomly divided into 9 groups of 8 replicates with 1 pig in each replicate. A 3×3 two-factor design was used, dietary NE levels were 8.75, 9.48 and 10.04 MJ·kg-1, and dietary SID Lys levels were 0.52%, 0.62% and 0.72%. The experiment started at the 84th day of gestation and finished after farrowing. The results showed as follows: Dietary NE level had significant effects on the changes of backfat thickness, estrus interval of sow and birth weight of piglets (P < 0.05). The changes of backfat thickness of sows and birth weight of piglets in 10.04 and 9.48 MJ·kg-1 NE groups were significantly higher than those in 8.75 MJ·kg-1 NE group, and the estrus interval was significantly lower than that in 8.75 MJ·kg-1 NE group (P < 0.05). When the dietary NE level and SID Lys level were 10.04 MJ·kg-1 and 0.52%, the number of live litters born and birth litter weight of piglets were the highest. Dietary NE level had significant effects on serum hormone of pregnant sows (P < 0.05). The contents of serum insulin, follicle-stimulating hormone(FSH) and luteinizing hormone(LH) in 10.04 MJ·kg-1 NE group were significantly higher than those in 8.75 MJ·kg-1 NE group, and the insulin-like growth factor-I(IGF-I) content was significantly higher than that in 9.48 MJ·kg-1 NE group (P < 0.05). Dietary NE level significantly influenced the composition of colostrum (P < 0.05). Lactose content in 10.04 MJ·kg-1 NE group was significantly higher than that in 8.75 MJ·kg-1 NE group (P < 0.05), and the levels of milk protein and dry matter in 8.75 MJ·kg-1 NE group were significantly higher than those in 9.48 MJ·kg-1 NE group (P < 0.05). Dietary NE level significantly affected the relative abundance of fecal flora in sows (P < 0.05). The relative abundance of Firmicutes in 10.04 MJ·kg-1 NE group was significantly higher than that in 8.75 and 9.48 MJ·kg-1 NE groups, and the relative abundance of Lactobacillus in 10.04 MJ·kg-1 NE group was significantly higher than that in 8.75 MJ·kg-1 NE group (P < 0.05), while the relative abundance of Streptococcus was significantly lower than that of 8.75 MJ·kg-1 NE and 9.48 MJ·kg-1 NE groups (P < 0.05). Correlation analysis showed that the relative abundance of Lactobacillus was positively correlated with the content of serum Insulin in sows, and the relative abundance of unclassified_p_251_o5 was negatively correlated with the contents of Insulin and LH (P < 0.05). Dietary SID Lys level had no significant effects on all indexes of pregnant sows (P>0.05). In conclusion, the effects of dietary NE level on reproductive performance, serum hormone, colostrum composition and fecal microflora of sows are greater than those of SID Lys level. When the dietary NE level was 10.04 MJ·kg-1 and SID Lys level was 0.52%, resulting in the largest number of live litters of Rongchang sows.

Key words: Rongchang sow, energy, lysine, reproductive performance, serum hormone, lactation performance, fecal flora

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