Influence of high ambient temperatures on food intake and feeding behaviour of multiparous lactating sows

2000 ◽  
Vol 70 (3) ◽  
pp. 471-479 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Quiniou ◽  
D. Renaudeau ◽  
S. Dubois ◽  
J. Noblet

AbstractForty multiparous Large White sows were used to investigate the effects of five ambient temperature levels (18, 22, 25, 27, and 29°C) and two dietary protein contents on their feeding behaviour during lactation. At each temperature treatment, ambient temperature was kept constant over the 21-day lactation period. Dietary protein content was either 140 or 170 g/kg with essential amino acids levels calculated to he non-limiting. Photoperiod was fixed to 14 h of artificial light. The animals were given food ad libitum between the 7th and the 19th day of lactation. Feeding behaviour was not influenced by diet composition. Over the 13 days under ad libitum feeding conditions, voluntary food intake decreased from 7·80 to 3·50 kg/day between 18 and 29°C, which was achieved through a decreased daily number of meals at the highest temperature (6·8 to 4·5 at 18 and 29°C, respectively). No significant difference among temperatures was observed on meal size, even if the highest (1372 g) and the lowest (883 g) values were obtained at 18 and 29°C, respectively. Rate of food intake was not influenced by temperature and averaged 133 g/min; consequently, decreased voluntary food intake under heat exposure resulted in reduced ingestion time (61 and 29 min/day at 18 and 29°C, respectively). Hourly food intake peaked at the beginning and the end of the light period. It resulted in a mainly diurnal partition of food intake. This partition was significantly affected by temperature as proportionately 0·87 and 0·91 of total food intake occurred during the day at 27 and 29°C, respectively, v. 0·81 on average between 18 and 25°C. Number of meals was lower during the night (1·1 v. 5·2 during the day on average); it decreased with increased temperature both during the day and the night. Meal size was lower during the night (938 v. 1080 g during the day on average). The ratio between water and food intake was significantly higher at 29°C (8·1 v. 4·2 l/kg on average between 18 and 27°C). Standing activity averaged 124 min/day with no significant difference between temperatures.

2003 ◽  
Vol 77 (3) ◽  
pp. 429-437 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Renaudeau ◽  
J.-L. Weisbecker ◽  
J. Noblet

AbstractTwenty-seven multiparous Large White sows were used to determine the effect of season in a tropical climate and dietary fibre on their feeding behaviour during lactation. The experiment was conducted in Guadeloupe (French West Indies, latitude 16°N, longitude 61°W) between October 1999 and January 2001; climatic conditions in the farrowing room were equivalent to outdoor conditions. Two seasons were determined a posteriori from climatic criteria recorded continuously in the farrowing room. During the warm season, ambient temperature and relative humidity averaged 25°C and 0·868, respectively. The corresponding values for the hot season were 27·5°C and 0·835. Experimental diets offered during lactation were a control diet (C; 140 g neutral-detergent fibre (NDF) per kg) and a high fibre diet (HF; 200 g NDF per kg). Sows were offered food ad libitum between the 6th and the 27th day of lactation. Daily food intake between day 6 and day 27 decreased during the hot season (P < 0·001; 3226 v. 5571 g/d during the warm season). This was achieved by a reduction of both meal size (P < 0·05; 460 v. 718 g per meal) and ingestion and consumption time (P < 0·01; -11·1 and -15·3 min/day, respectively) whereas the number of meals remained constant (8·4 meals per day on average). During warm season, hourly food intake peaked twice daily near sunrise and sunset. During the hot season, peaks were attenuated and food intake was reduced during the hotter periods of the day and increased during the fresher period of the day, especially in early morning. As a result the diurnal partition of food intake was significantly affected by season; proportionately 0·62 and 0·47 of total food intake occurred during the day in warm and in hot seasons, respectively. Standing duration averaged 138 min/ day with no significant difference between seasons. Feeding behaviour criteria were not influenced by diet composition. In conclusion, the season in a humid tropical climate significantly affects the feeding behaviour of lactating sows.


2000 ◽  
Vol 71 (3) ◽  
pp. 571-575 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Quiniou ◽  
D. Renaudeau ◽  
S. Dubois ◽  
J. Noblet

AbstractForty-two multiparous Large White sows were used to investigate the effect of diurnally fluctuating temperature (T) on lactation performance and feeding behaviour. The animals were allocated to one of the four thermic treatments: constant T at 25°C (25C) and 29°C (29C) or equal-mean diurnal cyclic T varying from 21 to 29°C (25V) and from 25 to 33°C (29V). Photoperiod was fixed to 14 h of light. The sows were given food ad libitum between the 7th and the 19th day post partům. Lactation performance was measured for all sows whereas the feeding behaviour was recorded only on 28 sows. The ad libitum food intake was comparable at 25C and 25V (6•31 kg/day) as were milk production and body reserves mobilization. In contrast, food intake at 29V was higher than at 29C (4•53 v. 3•48 kg/day) with no difference in milk production between the two treatments. The increased daily food intake at 29V resulted from higher intakes over the coolest periods of the day and especially during the dark period. Neither meal size nor daily number of meals were significantly affected by T. Feeding behaviour was mainly diurnal but with differences between treatments: 0•90 of total food intake at 29C v. 0•78 at the other three T It appears that the effects of diurnally fluctuating T on lactation performance of sows depend on the mean level of T


1999 ◽  
Vol 69 (2) ◽  
pp. 353-365 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Christon ◽  
G. Saminadin ◽  
H. Lionet ◽  
B. Racon

AbstractTwo experiments were carried out simultaneously in a temperate environment (T), at Sourches (west France), with 24 Landrace X Large White sows and in a tropical environment (TRO), in Guadeloupe, France (16° latitude N, 61° longitude W), with 18 Large White sows, to study the effect of incorporating fat into the lactation diet on sow and litter performance. In each environment, multiparous sows were divided into three groups and given either a control diet (C) containing 20 g fat per kg, or the same diet enriched with a 50 : 50 peanut-rapeseed oil mixture, so as to obtain a fat content of 80 g/kg (medium fat, MF) or 140 g/kg (high fat, HF). A restricted experimental diet was supplied to the sows from day 105 of gestation until farrowing and then ad libitum throughout the 28-day lactation period. The piglets all had ad libitum access to solid food from day 21 to day 70. Milk samples were collected 24 h post partum (colostrum) and at day 21 of lactation. Chemical composition of milk was determined and fatty acid composition was assessed by capillary gas chromatography. Compared with T, the TRO sows showed an increase (P < 0⋅001) in rectal temperature and respiration rate but a decrease in food intake (P < 0·01), milk yield (P < 0⋅001) and litter weight gain from birth to weaning (P < 0⋅05) as well as from weaning to day 70, reaching 25 to 30 kg live weight (P < 0⋅05). However, as dietary fat level increased, the T sows showed a linear decrease (P < 0⋅01) in food intake and no significant change in metabolizable energy (ME) intake during the lactation period. In TRO, the MF diet led to a 0⋅22 proportional increase (P < 0⋅01) in ME intake through a change in nycthemeral feeding behaviour. Both environment and increased dietary fat level significantly affected the fat level and fatty acid composition of colostrum as well as mature milk, particularly n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid concentration in milk. In conclusion, the addition of fat to the lactating sow diet may be more beneficial under high ambient temperatures than in thermoneutral conditions.


1986 ◽  
Vol 42 (3) ◽  
pp. 427-429 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. G. Campbell ◽  
M. R. Taverner

ABSTRACTThirty-six piglets were used to investigate the effect of six concentrations of dietary protein ranging from 155 to 235 g/kg, and corresponding dietary lysine concentrations from 10·1 to 15·4 g/kg, on the performance of pigs weaned at 28 days of age and growing between 7·5 and 20 kg live weight. Voluntary food intake was not significantly affected by dietary protein, and growth rate increased with increase in dietary protein and lysine up to 167 and 10·9 g/kg respectively (0·75 g lysine per MJ digestible energy (DE)). Food: gain ratio improved significantly with each increase in dietary protein and lysine up to 177 and 11·6 g/kg (0·79 g lysine per MJ DE) respectively.


1992 ◽  
Vol 54 (1) ◽  
pp. 105-115 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. S. Haley ◽  
E. d'Agaro ◽  
M. Ellis

AbstractGenes from the Chinese Meishan pig have the potential to enhance reproductive performance of European pigs. In order to allow prediction of the impact of Meishan genes in a range of alternative improvement programmes all traits of economic importance must be evaluated and genetic crossbreeding effects estimated. Entire male and female pigs of four genotypes, purebred Meishan (MS) and Large White (LW) pigs and both reciprocal Fl crossbred genotypes (MS ♂ × LW ♀ and LW ♂ × MS ♀), were farrowed in Edinburgh and subsequently performance tested at either Edinburgh or Newcastle. In Edinburgh, animals were penned in groups of four and fed ad libitum between pen mean weights of approximately 30 and 80 kg. At the end of test fat depths at the shoulder, last rib and loin were measured ultrasonically. In Newcastle, animals were penned in groups of six and fed ad libitum between pen mean weights of approximately 30 and 70 kg. Genotypic means and genetic crossbreeding effects (additive and heterosis direct effects and additive maternal effects) were estimated using restricted maximum likelihood.When compared with the LW, the direct additive effect of genes from the MS produced increased growth rate up to the time of weaning, no change in growth rate between weaning and start of test and greatly reduced growth rate during the performance test. The maternal additive effect of genes from the MS was to reduce growth rate up to the time of weaning, with little effect thereafter. There was substantial direct heterosis for growth rate in all periods measured, but heterosis was less in males than in females during the performance test. The combined effect was such that, within sex, the LW and the two crossbred genotypes were of similar ages when they reached 70 and 80 kg, but MS pigs were 38 to 60 days older. The direct additive effect of MS genes was to increase subcutaneous fat levels and there was little evidence for the effects of maternal genes or direct heterosis on these traits. There was a direct additive effect of MS genes reducing food intake and increasing food conversion ratio and there was direct heterosis for increased food intake. There were significant interactions between genotype and sex. Male and female LW pigs had a similar performance but male MS pigs had slower growth rates on the performance test with lower food intakes, food conversion ratios and subcutaneous fat levels than the females.


2020 ◽  
Vol 60 (3) ◽  
pp. 356
Author(s):  
P. F. Geale ◽  
P. A. Sheehy ◽  
C. Giles ◽  
P. C. Thomson ◽  
P. C. Wynn

The poor antigenicity of peptide antigens demands the selection of effective adjuvants to induce humoral immunity. The peptides obestatin and ghrelin from the pro-hormone pre-proghrelin were initially identified as antagonistic in regulating feeding behaviour, with obestatin being suppressive. The efficacy of two adjuvant systems, DEAE with the oil polysorbate emulsion of BP85:Span80 and the surfactant-oil system Montanide (ISA 50v) were therefore assessed with an obestatin-ovalbumin conjugate injected into late pregnant sows. This enabled the supply of antibodies directed against obestatin to newborn piglets through colostrum with the objective of promoting ghrelin secretion and therefore increasing feeding behaviour. Pregnant Landrace × Large White sows (n = 28) were immunised with 0.5 mg obestatin-ovalbumin in 2 mL DEAE:BP85:Span80 (DEAE; n = 14) or with 2 mL Montanide (ISA 50v: n = 14) as adjuvants at days 91 and 105 of gestation. After farrowing, piglets remained with their mothers during the lactation period and were weighed after weaning at Day 28. Antibody titres (unitless) in colostrum were assessed by ELISA as 5543 ± 2388 and 3139 ± 1151 for the DEAE and Montanide adjuvants respectively. These were associated with total IgG of 67.7 ± 3 and 82.3 ± 4.8 mg/mL respectively (P = 0.018). Piglet plasma titres were 5100 ± 1576 and 5762 ± 1688 for DEAE and Montanide respectively at Day 5 postpartum. These titres were still detectable through to Day 28 (titres of 1213 ± 389 and 665 ± 203 respectively (P = 0.176). However, sow colostral antibody titres were not related to piglet antibody concentrations on D5 (r = –0.225, P = 0.341). Sow plasma antibody titres were not related to titres at Day 28 in piglets across treatments (r = 0.198, P = 0.402). The concentration of ghrelin in colostrum was 672 ± 78 and 666 ± 39 pg/mL for the DEAE and Montanide groups, respectively, leading to piglet plasma concentrations on Day 5 of 1105 ± 164 and 530 ± 84 pg/mL (P = 0.002). Animals grew from birthweights of 1.7 ± 0.1 and 1.8 ± 0.1 (P = 0.993) to 7.7 ± 1.2 and 7.8 ± 1.0 kg (P = 0.295) at weaning, representing growth rates of 200.5 ± 52.9 and 225.5 ± 53.4 g/day (P = 0.181). There was a significant negative correlation between piglet D28 antibody titre and growth rate to weaning with the Montanide adjuvant (r = 0.116, P = 0.035) but not for the DEAE (r = –0.118, P = 0.411). Although both adjuvants were capable of generating high antibody titres, the DEAE dextran was likely to be the most effective adjuvant to induce a humoral immune response to develop further with a commercial vaccine.


1996 ◽  
Vol 1996 ◽  
pp. 17-17
Author(s):  
J. C. Kerr ◽  
N. D. Cameron

Responses in sow traits at farrowing and during lactation and in pre-weaning piglet growth rate were determined in a population of Large White pigs, after seven generations of divergent selection for components of efficient lean growth rate. Information on the factors influencing preweaning piglet growth rate is required for a comprehensive evaluation of alternative selection strategies.There were four selection groups: daily food intake (DFI), lean food conversion (LFC), lean growth rate (LGA) on ad-libitum feeding and lean growth rate on scale feeding (LGS). There were 242 gilts in the study, with 20 gilts in the high, low and control lines of each selection group. Pigs in the ad-libitum selection groups were performance tested over a fixed weight range of 30 to 85 kg. Pigs fed on scale feeding were performance tested for a fixed time period of 84 days from 30 kg with food intake equal to 0.75 g/g of daily ad-libitum food intake. Matings were unsupervised and took place in outside paddocks.


1998 ◽  
Vol 1998 ◽  
pp. 25-25
Author(s):  
B.L. Nielsen ◽  
N.C. Friggens ◽  
I. Kyriazakis ◽  
B.J. Tolkamp ◽  
G.C. Emmans

Short-term feeding behaviour (STFB) has been used to elucidate the physiological mechanisms which control eating. It has been proposed as a means by which to predict voluntary food intake, and could be used to quantify behavioural characteristics of the cow. The first step in assessing the usefulness of STFB for these purposes is to identify the major factors which influence STFB. The aim of the study reported here was to evaluate, in dairy cows, the differences in STFB resulting from two different foods, the effect of stage of lactation on STFB, and the effect on STFB of changing from one food to another.


1998 ◽  
Vol 1998 ◽  
pp. 133-133
Author(s):  
Z. Fuller ◽  
J.E. Cox ◽  
C. McG. Argo

During winter, voluntary food intake (VFI) and growth decreased in light horse weanlings given ad libitum access to a forage/concentrate diet (Cymbaluk et al, 1989). These changes were attributed to decreased ambient temperatures. However, photoperiodically entrained seasonal changes in VFI and growth are documented in other Northern ungulates (Moen, 1978) and may comprise an adaptation to changes in forage availability. Throughout their evolution, horses experienced similar environmental pressures and may demonstrate similar photoperiodic adaptations. This study characterised changes in VFI and growth in pony colts maintained under an artificial photoperiodic regime.Seven, 2 year-old pony colts of Welsh Mountain type (182.4 ± 5.4 kg), were obtained from pasture (53°N). Animals were individually housed in loose-boxes, within a light-proof building. Measured quantities of a complete pelleted diet (gross energy = 16.7 MJ.kgDM-1), calculated to exceed appetite by at least 1 kg, were offered daily.


1975 ◽  
Vol 228 (4) ◽  
pp. 1284-1287 ◽  
Author(s):  
PM Leung ◽  
BA Horwitz

Infusion of bacterial pyrogen (Priomen) was accompanied by an increase in body temperature, an increase in heat production, and a decrease in the voluntary food intake ofrats fed high-as well as low-protein diets. The magnitude of this pyrogen-induced depression of food intake was comparable for both diets. However, in rats fed high-protein diets, this decrease was additive to that normally seen following administration of such diets. These data indicate that the control of food intake cannot be explained in terms of a behavioral the more regulatory response.


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