Effect of soybean expeller supplementation in sows in the final phase of gestation on litter birth weight

MASI MIGNACO, SANTIAGO; ALBA CASALS, ANA; CARRANZA, ALICIA ISABEL.; PARADA, JULIÁN

Veterinary World

Veterinary World

Año: 2020 vol. 13 p. 1245 - 1250

0972-8988

Aim: Nutrition plays a key role in the production of pigs, especially in pregnant sows, where modifications in nutritional requirements can affect their productive performance. The aim of this study was to evaluate nutritional supplementation with soybean expeller in sows during the last third of the gestation period and its effect on litter birth weight.Materials and Methods: A quasi-experimental study was conducted on a farrow-to-finish farm, where 192 sows were equally assigned to treatment and control groups. Several variables were recorded at both the sow and piglet level. The treatment group consisted of piglets from 95 sows supplemented with soybean expeller during the final phase of gestation (20 days), and the comparison group consisted of piglets from 97 sows fed only with a commercial balanced ration (control group).Results: Soybean expeller supplementation increased individual piglet weight by 190-270 g, and the increased number of live piglets could decrease the weight of each piglet. Moreover, the number of piglets weighing