There has been minimal research into the most humane, practical method for on-farm euthanasia of suckling and weaned piglets. The goal of the research presented in this thesis was to test the effectiveness of a non-penetrating captive bolt (Zephyr-E) for euthanasia of piglets ≤ 9 kg. Brainstem and spinal reflexes and heartbeat were used to determine the time to insensibility and death. Post-mortem damage was scored to assess the degree of traumatic brain injury (TBI) induced by the Zephyr-E. The Zephyr-E consistently resulted in immediate, sustained insensibility until death in piglets ≤ 9 kg. Skull fractures and subdural and parenchymal hemorrhage were present in all piglets. Neonatal piglets had longer durations of convulsions and heartbeat and more severe damage than weaned piglets, suggesting age and weight effect TBI. Overall, the Zephyr-E was a highly effective, single step method of euthanasia for suckling and weaned piglets up to 9 kg. / Canadian Swine Research and Development Cluster (CSRDC) and National Pork Board (NPB)

No description available.

This thesis research was conducted to test the hypothesis that the survival and growth of both neonatal and postweaning piglets can be improved by nutritional modulations. Two experiments were carried out to 1) evaluate effects of birth weight on mortality, growth performance, and efficiency of sow-reared piglets; and 2) determine the effects of a phytochemical (Yucca schidigera) on growth performance of postweaning pigs. In the first experiment, piglets (n=160) from 18 multiparous sows (Landrace X Large White) were used. Body weight of all piglets were recorded immediately after birth, d 7, d 14, d 21 and d 35 of their age. Individual milk consumption of piglets was estimated using the weigh-suckle-weigh method. Average daily gain and mortality were recorded. To analyze the effects of birth weight on future BW and growth, piglets were classified based on their birth weight into four categories of A: 0.7-1.09 kg, B: 1.10-1.49 kg, C: 1.50-1.89 kg and D: >1.90. Data were statistically analyzed using one-way ANOVA. Results indicated that low birth weight of pigs not only increased (P < 0.05) their incidence of mortality but also negatively impacted (P < 0.05) their whole-body growth. Interestingly, surviving low-birth-weight piglets had a higher (P < 0.05) rate of efficiency to utilize milk nutrients for growth than larger littermates. In the second experiment, two 21-day trials using 21-d-old postweaning piglets (n=111) were performed (d 21 to 42 of age). In the first trial, pigs were assigned to one of the three groups fed diets supplemented with 0 (control), 120 ppm or 180 ppm of Yucca powder (BIOPOWDER). The second trial was conducted as the first trial except that the basal diet contained 0.2 percent L-citrulline (an effective precursor of arginine). Body weight, average daily gain and feed intake of all pigs were measured weekly in both trials. At the last day of experiment, 2 h after the last meal, jugular blood samples were taken from all pigs in both trials for amino acid analysis. One-way ANOVA was used to statistically analyze the data. When the basal diet did not contain citrulline, dietary supplementation with BIOPOWDER did not affect (P > 0.05) any of the measured variables related to growth performance. However, supplementing an appropriate dose of this yucca extract (120 ppm) to a citrulline-fortified diet increased growth performance and feed efficiency in these animals. Adequate availability of arginine is required for BIOPOWDER to exert its anabolic effect on piglet growth and its regulatory action on improving the efficiency of nutrient utilization in young pigs. These findings have important implications for nutritionally modulating the growth of neonatal pigs and, therefore, the swine industry worldwide.

O objetivo do presente estudo foi avaliar os efeitos da suplementação de levedura hidrolisada (fonte de nucleotídeos) em dietas de porcas em fase de lactação sobre o consumo de ração e peso corporal, composição bromatológicas do leite, concentração de RNA e nucleotídeos, e desempenho da progênie. Os nucleotídeos foram derivados de uma levedura hidrolisada (Hilyses®, ICC Brazil). Foram utilizadas 80 porcas (Agroceres PIC®) distribuídas em um delineamento inteiramente casualizado, com 4 tratamentos (0, 4, 8 e 12 kg/ton de Hilyses) e 20 repetições, sendo cada porca uma unidade experimental. As porcas foram alimentadas com as dietas experimentais 3 dias antes da parição, quando foram transferidas para a maternidade, até o desmame dos leitões aos 21,57 ± 0,88 dias de idade. O número de leitões por matriz (10,48 ± 0,26) e peso dos leitões (1,70 ± 0,04 kg) foram ajustados (equalizados) ao nascimento. Os parâmetros avaliados nas porcas foram peso ao parto (PPP, kg), peso ao desmame (PPD, kg), perda de peso (PPC, %) e consumo de ração (CR, kg). O número de leitões desmamados (NLD), peso do leitão ao desmame (PD, kg), peso da leitegada ao desmame (PLD, kg), ganho de peso da leitegada (GPL, kg), mortalidade (M, %) e produção de leite (PL = 1kg de GPL = 4kg de leite produzido) foram mensurados. Amostras de colostro e leite (aos 11 e 20 dias de lactação) foram coletadas para análises bromatológicas, RNA (mg/ml de leite) e nucleotídeos e nucleosídeos (g/ml leite). Os dados foram analisados pelo GLM (SAS), e as médias comparadas pelo teste de Tukey (P=0,05). A suplementação de nucleotídeos na dieta de porcas em fase de lactação não resultou em diferenças (P>0,05) no PPP, PPD, PPC e CR. Os leitões das porcas alimentadas com dietas suplementadas com levedura hidrolisada tiveram uma melhora (P<0,05) no NLD, PLD, GPL, M e PL quando comparados com as não suplementadas com a levedura hidrolisada. Não houve diferença (P>0,05) entre os tratamentos no PD. Em geral os níveis 8 e 12 kg/ton de inclusão de Hilyses mostraram os melhores resultados de desempenho dos leitões (6% e 4,5% maiores sobre o GPL) e menor M (41,7% e 53,5% comparados ao grupo controle). Os resultados das análises bromatológicas do colostro e leite de porcas tiveram uma composição similar entre os tratamentos, no entanto houve uma tendência de aumento na lactose com o aumento da inclusão de Hilyses. A concentração de RNA no leite (aos 11 e 20 dias de idade) foram maiores (P<0,05) nos tratamentos com suplementação da levedura hidrolisada. O total de nucleotídeos e nucleosídeos no leite foram afetados (P<0,05) pelos tratamentos aos 20 dias de lactação. Este estudo demonstrou que a suplementação para porcas lactantes teve um efeito positivo na qualidade do leite, e consequentemente, aumentou o ganho de peso da leitegada e o número de leitões desmamados (+3,5%). / The objective of this study was to evaluate effects of hydrolyzed yeast (nucleotide source) in farrowing sows diets on feed intake and body weight, milk bromatological composition, RNA and nucleotides, and progeny performance. The nucleotides were derived from a yeast source (Hilyses®, ICC Brazil).The trial was conducted with 80 sows (Agroceres PIC®) distributed in a completely randomized design, with 4 treatments (0, 4, 8, or 12 kg/MT Hilyses®) and20 replications of 1 sow in each per treatment. The sows were fed experimental diets starting 3 days before farrowing, when sows were transferred to the maternity unit, until weaning of piglets at 21 days of age. The number of piglets per sow (10.48±0.26) and piglet weight (1.70±0.04kg) was adjusted (equalized) at birth. The sow parameters were weight after farrowing (WF,kg), weight after weaning (WW,kg), weight loss (WL,%), and feed intake (FI,kg). The number of weaned piglets (NWP), piglet weight at weaning (PWW,kg), litter weight at weaning (LWW,kg), litter weight gain (LWG,kg), mortality (MORT,%), and milk production (MP,kg; 1kg of piglet weight = 4kg of milk) were measured. Samples of colostrum and milk (11, 20 days of lactation) were collected for laboratory bromatological analysis, RNA (mg/ml milk) and nucleotides and nucleosides (&#956;g/ml milk). The data were analyzed using the GLM (SAS), and means were compared by Tukeys test (P=0.05). Nucleotide supplementation in the diet of farrowing sows resulted in no difference (P>0.05) in WF, WW, WL, or FI. The piglets from sows fed diets supplemented with nucleotides had improved (P<0.05) NWP, LWW, LWG, MORT, and MP compared with unsupplemented diets. There were no differences (P>0.05) between treatments in PWW. In general, the 8kg/MT and 12kg/MT levels showed best piglet performance results (6% and 4.5% higher LWG than control group) and lower MORT (41.7% and 53.5% lower than control group). The results of bromatological analysis of colostrum and milk had a similar composition between the treatments, however, there was a numerical increase tendency in lactose with hydrolyzed yeast supplementation. Hilyses® supplementation gave no significant response (P>0.05) in Total RNA in colostrums, but the amount of RNA present in milk at 11 and 20 days of lactation significantly increased (P<0.05). The total of nucleotides and nucleosides in milk at 20 days of lactation period were affected (P<0.05) by treatments. This study demonstrated that supplementation of nucleotides to farrowing sows had a positive carryover effect on milk quality, which, consequently, increased the litter weight gain and the number of, weaned piglets (+3.5%).

El principal objectiu d'aquest treball es avaluar els efectes d'un additiu comercial XT (5% carvacrol, 3% cinamaldehide, 2% oleoresina d capsicum) sobre els rendiments productius i diferents paràmetres de la fisiologia digestiva del garrí deslletat precoçment. Un altre objectiu d'aquest treball es avaluar les possibles interaccions del XT amb altres ingredients, nutrients i additius de la dieta. Aquest treball s'ha d'entendre com a part d'un ampli pla de recerca multicentric organitzat per la companyia Pancosma. En concret hem avaluat i) l'efecte del XT als paràmetres mencionats depenent del nivell i font de proteïna, ii) la possible interacció entre l'XT i l'àcid fòrmic, i la comparació de l'efecte del XT amb l'acció de l'avilamicina i el butirat sòdic. Finalment, després de tres anys de col·laboració i donat l'interès de la companyia en desenvolupar nous productes basats en extractes de plantes, hem desenvolupat un mètode in vitro per testar el poder antimicrobià d'un ampli ventall de substàncies derivades de plantes. Al treball in vitro, el nostre objectiu ha sigut desenvolupar un mètode molt simple però realista, utilitzant el contingut de diferent trams del tracte intestinal, obtingut dels porcs sense cap modificació, i incubant-lo curts períodes de temps.Resultats productiusEls resultats productius són molt variables entre experiments. Aquestes variacions són degudes probablement a l'ús de diferent instal·lacions, edats i estats de salut dels animals i la diferent composició de les dietes bassals.Mesures fisiològiques i físiquesLa digestibilitat ileal i rectal i el pH en les diferents part del tracte gastrointestinal s'han estudiat de manera sistemàtica a les tres proves in vivo però no s'han obtingut resultats consistents. Tanmateix, la inclusió de extractes de plantes a la segona prova va provocar un alentiment del buidament gàstric realcionat amb un augment del pH de l'estomac.Poblacions microbianes El resultat més consistent de tots els obtinguts es l'augment de lactobacillus amb la inclusió del XT a les dietes. Malauradament, la rellevància d'aquest augment no està gens clara perquè no va tenir relació directa amb cap benefici productiu. La inclusió del XT ha afectat també altres paràmetres microbians: la concentració de bases púriques i els perfils d'àcids grassos volàtils. Aquest resultats no són molt consistents i de vegades contraris.Paràmetres epitelialsS'han estudiat els efectes del XT a l'estructura epitelial però una vegada més els resultats són molt variables depenent de la prova. De totes maneres queda clar que l'XT exerceix una gran influencia sobre certs paràmetres immunes del epiteli, i s'han de continuar investigant amb tècniques més especifiques.Estudis in vitroEl mètode in vitro s'ha utilitzat amb èxit pe compara diferents additius. Les variacions de fermentació in vitro no només depenen del additiu utilitzat, sinó també de l'edat de l'animal i de la part del tracte gastrointestinal utilitzada d'on s'obté l'inocul. Aquestes variacions s'han d'analitzar amb deteniment.D'aquests estudis podem concloure que les dosis comercials de XT no presenten efectes antimicrobians directes sobre les poblacions microbianes estudiades (lactobacillus i enterobacterias). Utilitzant el contingut de jejú com inocul, es necessiten dosis properes a 10000 ppm per obtenir efectes antimicrobians. D'altre banda, amb dosis més baixes de les substàncies pures s'aconsegueixen efectes similars. Aquestes dosis varien entre 500 i 3000 ppm de carvacrol i cinamaldehid, depenent de la part del tracte gastrointestinal estudiada. Amb tots els productes, la dosis mínima necessària per inhibir la fermentació es sempre menor amb el contingut del jejú. / The main objective of this PhD dissertation is to evaluate the effects of the commercial additive XT (5% carvacrol, 3% cinnamaldehyde, 2% capsicum oleoresin) on productive performance and on different parameters of normal digestive physiology of the early weaned pig: digestibility, pH, epithelial structure, bacterial populations and metabolic activity. It is also an objective of this work to evaluate possible interactions of XT with other ingredients, nutrients and additives included in the diet. This work must be understood in a broader multi-centric research plan organized by the company Pancosma. In particular, the experiments here presented evaluate i) the effects of XT on the above mentioned parameters depending on the CP level and source, ii) the possible interaction between XT and formic acid, and finally the comparison of the effects of XT with the action of avylamycin and butyrate. After three years of collaboration and given the interest of the company in developing new products based on plant extracts, we developed an in vitro methodology to test the antimicrobial effects of a wide range of plant derived substances. Concerning the in vitro method, our objective was to develop a very simple but realistic method able to obtain significant results, using crude intestinal content obtained from the pigs and incubating it for short periods.Productive performanceThe performance results were very variable among the experiments. These variations were probably due to the use of different facilities, age and health status of the animals and the different composition of the basal diets.Physiologic and physical parametersIleal and whole tract digestibility and pH measurements in different parts of the gastrointestinal tract were systematically studied in the three in vivo trials but no consistent effects of including plant extracts were found. However, plant extracts inclusion in the diet in the second trial resulted in a decrease of gastric emptying rate and an increase of pH. Microbial populations The most consistent result in the three experiments was an increase in lactobacilli counts with the inclusion of XT in the diets. However, the relevance of this higher intestinal lactobacilli content is not clear, since there was no direct relation with productive benefits. XT inclusion also had an effect on other microbial parameters: purine bases concentration and VFA profile. However, those results were not very consistent and often were highly controversial.Epithelial parameters The effects of XT on the epithelial structure were studied and, once more, the results were very variable depending on the trial. However, a high influence of XT was found on some immune parameters measured in the epithelium and in the lamina propia, results that encourage continuing investigating these effects with more specific techniques.In vitro studies The in vitro method was successfully used to compare different additives. Variations in in vitro fermentation were found not only depending on the additive used but on the age of the animal and on the gastrointestinal tract part used as source of the inoculum. These variations should be studied in more detail in the future.From these studies, we can conclude that the recommended commercial dose of XT presents no direct antimicrobial effect on the studied populations (lactobacilli and enterobacteria). Doses of near to 10000 ppm are needed to obtain antimicrobial effects in jejunum content. However, lower doses were needed when the pure substances instead of the XT mixture were used. These doses were between 500 and 3000 ppm for carvacrol and cinnamaldehyde, depending on the gastrointestinal tract part studied. The minimum dose of all studied substances to produce antimicrobial effects was always lower for the jejunum than for stomach or cecum content.

Amino acids (AA) are required for protein accretion and the need for a specific AA depends on the physiological status, breed, and the health of the pig. Inasmuch as the AA requirements for growing pigs are given in an ideal AA ratio for protein accretion, the utilization of all AA is beyond growth and at least 30% of the total dietary AA will be used by the splanchnic tissue. A ban in the use of antimicrobial growth promoters (AGP) in piglets’ diets is likely to increase incidences of disease occurrence and exert additional AA requirements. Immune challenge models were used to determine standardized ileal digestible (SID) Lys and sulfur amino acids (SAA):Lys requirements for piglets under an antibiotic-free feeding regime. The first objective was to establish the dietary Lys requirement for piglets raised under both clean and unclean sanitary conditions. The Lys requirement could not be determined in the first experiment. However, from the second and third experiments the dietary SID Lys content for optimal growth of 7 to 16 kg weaned piglets was estimated to be 1.32%. The objective of fourth experiment was to determine the optimum SID SAA:Lys ratio in piglets when reared under clean or unclean conditions. Based on performance parameters, the optimum SAA:Lys ratios were 58 and 61 for piglets raised under clean and unclean conditions, respectively. However, VH estimates were 60 and 66 SAA:Lys under clean and unclean sanitary conditions, respectively. The objective for the fifth experiment was to determine SID SAA:Lys ratio of piglets under an enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli challenge using genes for expression of key products in the Met metabolic pathway. Gene expressions of methionine adenosyltransferase 1 and 2-α, 5-methyltetrahydrofolate-homocysteine methyltransferase, and cystathionine γ-lyase was done for liver and ileal tissue. The gene expressions indicates that the dietary SAA:Lys ratio of 60 was enough to support piglet’s immune response and performance during an immune challenge. Therefore, under an antibiotic-free feeding regime, the Lys requirement recommended by NRC (2012) is sufficient, however, the SAA:Lys should be raised to 60 in diets of both healthy and immune challenged piglets.

Master of Science / Department of Animal Sciences and Industry / Jim L. Nelssen / Two experiments evaluated the effect of colostrum and energy supplementation on the performance and immune response of baby piglets. In Exp. 1, 301 newborn pigs (Line 600 × 241; DNA, 1.48 kg) were used in a 21-d study. Pigs were weighed and allotted to one of three treatments at 6-h of age in a randomized complete block design with 23 replications (litters) per treatment. Piglets were blocked by weight and randomly assigned a treatment. Runt piglets (birthweight < 0.8 kg) were tested in experiment 1 and 2. Dietary treatments were a control with no dietary supplementation, an energy supplement (1.5 ml containing glucose, dried milk, medium chain triglycerides, and tea extract), and bovine colostrum (30 ml). The supplements were given as an oral gavage. A single treatment was administered at 6-h after birth. At 30-h of age approximately 1ml of blood was obtained for an immunocrit assay of serum. The glucose based energy supplement (milk protein, medium chain triglycerides) had no (P > 0.05) effect on weight or ADG at any of the weigh periods (30-h, d 5, d 7, d 14, and weaning), immunocrit ratio, or survival rate. The bovine colostrum treatment had a negative (P < 0.05) effect on weight at 24-h, d 5, and d 7, immunocrit ratio, and survival rate. There was no (P > 0.05) effect of treatment on weight at weaning. . In Exp. 2, 364 newborn pigs (Line 600 × 241; DNA, 1.48 kg) were used in a 21-d study. Pigs were weighed and allotted to one of three treatments in a randomized complete block design with 25 replications (litters) per treatment. Dietary treatments were a control with no dietary supplementation, an energy supplement (1.5 ml, glucose based, containing milk protein, medium chain triglycerides, and tea extract), and bovine colostrum (10 ml). The supplements were given as an oral gavage. A single treatment was administered at 6-h after birth. At 30-h of age blood was collected for analysis of serum immunocrit. Body weights, ADG during the duration of the trial, immunocrit ratio, and survival rates were similar (P > 0.05) for the treatment groups. In both experiment 1 and 2 there were no treatment by weight group interaction. In summary, under the conditions of these experiments supplementation of 30 ml of bovine colostrum had a negative effect (P < 0.05) on immunocrit ratio and survival rate (P > 0.05), of the treatments affected on weaning weights when compared to the control.

Vocalizations are widely studied as possible non-invasive indicators of welfare. The most common vocalizations in pigs are grunts and screams. This thesis is focused on the relationship between vocal parameters of piglet's grunts and screams and the behavioural arousal (which is assumed to indicate stress intensity) during the social isolation.

O objetivo do presente estudo foi avaliar os efeitos da suplementação de levedura hidrolisada (fonte de nucleotídeos) em dietas de porcas em fase de lactação sobre o consumo de ração e peso corporal, composição bromatológicas do leite, concentração de RNA e nucleotídeos, e desempenho da progênie. Os nucleotídeos foram derivados de uma levedura hidrolisada (Hilyses®, ICC Brazil). Foram utilizadas 80 porcas (Agroceres PIC®) distribuídas em um delineamento inteiramente casualizado, com 4 tratamentos (0, 4, 8 e 12 kg/ton de Hilyses) e 20 repetições, sendo cada porca uma unidade experimental. As porcas foram alimentadas com as dietas experimentais 3 dias antes da parição, quando foram transferidas para a maternidade, até o desmame dos leitões aos 21,57 ± 0,88 dias de idade. O número de leitões por matriz (10,48 ± 0,26) e peso dos leitões (1,70 ± 0,04 kg) foram ajustados (equalizados) ao nascimento. Os parâmetros avaliados nas porcas foram peso ao parto (PPP, kg), peso ao desmame (PPD, kg), perda de peso (PPC, %) e consumo de ração (CR, kg). O número de leitões desmamados (NLD), peso do leitão ao desmame (PD, kg), peso da leitegada ao desmame (PLD, kg), ganho de peso da leitegada (GPL, kg), mortalidade (M, %) e produção de leite (PL = 1kg de GPL = 4kg de leite produzido) foram mensurados. Amostras de colostro e leite (aos 11 e 20 dias de lactação) foram coletadas para análises bromatológicas, RNA (mg/ml de leite) e nucleotídeos e nucleosídeos (g/ml leite). Os dados foram analisados pelo GLM (SAS), e as médias comparadas pelo teste de Tukey (P=0,05). A suplementação de nucleotídeos na dieta de porcas em fase de lactação não resultou em diferenças (P>0,05) no PPP, PPD, PPC e CR. Os leitões das porcas alimentadas com dietas suplementadas com levedura hidrolisada tiveram uma melhora (P<0,05) no NLD, PLD, GPL, M e PL quando comparados com as não suplementadas com a levedura hidrolisada. Não houve diferença (P>0,05) entre os tratamentos no PD. Em geral os níveis 8 e 12 kg/ton de inclusão de Hilyses mostraram os melhores resultados de desempenho dos leitões (6% e 4,5% maiores sobre o GPL) e menor M (41,7% e 53,5% comparados ao grupo controle). Os resultados das análises bromatológicas do colostro e leite de porcas tiveram uma composição similar entre os tratamentos, no entanto houve uma tendência de aumento na lactose com o aumento da inclusão de Hilyses. A concentração de RNA no leite (aos 11 e 20 dias de idade) foram maiores (P<0,05) nos tratamentos com suplementação da levedura hidrolisada. O total de nucleotídeos e nucleosídeos no leite foram afetados (P<0,05) pelos tratamentos aos 20 dias de lactação. Este estudo demonstrou que a suplementação para porcas lactantes teve um efeito positivo na qualidade do leite, e consequentemente, aumentou o ganho de peso da leitegada e o número de leitões desmamados (+3,5%). / The objective of this study was to evaluate effects of hydrolyzed yeast (nucleotide source) in farrowing sows diets on feed intake and body weight, milk bromatological composition, RNA and nucleotides, and progeny performance. The nucleotides were derived from a yeast source (Hilyses®, ICC Brazil).The trial was conducted with 80 sows (Agroceres PIC®) distributed in a completely randomized design, with 4 treatments (0, 4, 8, or 12 kg/MT Hilyses®) and20 replications of 1 sow in each per treatment. The sows were fed experimental diets starting 3 days before farrowing, when sows were transferred to the maternity unit, until weaning of piglets at 21 days of age. The number of piglets per sow (10.48±0.26) and piglet weight (1.70±0.04kg) was adjusted (equalized) at birth. The sow parameters were weight after farrowing (WF,kg), weight after weaning (WW,kg), weight loss (WL,%), and feed intake (FI,kg). The number of weaned piglets (NWP), piglet weight at weaning (PWW,kg), litter weight at weaning (LWW,kg), litter weight gain (LWG,kg), mortality (MORT,%), and milk production (MP,kg; 1kg of piglet weight = 4kg of milk) were measured. Samples of colostrum and milk (11, 20 days of lactation) were collected for laboratory bromatological analysis, RNA (mg/ml milk) and nucleotides and nucleosides (&#956;g/ml milk). The data were analyzed using the GLM (SAS), and means were compared by Tukeys test (P=0.05). Nucleotide supplementation in the diet of farrowing sows resulted in no difference (P>0.05) in WF, WW, WL, or FI. The piglets from sows fed diets supplemented with nucleotides had improved (P<0.05) NWP, LWW, LWG, MORT, and MP compared with unsupplemented diets. There were no differences (P>0.05) between treatments in PWW. In general, the 8kg/MT and 12kg/MT levels showed best piglet performance results (6% and 4.5% higher LWG than control group) and lower MORT (41.7% and 53.5% lower than control group). The results of bromatological analysis of colostrum and milk had a similar composition between the treatments, however, there was a numerical increase tendency in lactose with hydrolyzed yeast supplementation. Hilyses® supplementation gave no significant response (P>0.05) in Total RNA in colostrums, but the amount of RNA present in milk at 11 and 20 days of lactation significantly increased (P<0.05). The total of nucleotides and nucleosides in milk at 20 days of lactation period were affected (P<0.05) by treatments. This study demonstrated that supplementation of nucleotides to farrowing sows had a positive carryover effect on milk quality, which, consequently, increased the litter weight gain and the number of, weaned piglets (+3.5%).

No description available.