RESPONSE TO INJECTABLE SELENIUM AND VITAMIN E ON REPRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE OF SOWS RECEIVING A STANDARD COMMERCIAL DIET

Abstract

Thirty-one purebred Landrace sows were allocated to one of three experimental groups to determine the nutritional significance of parenteral injection of 3 mg selenium (Se) plus 408 IU of vitamin E as d-alpha-tocopherol. The three treatment groups consisted of (1) a control (no injection); (2) supplementation at 30, 60 and 100 d of gestation; and (3) supplementation at weaning of previous litter or approximately 1 wk prior to artificial insemination (AI) and at 30, 60 and 100 d of gestation. All sows were fed 2.5 kg d−1 (0.1 ppm Se and 15 IU vitamin E kg−1 diet) during gestation and ad libitum during a lactation period of 3 wk. Treatment did not affect (P > 0.05) weight changes of sows. The blood Se and vitamin A levels were not affected by treatment. Plasma glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity was kept within a narrow range except at 100 d of gestation when activity was significantly different for treatment 2 versus the control. Vitamin E levels of plasma were significantly (P < 0.05) lower for the control at 60 and 100 d gestation. The Se, vitamin A and vitamin E content of colostrum and milk were not affected by treatment except for treatment 2 having a higher colostrum Se level than the control. In all treatment groups the Se content was significantly greater in the colostrum than in the milk. Litter size, total litter weight at birth and litter size at weaning were significantly greater (P < 0.05) when Se and vitamin E were supplemented. Although overall litter weight at weaning was not significantly different, litters from parity groups 2 of treatments 2 and 3 were significantly heavier at weaning than the control litters. Mortality was lower (P < 0.05) for the supplemented treatments at birth versus the control (1.7% and 3.8% vs. 9.6%). No significant difference was observed from birth to weaning (20.0% and 17.4% and 15.3%). Although the Se, vitamin A and vitamin E contents of the blood from piglets were not significantly different among treatments, GSH-Px activity in the plasma from piglets in the control group was significantly lower (P < 0.05) than from piglets from sows receiving treatment 3. Key words: Selenium, vitamin E, supplementation, sows, reproductive performance