SeaMark WP4 dataset: immune and inflammatory biomarkers modulated by seaweed intake in sows

The dataset consists of data from 1) biomarkers derived from colostrum and blood serum, 2) clinical examination of sows, 3) sows feed consumption, and 4) production data in relation to farrowing and the sows' litter (recorded by the farmer in the farm's efficiency control system). In addition, the dataset include general information like animal-identifier, parity, breed, batch, experimental group (see below), and relevant dates. There is one row per sow and the study was conducted on a single Danish production sow farm. The biological material and other data are from sows fed a commercial sow diet and sows fed this diet supplemented with EP119 (fermented seaweed); denoted as the CON (controls) and EXP groups, respectively. These research data were collected in the Horizon Europe project SeaMark work package 4. The dataset contains data from a total of 400 sows (326 Topigs Norsvin TN70, a Dutch-Norwegian sow breed line; 74 DanBred, a Danish sow breed), which can be divided into three substudies: Focal-1) 34 TN70 3rd parity sows, 21 CON and 13 EXP; MultiPar) 229 sows of parity 2 to 9, 182 TN70 and 47 DanBred, 119 CON and 110 EXP; and Focal-2) 137 of parity 2 to 8, 110 TN70 and 27 DanBred, 72 CON and 65 EXP. Individual health data and data on piglet growth (at litter level) was only obtain for Focal-1 and Focal-2 sows whereas only feed consumption and general production data were obtained for MultiPar sows. It should be noted that Focal-2 and MultiPar sows may be considered as one larger group with Focal-2 sows being a subset examined further (e.g., with blood biomarkers and clinical examination). The biomarkers used are inflammation markers, markers for oxidative stress, etc. that can describe the health status of the sows in verious ways.