Supplementation of mint oil and yeast cell in lactation diets on the antioxidant status of the dam and performance of offspring during the suckling phase

Environmental or metabolic heat can increase oxidative stress in sows and may impact suckling pig growth; yeast cell- and oil-based products are used to alleviate oxidative stress. A study was conducted to assess yeast cell and mint oil supplementation in sow lactation diets on sow anti-oxidant status and offspring performance to weaning. A total of 45 sows and gilts (240.7 ± 38.5 kg BW) were assigned to one of 4 diets: Control diet (CON), control + yeast cell at 0.2% (YC), control + mint oil at 10 ppm (MO), and control + yeast cell and mint oil (YCMO). Diets were provided from d 110 of gestation through weaning (21 ± 4 d). Variables evaluated were: sow and piglet growth, litter characteristics at birth, colostrum and milk oxidative status, sow feed intake. Data analyzed as randomized complete block with sow as experimental unit and Tukey's adjustment as means separation test. There was no effect of maternal diet on sow BW (204.52 ± 43.5 kg) at weaning, piglet birth weight (1.44 ± 0.96 kg), litter size (13.09 ± 6 pig/sow) or sow feed intake (6.32 ± 3.05 kg). Piglets from CON females had lesser gain (P < 0.05) compared with the other groups during the suckling phase (0.23, 0.24, 0.24, and 0.24 ± 0.005 kg in CON, YC, MO, and YCMO group, respectively). Superoxide dismutase activity in sow serum (d110 and weaning), colostrum, and milk was not different among diets and was 39, 59, 45, and 10% lower at weaning than d 110 in CON, YC, MO, and YCMO sows, respectively. Milk glutathione content tended to be lower (P < 0.10) in MO than YCMO sows with CON and YC intermediate (15.2, 32.0, 20.6, and 21.1 U/ml), respectively. Overall, inclusion of yeast cell or mint oil enhanced piglet growth, which may be related to lower sow antioxidant status.