Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
5. High-Fibre feeding in gestation
M.C. Meunier-Salaün
1,2*
and J.E. Bolhuis
3
1
INRA, UMR1348 PEGASE, 35590 Saint Gilles, France;
2
AgrocampusOuest, UMR1348 PEGASE, 35000 Rennes, France
3
Wageningen University, Department of Animal Sciences, Adaptation Physiology Group,
P.O. Box 338, 6700 AH Wageningen, the Netherlands
Abstract
Gestating sows are usually fed low levels of feed, which may not provide sufficient satiety,
and does not allow sows to fully fulfil their motivation to express foraging and feeding
behaviours. Feed restriction may therefore lead to high occurrences of non-feeding oral
activities, including stereotypies, and restlessness and aggressive behaviour in group-
housed sows, which are interpreted as signals of sustained feeding motivation and
frustration. Inclusion of fibres in the diet reduces the energy density of diets and therefore
allows for larger meal sizes without increasing the energy supplied. Moreover, dietary
fibres influence the mechanisms that enhance satiation and satiety at the sensory, post-
ingestive and post-absorptive levels. This chapter reviews the impact of dietary fibres on
behaviour and welfare of gestating sows, and describes their potential consequences for
performance. Dietary fibres generally reduce the occurrence of stereotypies and decrease
restlessness and activity, with some studies also reporting reduced aggression. These
effects are most likely related to behavioural and physiological mechanisms underlying
the impact of dietary fibres on satiety and feeding motivation. The extent of the response
to dietary fibres is, however, variable and depends on the characteristics of the fibrous diet
(inclusion rate, fibre source, physicochemical properties), housing and feeding conditions,
and characteristics of the sows, especially parity, with greater effects in younger sows.
Dietary fibres provided during gestation usually result in increased feed intake of sows
during lactation, probably due to their effects on the size and capacity of the gastrointestinal
tract. Studies on the effects of fibres on reproductive performance are scarce and show
variable results, which might partly be attributed to over- or underestimation of the
energy content of the diet during pregnancy. In conclusion, dietary fibres generally have
a beneficial effect on the behaviour and welfare of gestating sows which are restricted-
fed. The impact of high fibre diets during gestation on reproductive performance over
multiple successive cycles in group-housed sows merits further research.
Keywords:
sows, fibrous diets, behaviour, satiety
5.1
Introduction
Breeding sows are commonly fed to maintain a relatively constant body condition
throughout the reproductive cycle for good health and optimal performance (Dourmad
