Blood biochemical reference ranges for sows under modern management conditions

Peripartum Ca and P homeostasis in multiparous sows fed adequate or excess dietary Ca

The recent increased prevalence of uterine prolapses in sows around parturition has led to inferences that the prolapses may be associated with hypocalcemia. However, limited data are available to support that hypocalcemia occurs in sows. Hypocalcemia in dairy cows is associated with feeding excess dietary Ca during late gestation. The excess Ca is assumed to suppress homeostatic mechanisms critical to maintain serum Ca concentrations as the Ca demand increases during the early stages of lactation. In this experiment, sows were fed diets with excess Ca during late gestation and early lactation to assess the potential development of hypocalcemia in the peripartum period. Twelve crossbred (Large White × Landrace) multiparous gestating sows were fed a control diet (CON), 0.65% Ca to 0.38% standardized total tract digestible P (STTD P) and 0.67% Ca to 0.38% STTD P in gestation and lactation diets, respectively) or a high Ca diet (HCa, 1.75% Ca to 0.46% STTD P and 1.75% Ca to 0.45% STTD P in gestation and lactation diets, respectively). The diets were fed from gestation day 86 þ ± 1 until the end of lactation (27 þ ± 2 days period). On day 112 of gestation, indwelling venous catheters were placed in each sow. Blood samples were collected at 15-min intervals within four designated times (0700, 1000, 1300 and 1700 h) on gestation day 113 and lactation days 1, 3 and 5. Venous blood pH, gases (pO2, pCO2 and HCO3-), electrolytes (K+, Na+ and Cl-), ionized Ca (iCa), metabolites (glucose and lactate), plasma total Ca (tCa), and P were analyzed. Overall, sows fed HCa diet had greater (P < 0.001) concentrations of blood iCa and plasma tCa than sows fed CON diets. No clinical signs of Ca metabolism disorders were observed. Unexpectedly, concentrations of plasma P in sows fed HCa diets were lower (P < 0.001) than in sows fed CON diets. Plasma P tended to decrease (P = 0.057) as day of lactation increased. Differences between dietary treatments for blood pH, gases, electrolytes and metabolites were not detected (P > 0.05). No evidence for hypocalcemia was detected in peripartum sows fed CON or HCa diets. These data imply that excess Ca in late gestation diets did not result in hypocalcemia during the peripartum period. Future experiments should focus on factors other than hypocalcemia to identify causes of uterine prolapses in sows.

Dietary supplementation with different types of fiber in gestation and lactation: effects on sow serum biochemical values and performance

Objective

Three types of dietary fiber were fed to sows during gestation and lactation stages to monitor their physiological and metabolic adaptations during the pre-partum period and to determine how these effects may influence the lactation period and sow performance.

Methods

Soon after breeding, 54 sows were selected and were fed with 20% supplementation as fed of wheat bran (WB), soya hulls (SH), or rice hulls (RH) in diets during gestation and lactation. Sows were weighed, backfat thickness was measured ultrasonically and jugular blood samples were collected from all sows. The litter size was equalized to 10, by fostering piglets from sows on the same treatment.

Results

Sows gained 22.0, 21.8, and 25.5 kg of net maternal body weight during gestation (for WB, SH, and RH sows, respectively; p = 0.007). There was no treatment effect on the body weight change during lactation (p = 0.158), however RH sows consumed an average of 133.66 kg of feed, WB sows took 121.29 kg and SH sows took 126.77 kg during lactation (p<0.001). The SH litters gained an average of 59.34 kg of weight during lactation, while other litters gained 51.58 and 49.98 kg (for WB and RH litters, respectively; p<0.001). Exception for aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase, measured serum biochemical values were broadly in agreement with earlier reports. Despite the use of additional vegetable oil to balance the energy level, RH sows still had lower concentrations of serum triglycerides in late gestation.

Conclusion

Different types of fibrous ingredients in the gestation diet influenced most of the investigated reference values for sows. The values of serum biochemical parameters were generally not affected by fiber type during the lactation stage. The SH supplementation for sows is an effective approach to give heavier litters at birth and weaning and to increase voluntary feed intake in early lactation.

Effects of feeding Bt MON810 maize to sows during first gestation and lactation on maternal and offspring health indicators

A total of twenty-four sows and their offspring were used in a 20-week study to investigate the effects of feeding GM maize on maternal and offspring health. Sows were fed diets containing GM or non-GM maize from service to the end of lactation. GM maize-fed sows were heavier on day 56 of gestation (P< 0·05). Offspring from sows fed GM maize tended to be lighter at weaning (P= 0·08). Sows fed GM maize tended to have decreased serum total protein (P= 0·08), and increased serum creatinine (P< 0·05) and γ-glutamyltransferase activity (P= 0·07) on day 28 of lactation. Serum urea tended to be decreased on day 110 of gestation in GM maize-fed sows (P= 0·10) and in offspring at birth (P= 0·08). Both platelet count (P= 0·07) and mean cell Hb concentration (MCHC;P= 0·05) were decreased on day 110 of gestation in GM maize-fed sows; however, MCHC tended to be increased in offspring at birth (P= 0·08). There was a minimal effect of feeding GM maize to sows during gestation and lactation on maternal and offspring serum biochemistry and haematology at birth and body weight at weaning.

The Effect of Decreased Protein Levels in Sow Diets on Nitrogen Content of Faeces and Physiological Parameters of Blood

The research material consisted of 42 sows divided into 3 feeding groups, 14 individuals in each group, which received feed mixtures with different protein levels. Protein and amino acid levels in the control group were in accordance with recommendations contained in Polish standards. The level of protein in experimental groups was decreased by 10 and 20%, respectively, and the levels of lysine, methionine, threonine and tryptophan were adjusted to those of the control group. During the gestation and lactation periods all sows were fed individually. The content of dry matter, nitrogen, fibre, fat and ash was determined in samples of faeces collected at 60 and 105 days of pregnancy, and the total nitrogen content was assessed in urine. Blood from sows was collected on day 14 of lactation, and indices of protein, fat transformation and mineral components content were determined in blood serum. The results of the analysis of faeces and urine prove that pregnant sows from the experimental groups excreted 7% and 10% less nitrogen in faeces, and 18% and 23% less urine in faeces. The reduced protein level in feed mixtures did not significantly influence the content of dry matter, fibre and ash in faeces. A significant decrease in the content of total protein, globulins, urea and an increase in cholesterol level was observed in the blood serum of sows from both experimental groups. No influence of the reduced protein level in feed on the content of mineral compounds in blood serum or haematological parameters of the sows' blood was noted.

Effect of breeding season and pregnancy status on serum progesterone, sodium, potassium, copper and iron of estrous synchronized Aradi goat does

Eighteen out of 88 estrous synchronized Aradi goat does were randomly chosen to be bled during May-July (Out breeding season, n = 9) and during September-December (Within breeding season, n = 9). Estrous synchronization was applied by using a control internal drug release (CIDR) as a reproductive management regimen throughout the year. Nineteen days after CIDR insertion, a 500 IU eCG was injected (i.m.) and CIDR was removed. Does were subjected to fertile bucks 48-60 h after CIDR removal. Jugular blood samples were collected in non-heparinized Vacutainer tubes at 0 h just before CIDR insertion, every 3 days during CIDR insert, at day of CIDR removal, at incidence of estrus and mating, at day 1, 8 and 30 post mating. Data on pregnancy were recorded and serum levels of progesterone (P), sodium (Na), potassium (K), copper (Cu) and iron (Fe) were determined. Progesterone concentration was higher (p < 0.05) within (2.85 ± 0.15 ng/ml) than outside (2.37 ± 0.13 ng/ml) the breeding season. Pregnant does exhibited higher (p < 0.05) levels of progesterone (2.76 ± 0.17 ng/ml) than non-pregnant does (2.37 ± 0.10 ng/ml). No significant interaction was found between season and pregnancy status on progesterone concentration. A typical progesterone profile was found during treatment days, as levels of P increased during CIDR insertion and declined at CIDR removal and thereafter. Neither breeding season nor pregnancy status affected Na(+) concentration. Contrariwise, mean levels of K(+) was higher (p < 0.05) outside (148.34 ± 3.91 mg/L) than within (136.27 ± 3.91 mg/L) the breeding season. Pregnancy status did not influence K concentration. Sodium/potassium (Na(+)/K(+)) ratio was significantly (p < 0.01) higher within (30.29 ± 0.44) than outside (27.62 ± 0.44) the breeding season. On the contrary, pregnancy status did not affect this ratio. Iron concentrations neither affected by season nor pregnancy. Likewise, Cu concentrations were not affected by season, however Cu levels were higher (p < 0.05) in pregnant (147.75 ± 7.24 μg/L) than in non-pregnant (127.31 ± 5.03 μg/L) does.

Serum biochemical reference values for gestating and lactating sows

Reference values have been established for serum biochemical parameters in sows from high producing pig herds. In total, 132 clinically healthy sows from eight breeding herds were serially sampled three weeks and one week before farrowing, and at one week and three weeks after farrowing. Fourteen serum biochemical parameters, focusing mainly on energy and protein metabolism, hepatobiliary and kidney function and inflammation, were investigated. The reproductive state significantly influenced the investigated parameters, other than for urea and non-esterified fatty acids. First parity sows showed higher concentrations of gamma-glutamyltransferase, phosphorus and haptoglobin, and higher albumin/globulin and haptoglobin/albumin ratios compared to sows with 2 parities. The concentrations of creatinine, globulin and total protein however were lower in first parity sows. Between-herd variations were especially high (>50%) for gamma-glutamyltransferase, alkaline phosphatase and non-esterified fatty acids. Serum biochemical parameters constitute an important diagnostic tool to assess the health status of sows, but to interpret the outcome properly, it is important to consider reproductive state and parity.

Haematology and plasma biochemistry of Stamboek pre-pubertal gilts in Italy: reference values

Blood samples were taken between February and April from 105 healthy Stamboek pre-pubertal gilts, aged 1-3 months, which were housed at a modern pig farm in northern Italy. The blood was analysed for nine haematological and nine selected haematochemical variables by means of automated and semiautomated blood analysis apparatus. After detection and rejection of outliers, the data were submitted to reference limits evaluation, also taking into account the limits for the red blood cell volume histogram as the anisocytosis index. Some haematological reference values deal with previously published data; in the haematochemical parameters, several discrepancies between evaluated limits and existing reference limits were noted, mainly for aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase and lactate dehydrogenase levels and total protein concentration. The results confirm the relevance of age in determining blood reference intervals and that 'normal' values should be determined by each laboratory, taking into account the age of subjects, the sample size and methods of analysis.

Serum and milk lactoferrin concentration and the correlation with some blood components in lactating sows

An increased serum concentration of lactoferrin is associated with inflammatory disease, but there are few reported data on this aspect for lactating sows. Samples of blood and milk were collected from 17 lactating sows under minimum stress conditions and analysed for lactoferrin. Lactoferrin concentrations in serum and milk were positively correlated, being high after farrowing and steadily decreasing throughout 28 days of lactation. A positive linear correlation was observed between lactoferrin concentration and enzyme activities of alanine aminotransferase, lactate dehydrogenase, and hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase in the serum indicating post-partum inflammation. Serum and milk lactoferrin concentrations, although closely correlated, may be regulated through independent systems activated simultaneously.

Serum concentrations of micronutrients, packed cell volume, and blood hemoglobin during the first two gestations and lactations of sows

The objective of the present work was to describe the changes in serum concentrations of some micronutrients during the first 2 gestations and lactations of 33 gilts in order to establish blood reference values for a rapid assessment of nutritional status. In both parities, blood samples were taken from the jugular vein at mating, 5, 10 and 15 wk of gestation and l d and 4 wk after parturition (weaning). Reference values (mean, standard deviation, minimum, maximum) for serum folates, vitamin B12, vitamin B6 metabolites (pyridoxal and pyridoxal-5-phosphate), calcium, phosphorus, sodium, zinc, copper and iron, as well as blood hemoglobin and packed cell volume are reported for each studied time. Differences between parities and between each time are also reported. Results from the present report demonstrate that knowledge of the physiological state of the sows is critical for the assessment of nutritional status of an individual or a breeding herd by interpretation of analyses of blood constituents.

Haematology and biochemistry reference values for sows kept under modern management conditions

The data presented here were obtained using blood samples from 159 healthy, conventionally managed sows from 37 breeding herds. Sows were sampled at weaning and at 4-5 weeks gestation. Paired blood samples were analysed from sows that had a normal pregnancy and subsequently farrowed. The mean values of serum total protein, albumin and gamma globulin concentration were lower in the blood samples obtained at weaning compared with those obtained at 4-5 weeks gestation. Leucocyte count was higher, mostly as a result of a higher segmented neutrophil count, in the blood samples obtained at weaning compared with those obtained at 4-5 weeks gestation.