Nutritional Strategies for Improving Milk Production Performance in Lactating Sows

The management of lactating sows occupies a pivotal position throughout the entire process of sow management, and its management level directly affects the overall situation. Pig farm The level of production efficiency. Based on the nutritional requirements of lactating sows, we know that in addition to maintaining normal metabolic functions and growing body tissues, sows must also produce milk to nurse their piglets. Piglet Milk yield and the composition of milk depend on the quantity of nutrients supplied in the feed, and both milk yield and milk quality directly affect... Piglet Weaning weight and survival rate—thus, the key nutritional goals for lactating sows are to prevent excessive weight loss in sows, enhance their lactation performance, and ensure they resume estrus as soon as possible after weaning.

Nutritional negative balance during the lactation period can lead to sows ( Particularly in first-parity sows, reduced milk production can negatively impact reproductive performance in the next breeding cycle. Insufficient intake of energy, protein, amino acids, vitamins, and minerals during the lactation period may lead to issues such as inadequate milk supply, low milk yield, poor milk quality, excessive weight loss, prolonged intervals between weaning and estrus, and low conception rates after mating—resulting in reproductive disorders that increase the culling rate of sows.

The milk yield and composition of sow’s milk depend on the quantity and quality of feed consumed. And milk yield and milk quality directly affect... Piglet Weaning weight and survival rate—low lactation capacity in sows can directly lead to nutritional deficiencies in piglets, stunted growth, and increased mortality rates, thereby impacting... Piglet Weaning weight, exacerbation Piglet Weaning stress can affect subsequent growth and development.

Currently, pig farms of various sizes experience mastitis syndrome in sows to varying degrees. Based on clinical observations, the author has summarized the following points:

1 Improve the palatability of the diet for lactating sows and increase their feed intake.

　　Improving the palatability of the diet and increasing feed intake are crucial measures for meeting higher nutritional demands, a fact that has long been established. Insufficient feed intake during the lactation period will negatively affect milk yield and subsequent reproductive performance. The adverse effects on reproductive performance are particularly pronounced during the summer months. During the lactation period, LH ( Luteinizing hormone (LH) levels are crucial for the physiological functions of the ovaries and can significantly influence the reproductive performance of sows. During the mid- and late-lactation periods, increasing energy intake markedly promotes LH secretion by the corpus luteum. Compared to multiparous sows, first-parity sows tend to consume less feed during lactation, which prevents them from achieving the reproductive performance typically seen in mature sows. Moreover, the lactation yield and reproductive performance of first-parity sows are highly sensitive to nutrient intake. Analysis of records from most breeding herds reveals that several key indicators of first-parity sow performance—such as an extended interval between weaning and estrus, reduced conception rates, increased culling rates, and a decrease in litter size in the second parity—have become major factors limiting overall herd productivity. In practical production, the average feed intake of lactating sows typically ranges from 5 to 5.5 kg. However, to meet both their own metabolic maintenance needs and milk-production demands, lactating sows should ideally consume around 7 kg of feed per day. As a result, lactating sows generally fail to reach their normal feed requirements. Therefore, nutritionists and... Raising pigs Producers are committed to improving the palatability and quality of the diet in order to maximize feed intake during the lactation period.

2 Increase the energy and protein content of the sow’s diet.

　　During lactation, sows typically exhibit a negative energy and protein balance. Currently, the average energy level in the diet for lactating sows is 3.11 Mcal/kg. The average feed intake is around 5 kg, and the energy intake of sows falls far short of meeting their milk-production needs, forcing them to tap into their body fat reserves. This relative energy deficiency persists throughout the entire lactation period. Adding fat to the diet is an effective way to increase the energy level of the ration. Most studies have shown that adding fat to the diet of sows during the late gestation or early lactation periods can boost daily milk yield and milk fat percentage, thereby further enhancing... Piglet The survival rate. In Piglet The effect is most pronounced under conditions of low birth weight and high mortality rates. Particularly during the hot summer months, adding fat is especially important, as it can effectively increase the energy level of the diet. Moreover, fats produce less heat increment during metabolism. Since lactating sows have the ability to directly convert dietary fat into milk fat, when selecting fats, it’s crucial to pay attention to their fatty acid composition. It’s recommended to use animal fats sparingly if they contain high proportions of saturated fatty acids or long-chain fatty acids. Recent studies have shown that short-chain fatty acids in milk are easily absorbed. Piglet Absorption: Medium-chain triglycerides are readily metabolized into ketone bodies, which can easily cross the placenta. These ketone bodies are utilized for the synthesis of fetal lipids and the production of glucose, thereby enhancing the energy reserves of the newborn fetus. Piglet The ability to survive.

　　A negative nitrogen balance and weight loss can lead to a decline in milk production. An effective way to reduce the negative nitrogen balance is to increase protein intake. Numerous studies have shown that the crude protein level in the diet of lactating sows significantly affects milk yield; there is a highly significant positive correlation between dietary protein levels and sow milk yield, milk fat content, and solid matter content in milk. Other studies have also demonstrated that both protein and energy intake during lactation can influence mammary gland development—increasing either protein or energy intake stimulates mammary growth.

3 Increase the levels of lysine and branched-chain amino acids in the diet of lactating sows.

Increase the levels of lysine and branched-chain amino acids in the diet of lactating sows. Lysine is the first limiting amino acid in lactating sows. Recent studies have shown that NRC (1988)... The recommended lysine level of 0.6% in the diet for lactating sows is insufficient. When the lysine level is increased to 0.75%–0.90%, as lysine intake rises, per litter... Piglet Weight gain is improved, and the sows themselves experience less weight loss. Therefore, the new NRC (1998) recommends a lysine requirement of 0.97%. However, excessively high levels of amino acids can lead to a deficiency in a branched-chain amino acid—valine. Adding lysine to the diet of lactating sows can easily result in valine deficiency, thereby affecting the sows' milk production. Piglet weight gain. The ratio of valine to lysine in the diet also significantly affects the reproductive performance of lactating sows. Experiments have shown that increasing the dietary ratio of valine to lysine can enhance... Piglet Litter weight at weaning.

Branch-chain amino acids are essential amino acids that animals cannot synthesize on their own and must obtain from their diet. In addition to being used for protein synthesis in the body, they play a role during specific physiological periods ( such as hunger, lactation, and exercise) or serve as an important energy source within the body. Branched-chain amino acids are more efficient than other amino acids in breaking down within the body to produce ATP. Higher levels of valine and isoleucine throughout the lactation period can enhance milk fat content, and higher milk fat content can provide... Piglet Provide more energy, thereby promoting Piglet Growth offers possibilities. Adding valine to the sow’s diet can promote... Piglet Growth, Piglet Weaning weight increased with the elevation of valine supplementation levels. However, there is currently no commercially available valine additive for feed use. Common raw materials such as corn and soybean meal contain very low levels of valine, while feather meal and blood meal have relatively higher content but are not efficiently utilized.

4 Provide sufficient vitamins and minerals.

　　There are numerous reports on the effects of vitamins and minerals on their concentrations in sow milk. According to these reports, as the vitamin A content in the sow’s diet increases... With the increase in the addition levels of vitamin E and folic acid, the contents of vitamins A, E, and folic acid in sow colostrum and regular milk will also increase accordingly.

　　During gestation and lactation, sows lose substantial amounts of iron. Particularly in high-producing sows, iron deficiency anemia often reaches a critical level, which not only affects their health but also reduces their feed utilization efficiency. Organic iron is rapidly absorbed and highly efficient, and it does not cause antagonistic interactions among minerals. Supplementing sow diets with additional organic iron can effectively alleviate iron deficiency in high-producing sows. Moreover, by enhancing hemoglobin’s oxygen-carrying capacity, organic iron boosts the rate of metabolic processes within the body, thereby improving feed utilization efficiency. Additionally, higher iron concentrations in the blood have a positive impact on reproductive performance in subsequent litters. Amino acid chelated iron is an excellent source of iron.

5 Regulate the sow’s intestinal health and promote the digestion and absorption of feed.

   Since sows are fed with restricted diets during gestation, they remain in a chronically stressed state of semi-starvation. Moreover, as the fetuses continue to develop and exert pressure on the abdominal cavity and intestines, intestinal motility slows down, leading to excessive water absorption, disruption of the gut microbiota, and a series of intestinal problems such as indigestion and constipation. As a result, the absorption of trace elements, amino acids, and vitamins from the feed becomes even more inadequate. Add 1 kg of Naijiawang to the sow’s gestation diet. +Viswan 0.5 kg; adding 2 kg of Viswan plus 1 kg to the lactation feed can provide a balanced supply of amino acids and vitamins, enhance the digestibility and absorption rate of the feed, improve intestinal health, boost milk quality, relieve constipation, reduce the incidence of mastitis and metritis, and extend the productive lifespan of sows—delivering remarkable results.

　　5 Summary

　　In summary, the nutritional level of feed directly affects the lactation performance of sows. It is highly misguided for some producers to reduce the quality of their diets in order to cut production costs and ignore recent advances in nutritional research. This practice can severely impair the reproductive performance of sows, fail to meet their nutritional needs, reduce litter size, and lower overall productivity. Piglet Low birth weight and reduced vitality in piglets lead to decreased lactation performance, prolonged intervals between weaning and estrus, lower pregnancy rates, and shorter reproductive lifespan. Therefore, it is crucial to provide sows during the lactation period with adequate energy, protein, vitamins, and minerals in their diet, while also employing new and effective nutritional management strategies (such as adding Nai Jia Wang and Wei Si Wang) to help sows achieve their optimal production potential.