Effect of Protein Level during Pregnancy and Lactation on Reproductive Performance in Swine

Abstract

Four trials were conducted to study the effect of protein intake during gestation and lactation on reproductive performance. Of the original 64 sows, 42 completed four consecutive reproductive cycles on their respective diets. During gestation each sow was fed 1.82 kg. daily and each was fed to appetite twice daily during lactation. The diets contained 8, 12, 16 or 20% crude protein and were of similar amino acid balance. No significant differences in number of pigs farrowed alive, birthweight or number of pigs weaned were observed among treatments. There was a significant (P≤.05) linear increase in pig gain from birth to weaning as the protein level was increased in the analysis of the data from all sows, but this trend was not significant for the data from those sows completing four reproductive cycles. Crude protein levels in sow's milk at 2-wk. postpartum increased linearly with increasing dietary protein. The data presented indicate that the diet containing 8% crude protein fed at the level of 1.82 kg. daily during gestation and fed to appetite twice daily during lactation provided adequate protein for satisfactory reproductive performance. However, pig gain from birth to 2-wk. of age was improved by higher levels of protein in the sow's diet. Copyright © 1968. American Society of Animal Science. Copyright 1968 by American Society of Animal Science