Beneficial effects of dietary soluble fiber supplementation in replacement gilts: Pubertal onset and subsequent performance

•Soluble fiber supplementation decreased circulating estradiol concentrations in gilts.•Soluble fiber supplementation advanced the pubertal onset in gilts.•Prepubescent feeding of additional soluble fiber in gilts improved the subsequent reproductive performance as sows. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of soluble fiber supplementation prior to puberty on age at puberty and subsequent reproductive performance of gilts. A total of 136 gilts of similar body weight (BW, 60.59±7.02kg) and age (140±10 days) were fed a control diet (CON) or control diet supplemented with 0.8% soluble fiber (SF) until mating at the third estrus. Circulating concentrations of cholesterol, triglyceride, and estradiol in gilts fed the SF diet were lower than in CON gilts at 205d of age. Compared with CON-fed gilts, the SF-fed gilts attained observed puberty 15.6d earlier (P