Effect of different levels of total dietary fiber on the performance of sows in gestation and lactation

ABSTRACT The present study evaluated the effect of variation in the amount of total dietary fiber (TDF) in sow diets, provided from 74 to 114 days of gestation, on the digestibility of nutrients and energy during gestation, as well as productivity and metabolism during gestation and lactation. Thirty-three sows were used in a randomized experimental design. The amounts of TDF in three treatment diets were 156, 223, and 282 g kg−1. The daily intake of nutrients and energy was similar for all diets the entire period of gestation, differing only in the volume of ration consumed, which was 2.1, 2.2, and 2.4 kg day−1 (days 74 to 90) and 2.5, 2.6, and 2.8 kg day−1 (days 91 to 111) for the 156, 223, and 282 g kg−1 TDF diets, respectively. During gestation, the increase in TDF resulted in a significant linear decrease in the digestible energy and apparent total tract digestibility of dry matter, gross energy, crude protein, non-fibrous carbohydrates, and organic matter. During gestation, blood concentrations of protein and globulins exhibited a quadratic response to the amount of TDF in the diet, whereas cholesterol exhibited a significant linear increase. The productivity and reproductive performance of the sows during gestation and lactation or the birth weight of the piglets were not affected by the amount of TDF, but the average daily weight gain of the litter during nursing increased linearly with increasing levels of dietary fiber. Increasing the amount of TDF reduces the digestibility of nutrients and energy, without affecting the performance of the sows during gestation and lactation or that of the piglets at birth and increasing TDF during gestation improves the weight gain of piglets during lactation.