PSVI-11 The Effects of Medium Chain Fatty Acid Supplementation on Sow and Piglet Performance

Abstract A total of 38 mixed parity sows were used from 28-d of gestation until weaning to determine the effects of medium chain fatty acids (MCFA) in sow and nursery pig diets on litter characteristics and growth performance. On 28-d of gestation, sows were blocked by parity and body weight (BW), and allotted to either a control diet (UNSUP) or a control diet plus 0.3% inclusion of DaaFit Plus (MCFA) fed during gestation and lactation. At weaning, piglets (n=432) were allocated in a 2x2 factorial based on maternal diet (UNSUP or MCFA) and post-weaning diet (UNSUPnurs or MCFAnurs) in a 3-phase nursery pig feeding program lasting 42 days. Individual piglets were weighed at birth, 7-d, at weaning and every 2 weeks post-weaning. A flu outbreak occurred during the latter part of gestation leading to high overall stillborn rate (11%). There was no impact of MCFA supplementation on sow performance (P>0.14). During the suckling period, MCFA fed to sows had no impact on piglet weights or ADG (P>0.82). In the nursey period, overall gain (0.112±0.02 kg) was low in the first two weeks possibly due to health challenges. Supplementation of MCFA to sows or nursery pigs had no impact on body weights during the nursery period (P>0.32); however, absolute differences between groups increased with week [wean, 0.10kg; wk 2, 0.14kg; wk 4, 0.71kg; wk 6, 0.83kg) to the advantage of MCFA fed pigs. Pigs from MCFA fed sows had greater feed intake (P< 0.02) from 14 to 28-d and decreased gain:feed (P < 0.04) from 28 to 42-d compared to pigs from UNSUP sows. Overall, sow and nurser-y pigs fed MCFA had numerically greater 42-d BW, ADG, and ADFI. In conclusion, despite health challenges, supplementation with MCFA in gestation, lactation or in the nursery period improved piglet performance.