Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
during late gestation (Loisel
et al.,
2013). Varying effects of a fibrous gestation diet on
periparturient behaviour of the sow were also found. Farmer
et al.
(1995) showed that
sows fed fibrous diets during two consecutive production cycles spend more time lying
on their side and less time standing during the peripartum period, whereas others found
no effects on maternal behaviour (Guillemet
et al.
, 2007b).
Most studies reported no effect of dietary fibres on the weaning-to-oestrus interval (WEI)
and conception rate, whatever the fibre source, the parity or the cycle number (Che
et al.
,
2011; Darroch
et al.
, 2008; Guillemet
et al.
, 2007b; Matte
et al.
, 1994; Paboeuf
et al.
, 2000,
Van der Peet-Schwering
et al.
, 2003b; Veum
et al.
, 2009; Whittaker
et al.
, 2000), with the
exception of one study (Farmer
et al.
, 1996) reporting that the proportion of WEI below
10 d tended to be higher in sows fed a high-fibre diet during pregnancy.
Numerous studies showed no major positive or negative effects of dietary fibre during
gestation on reproductive performance of sows, whatever the parity or the reproductive
cycle (Meunier-Salaün
et al.
, 2001; Philippe
et al.
, 2008; Table 5.3). Potential beneficial
effects on litter size have been suggested when sows were fed a fibrous diet for more
than one reproductive cycle, with a smaller effect after the 2
nd
cycle (Che
et al.
,2011;
Reese
et al.
, 2008; Van der Peet-Schwering
et al.
, 2003b). Litter size was also shown to
increase with a diet providing 350-450 g of NDF per day during gestation (Reese, 1997),
or with diets based on oat hull (40% NDF; Mroz
et al.
, 1986), corn gluten feed (34% NDF,
Honeyman and Zimmerman, 1990), sugar beet pulp (47% NSP; Van der Peet-Schwering
et al.
, 2003b), or wheat straw (Veum
et al.
, 2009). In contrast, a soya hulls-based diet
negatively affected litter size (Holt
et al.
, 2006), and other reports showed no effects
(Table 5.3). Mroz
et al.
(1986) suggested improved embryo implantation and survival
when dietary fibres are introduced in the diet, likely due to the effect of fibres on reducing
absorption of toxins by the large intestine (Bergner, 1981). More recently, Renteria-Flores
et al.
(2008) reported lower gravid uterus and placental weights in sows fed diets rich
in soluble fibre (oat bran), insoluble fibre (wheat straw) or both (soybean hulls), with a
lower number of viable embryos with the latter two fibre sources. Yet, it should be noted
that in the second experiment in the same paper there were no effects on (live) pigs born
and others also reported no effects of a high-fibre diet during early pregnancy on embryo
survival (Athorn
et al.
, 2013).
The influence of dietary fibres supplied during gestation on birth weight and growth of
suckling piglets is highly variable between studies and remains inconclusive. Nevertheless,
some studies showed reduced birth weight with the supply of fibrous diets (Courboulay
and Gaudré, 2002; Van der Peet-Schwering
et al.
, 2003b), and this, especially with fibre
sources such as sugar beet pulp (Danielsen and Vestergaard, 2001; Table 5.3). Matte
et
al.
(1994) noted an interaction between sow parity and the source of fibre used, birth
weight of piglets being lower in first parity sows fed a diet based on oat hulls while being
greater in second parity sows fed a diet based on corn. Other factors such as variation
in feeding level and inaccurate measure of NE intake by sows, especially during the last
stage of gestation when fetal growth can be potentially affected, may also explain the
discrepancy in results between studies. A recent study (Loisel
et al.
, 2013) showed that
feeding a high-fibre diet in late pregnancy affects colostrum composition (but not yield),
