Abstract
Housing sows in groups creates the challenge of decreasing fighting amongst sows. One proposed method to do so is to feed a high tryptophan diet, but the effect on the fetus is unkown. To investigate this, 66 sows were fed 1 of 3 diets: Control (0.14 % SID tryptophan), Medium (0.28 % SID tryptophan), or High (0.4 2% SID tryptophan), from d 28 to 35 of gestation. Sows gestated in standard gestation stalls. Blood samples were taken on d 27 prior to and on d 35 after tryptophan supplementation. On d 1 and d 2, 3 nursing bouts were observed so as to record disputes and displacements from teat competition. The piglets’ activity and fighting were recorded on d 3, 7, and 11 from 0700 h to 1700 h. On d 12, 4 piglets per litter were blood sampled, 2 to be used in later behavior tests and 2 to act as controls for blood cortisol levels. On d 14, the 2 behavior test piglets from each litter were subjected to a 10-min Isolation Test and 5-min Human Approach Test. On d 15, the behavior test piglets were paired by sex and treatment (for example, a male Medium piglet paired with another male Medium piglet from a different crate) and each pair was subjected to a 10-min Social Challenge Test and immediately blood sampled. Piglet cortisol and serotonin did not differ among treatments (P > 0.10). There were no differences (P > 0.10) for number born (12.7 ± 0.4), born alive (11.7 ± 0.4), or mortality (1.1 ± 0.2). Behavior during nursing bouts was similar, with no treatment differences in number of disputes or displacements, and similar bout lengths among treatments (199.5 ± 4.6 s, P > 0.10). No differences were detected for any of the variables for Isolation or the Human Approach Tests (P > 0.10). During the Social Challenge Test, High piglets had more contacts approaching the head of the companion piglet than did either Medium or Control piglets (14.3 ± 1.1, 10.7 ± 1.1, and 9.69 ± 0.8 respectively, P < 0.02). Total number of aggressive interactions during the test tended to be greater for Medium piglets compared to High piglets (9.3 ± 1.5 vs 5.1 ± 0.9, P < 0.07). Time budget data of the litter indicate that piglets from all 3 treatments spent equal amounts of time active and inactive (P > 0.10). Aggression was low with 0.3 ± 0.04 % of piglets displaying aggressive behavior. Feeding high concentrations of tryptophan for a short duration early in gestation does not have a negative impact on sows’ subsequent offspring.