Abstract
Lactoferrin (LF), a sialylated iron-binding glycoprotein, performs multiple beneficial functions including modulating immunity and improves neurodevelopment, health and growth performance. Maternal LF intervention for gilts (first parity sows) on the performance of gilts and their offspring remains unknown. In the current study gilts were fed with a commercial pig feed supplemented with 1g LF /day (treatment group) or 1g milk casein/day (control group) from day 1 post mating throughout pregnancy and lactation for about 135 days. The milk production and body weight gain was monitored. The immunoglobulin concentrations in the serum of gilts and piglets were measured using ELISA. Our study showed that maternal LF supplementation to the gilt (1) significantly increased milk production at different time points (day 1, 3, 7 and 19) of lactation compared to the control (p<0.001); (2) significantly increased body weight gain of their piglets during the first 19 days of life compared to the control group (p<0.05); (3) tended to increase pregnancy rate, litter size and birth weight, number of piglets born alive, and decrease the number of dead and intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) piglets; (4) significantly increased the concentration of serum IgA in gilt and serum sIgA in piglet (p<0.05). In summary, maternal Lf intervention in gilts can improve milk production, pig production and serum IgA and sIgA levels, and therefore plays a key role in shaping the performance of their progeny.
Highlights
Lactoferrin (LF) is a 80 kD non-haem iron-binding glycoprotein that is part of the transferrin protein family [1, 2] and consists of ca 703 amino acids with high homology among species
Multiple sialic acid (Sia) residues are attached to the N- linked glycan chains and the polypeptide chain is folded into 2 lobes [3]
The objectives of the current study were to investigate the role of maternal LF supplementation during pregnancy and lactation in promoting milk production of gilts, growth and development of piglets, reducing the incidence of intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and still births
Summary
Lactoferrin (LF) is a 80 kD non-haem iron-binding glycoprotein that is part of the transferrin protein family [1, 2] and consists of ca 703 amino acids with high homology among species. Multiple sialic acid (Sia) residues are attached to the N- linked glycan chains and the polypeptide chain is folded into 2 lobes [3]. LF is first expressed at the two- to four-cell stage of embryonic development and continues until the blastocyst stage of pre-implantation. Expression of LF is again resumed in the latter half of gestation, where it is detected in neutrophils and in epithelial cells of the developing digestive and respiratory tracts [4].
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