Advantages of feeding pregnant sows with biologically active substances based on folic acid and trace elements

Abstract

Abstract The nutrition of sows has a significant impact on their productivity and milk production, as well as the multiple, large-fruited and the viability of the litter. The influence of folic acid and salts of microelements was studied by including them in diets, on the reproductive function of pregnant sows and the quality of offspring. The sows of the 1st control group received the basic diet adopted on the farm, the animals of the 2nd experimental group received folic acid in addition to the basic diet, the 3rd group received salts of trace elements (cobalt, manganese, zinc, copper and iodine), the 4th group was fed by a complex consisting of folic acid and mineral salts. It was found that the use of folic acid and a complex of salts of microelements had a beneficial effect on metabolic processes in the body of pregnant sows, improved their physiological state and increased the safety of piglets by 12.72%. The complex use of mineral salts and folic acid had a positive effect on the synthetic function of the liver. The increase in fertility, the number and live weight of piglets at birth and weaning in sows of the experimental groups can be explained by the improvement of feeding conditions, in particular, the enrichment of compound feed with biologically active substances, an improvement in the digestibility of the main dietary substances and, as a consequence, the activation of metabolism. In order to improve metabolism, reproductive function, increase fertility, nest weight at birth and weaning, preservation of piglets, we recommend adding trace element salts to the diet of pregnant sows in the following doses: CoSO4 - 10 mg, MnSO4 - 50 mg, ZnSO4 - 50 mg, CuSO4 - 50 mg and KI - 10 mg per 100 kg of body weight and folic acid - 35 mg/head during the entire period of pregnancy.