Feed flavour supplementation improves kinetics of intake and feeding behaviour pattern of lactating sows in a tropical climate

•Under tropical conditions, climatic factors, impact negatively on the performance and voluntary feed intake of lactating sows.•Lactating sows modify their kinetics of feed intake and feeding pattern during the hot season to reduce the effects of high ambient temperatures.•Change in kinetics of feed intake and feeding pattern impacts on their daily milk production and consequently on litter performance.•Feed flavours offer the potential to change kinetics of feed intake and feeding pattern and increase sow lactation feed intake and as a consequence improve milk production and litter weight gain. A total of 60 mixed parity sows were used in our study to evaluate the impact of the supplementation of a feed flavour during lactation on their feeding behaviour under tropical climatic conditions. Sows were distributed in a 2 x 2 factorial experimental design: two seasons: hot and cool; and two diets: control diet and a diet with the inclusion of a feed flavour during 24 d lactation. The average relative humidity and ambient temperature for the cool season were 23.1°C and 56.5%, respectively. The corresponding values for the hot season were 26.2ºC and 70.1%. No interaction between season and diet composition was found for all traits. Daily feed intake was affected by season (P < 0.001), whereby the feed intake was lower during the hot season than in the cool season (5.66 vs. 7.23 kg/ d). The daily ingestion time was less in the hot than in the cool season (36.8 vs. 72.3 min/ d; P < 0.01) and the ingestion time per meal was also lower in the hot compared to the cool season (5.7 vs. 7.5 min/ meal; P < 0.05). The hot season also reduced (P < 0.01) rate of daily intake when compared to the cool season (36.8 vs. 72.3 g/ min). In both seasons, the proportion of total daily feed intake was higher from 00:00 to 10:00 am. The number of meals per day was not affected (P > 0.10) by dietary flavour inclusion. The average meal size was lower (P < 0.05) in sows fed the control diet when compared with flavour fed sows. Daily feed intake was greater (P < 0.01) in the flavour diet than in the control (6.42 vs. 5.36 kg/ d). The ingestion time was affected (P < 0.05) by the flavour, whereas sows from the control had a lower ingestion (58.4 vs. 46.6 min/ d). Sows receiving flavour showed a higher (P < 0.01) nocturnal (704 vs. 583 g/ meal) and diurnal (678 vs. 582 g/ meal) feed intake when compared to control fed sows. This study confirms that the feeding behaviour of the lactating s