Feeding Sows Lucerne, or Diets with Similar Energy and Nutritional Profiles to Lucerne, Improves the Pre-Weaning Performance of Piglets

Feeding fibre and branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) to sows during late gestation and lactation, respectively, have been shown to improve litter weights at weaning. Therefore, supplementing primiparous sow diets with lucerne chaff, a feedstuff high in fibre, BCAA and tryptophan, may improve the performance of their progeny. Experiment 1 investigated the effects of feeding primiparous sows (n = 118) either (i) a control diet (CON); (ii) CON with 1 kg of lucerne chaff (LUC); or (iii) a diet formulated to have a similar digestible energy and BCAA content as CON + LUC (SIMLUC 1) until farrowing. The LUC and SIMLUC 1 diets improved day 21 litter weight (p = 0.055). In Experiment 2 primiparous (n = 111) and multiparous sows (parities 2–5, n = 112) were fed either the CON or SIMLUC diet (SIMLUC 2) from day 110 of gestation to farrowing (PreF), or to day 10 post-farrowing (PreF + PostF). The SIMLUC 2 diet tended to be more beneficial to primiparous compared to multiparous sows when fed PreF, as indicated by an interaction between diet and parity on day 21 average piglet weights (p = 0.078). Overall, SIMLUC is most effective in improving primiparous progeny performance as evidenced by their D21 weights.

Influence of Maternal Carbohydrate Source (Concentrate-Based vs. Forage-Based) on Growth Performance, Carcass Characteristics, and Meat Quality of Progeny

The objective of this research was to investigate the influence of maternal prepartum dietary carbohydrate source on growth performance, carcass characteristics, and meat quality of offspring. Angus-based cows were assigned to either a concentrate-based diet or forage-based diet during mid- and late-gestation. A subset of calves was selected for evaluation of progeny performance. Dry matter intake (DMI), body weight (BW), average daily gain (ADG), gain to feed (G:F), and ultrasound measurements (muscle depth, back fat thickness, and intramuscular fat) were assessed during the feeding period. Carcass measurements were recorded, and striploins were collected for Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF), trained sensory panel, crude fat determination and fatty acid profile. Maternal dietary treatment did not influence (p > 0.05) offspring BW, DMI, ultrasound measurements, percent moisture, crude fat, WBSF, or consumer sensory responses. The forage treatment tended to have decreased (p = 0.06) 12th rib backfat compared to the concentrate treatment and tended to have lower (p = 0.08) yield grades. The concentrate treatment had increased (p < 0.05) a* and b* values compared to the forage treatment. These data suggest variation in maternal diets applied in this study during mid- and late-gestation has limited influence on progeny performance.

Exposure to Maternal Faeces in Lactation Influences Piglet Enteric Microbiota, Growth and Survival Pre-weaning

It is known that gilt progeny performance is reduced compared to sow progeny. Previous research suggests that the presence of maternal faeces in early life improves the health and survival of offspring. Therefore, we aimed to determine whether contact with faeces from multiparous (MP) sows would improve the growth and survival of piglets born and reared on primiparous (P1) sows and if so, whether these differences are associated with the gut microbiota. Four treatments were applied for 10 days: Donor (n = 29) piglets had limited access to maternal faeces as, each morning, sow faeces were removed and placed in the crate of a P1 sow (P1-FT; n = 30 piglets); and P1-Con (n = 29) and MP-Con (n = 33) piglets had access to their own mothers’ faeces. All piglets were weighed on days 1, 3, 10 and 18. Faecal samples were collected from a subset of sows (n = 10/treatment) 3 days post-farrow and from 2 female piglets/litter on day 10 and 18 (n = 20/treatment) and subject to 16S rRNA amplicon analysis. Escherichia, Clostridium, Campylobacter and Treponema were more abundant in MP sows, while P1 sows had a higher abundance of Lactobacillus and Prevotella. At 10 days, P1 progeny faecal microbiota differed, and growth and survival were reduced when compared to MP progeny. No treatment effect was observed for P1-FT piglets (P &gt; 0.05). Donor piglets had a different faecal microbiota and improved weight and survival then all other treatments (P &lt; 0.05). Overall, the removal of sow faeces from the farrowing crate improved piglet microbiota development, growth and survival.

Effects of Symbiodiniaceae Phylotypes in Clades A–E on Progeny Performance of Two Giant Clams (Tridacna squamosa and T. crocea) During Early History Life Stages in the South China Sea

Unlike most bivalves, giant clams (tridacnids) harbor symbiotic microalgae (zooxanthellae) in their other fleshy bodies. The effects of mixed populations of zooxanthellae on larval metamorphosis has been reported in several papers, but there have been very few studies on the effects of single zooxanthella species on the establishment of symbiosis in giant clams. In this study, we obtained five pure zooxanthella species (clades A3, B1, C1, D1, E1) from antler coral by molecular identification, and analyzed their effects on the larval metamorphosis and progeny performance of two giant clams, Tridacna squamosa and T. crocea, in the South China Sea. Clam larvae with all five zooxanthella species underwent larval settlement and metamorphosis, and formed the zooxanthellal tubular system. There was some variation in metamorphic rate and time to metamorphosis between clams with different zooxanthella species, but no significant differences in size at metamorphosis. After metamorphosis, larvae with all zooxanthella types continued to develop normally. Mantle color was consistent within clam species and zooxanthella species had no effect on mantle color. However, clam progeny with clade E1 zooxanthellae were smaller than progeny with the other four zooxanthella clades (A3, B1, C1, and D1). Survival rate was over 90% for all progeny and there were no significant differences in survival between progeny with Symbiodinium clades A–E during the entire culture process. Two-way ANOVA analysis revealed that giant clam species was the main factor influencing progeny growth, with some variation in growth attributable to zooxanthella type. Our results provide new information on both the symbiotic relationship between giant clams and zooxanthellae and the mantle coloration of giant clams, and will be useful in giant clam seed production and aquaculture.

PSIX-4 Fetal programming – Maternal plane of nutrition effects on progeny performance, feed efficiency, and carcass quality for feedlot steers

To evaluate if maternal supplementation of protein and rumen-protected methionine during late gestation affects steer progeny performance and carcass quality, 138 Angus X cows were used in a 3 x 2 factorial arrangement of treatments. Cows were randomly assigned one of three protein treatments (feeding to meet 90%, 100%, or 110% of metabolizable protein (MP) requirements), with(without) 9 g/d of rumen-protected methionine (MET) and fed these isocaloric diets for ~8 weeks before parturition. Steer progeny (n = 56) were assigned to one of seven pens by weight and received a common corn-based grower diet (58% corn silage, 26% alfalfa haylage, 15% soybean meal) for 47 days, followed by a finisher diet (78% high moisture corn, 12% alfalfa haylage, 8% soybean meal) for 115±31.5 days until slaughter. Body weights were recorded biweekly. Monthly ultrasound images of back and rump fats were captured. Organ weights were recorded at the time of slaughter, with carcass and meat quality recorded 24 to 48 hours later. Data were analyzed using PROC GLIMMIX in SAS, with maternal treatment as the fixed effect, and pen as the random effect. Feeding to meet 90% MP requirements resulted in heavier calf weaning weights compared to 100% and 110% (262, 251, and 245 ±13.9 kg, respectively; P = 0.01). Maternal nutritional treatment did not affect average daily gain, dry matter intake, feed conversion during finishing or organ weights. Increasing dietary MP content from 90%, 100% to 110% reduced grade fat thickness (15.5, 14.7, and 11.8 ±1.11 mm, respectively; P = 0.04) and yield grades (2.7, 2.9, and 2.3 ±0.17, respectively; P = 0.04), but increased lean meat yield (49.5, 49.4, and 50.6 ±0.3%, respectively; P = 0.04). These data suggest that maternal MP content may alter steer progeny carcass traits while maintaining animal performance during the finishing period.