EFFECT OF A SENSORY ADDITIVE TO MAXIMIZE SOW FEED INTAKE AND PERFORMANCE OF PIGLETS DURING LACTATION UNDER HEAT STRESS CONDITIONS

Longevity of the sows is a major concern in pig production, which is negatively affected when the sow body condition is not properly restored shortly after weaning. Therefore, feed intake (FI) becomes crucial to prevent the excessive body reserve mobilization during lactation, but also in promoting milk production and therefore maximizing litter performance. This situation is more exacerbated under heat stress conditions, in which FI is severely affected. The aim of the present study was to increase the sow FI and to maximize litter performance during lactation under heat stress conditions. A total of 20 Landrace x Large White sows were used. Animals were individually caged in farrowing crates one week before parturition according to their body weight, backfat thickness and parity and randomly assigned to two treatments (10 sows/treatment): Control diet, (C) or a diet containing a sensory additive (SA) included at 0.075% (Luctamax Sows, Lucta S.A., Barcelona, Spain). All diets were offered restricted from entry to the farrowing unit until parturition and ad libitum afterwards until weaning. For the sows’ body weight (BW, kg) a scale was used; back fat (BF, mm) was registered by ultrasound echography (in mm). Both measurements were performed at the entry to the farrowing unit and at weaning. Piglets’ performance was also monitored from birth to weaning (21 d of life). Higher temperature during the trial was over 30ºC (reaching a maximum of 37ºC). Data were analyzed by using the TTEST procedure of SAS. Results showed that SA sows increased up to 6.2% their FI compared with the C group (5.86 kg/d vs 5.52 kg/d, P = 0.08) from farrowing to weaning. Regarding the body reserves mobilization, BW (-24.7 kg vs -29.4 kg) and BF (-1.00 mm vs -3.30 mm) loses were numerically less in SA sows compared with C sows, respectively (P > 0.05). Finally, concerning performance of piglets, the inclusion of the SA tended to increase the growth during the first week after farrowing (0.174 kg/d vs 0.156 kg/d, P = 0.06) compared with the C group, respectively with no significant differences for the whole lactation period. Similarly, piglets weaning BW was slightly numerically greater for piglets born from SA sows compared with the control group (5.62 kg vs. 5.53, P > 0.05), respectively. Results suggest that the dietary inclusion of the sensory additive Luctamax Sows at 0.075% in the lactation diet from entry to the farrowing unit until weaning increased sows FI and prevented body reserves mobilization, having also benefits in the offspring, specially one week after farrowing. These results prove the potential of a sensory additive in helping the sows to cope with the lactation phase, especially under heat stress conditions.