the peri-partum diet of sows

In sows, the synthesis of the colostrum begins several days before farrowing and the different amino acid composition of colostrum compared to milk can justify the hypothesis of different dietary requirements to produce it. The objective of the study was testing the enrichment with threonine, tryptophan and valine in the peri-partum diet of sows on the quality of colostrum, health and growth of piglets, and the body variations and the fecal microbial balance of sows. 99 sows were divided into two groups, balanced by parity number and fed: 1) the standard formula used on late gestation to early lactation (CON; 50 sows; 2) CON diet added with 0.074% L-threonine, 0.034% L-tryptophan and 0.077% L-valine (TRT; 49 sows). The number of pigs born alive, the average live weight at birth, the number of total weaned pigs and their daily gain and the mortality on d1 did not change with the diet, but TRT reduced the percentage of total dead piglets on total suckled pigs (-3.5%, P=0.049). Back fat loss of sows in lactation was marginally reduced (P=0.097). TRT increased IgA content of colostrum, but not the content of main components. Bacterial richness (Chao1) increased in faeces of sows at the end of lactation with TRT, but not bacterial diversity. Selenomonas and Bacillus genus were more abundant in CON and TRT, rsp. Adjusting the amino acid profile of the feed provided in the transition phase between final gestation and early lactation to the colostrum profile could improve the survival of suckled piglets