Evaluating the influence of dietary phytogenic blends on gestating and lactating sows and suckling piglets

Abstract

This experiment was conducted to determine the effect of dietary inclusion of phytogenic blends on the performance of sows during the gestating and lactating periods and suckling piglets. Fifty-one multiparous sows (Landrace × Yorkshire) were randomly distributed into three treatments (17 sows per treatment): T1 (basal diet); T2 (T1 + 0.05% AC blend (Astragalus membranaceus and Chinese Liquorice); T3 (T1 + 0.05% SL blend (Scutellaria baicalensis and Lonicera japonica). Feeding the sows with diets supplemented with AC and SL blends decreased (P < 0.05) bodyweight loss after farrowing to weanling. The number of piglets, average daily feed intake, backfat thickness, and oestrus interval was not influenced (P > 0.05) by diets. Suckling piglets of sows fed with AC and SL blends showed higher (P < 0.05) weanling bodyweight and average daily gain weight. Piglet survival rate and birthweight were not affected by treatments. Feeding sows with AC and/or SL blends did not significantly influence the composition of colostrum or milk. There was not any significant impact on faecal score of suckling piglets. These results indicated that supplementation of phytogenic blends to the diet of sows during gestating and lactating period led to a decline in bodyweight loss after farrowing and could improve litter performance.