Effect of Dietary Potassium Supplementation to Sows During Lactation on Electrolyte Status of the Sows and Piglets

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This study examined the effects of dietary supplementation of potassium (K) to sows during lactation. On d 106 of gestation 24 sows were each assigned to one of three dietary treatments (two groups; 12/group; four/treatment/group). Treatment 1 was a semipurified basal diet containing .42% K; and supplemental K, as KHC03, was added to the basal diet to provide .76 or 1.08% total K in treatments 2 and 3, respectively. Sows were fed 2.25 kg/d during gestation and ad libitum during the 21-d lactation period. Supplemental K did not affect either sow feed intake or weight loss. Treatment did not alter the number of piglets born alive or dead, or piglet growth and survival to weaning. On d 7 and 21 of lactation, milk production was similar for all treatments. Supplemental K moderately increased (P<.10) milk K concentration but did not alter milk OM, CP, or Na. Sows were catheterized to collect 24h urine output on d 5 and 15 of lactation. Added dietary K elevated (P<.05) urinary K excretion and urinary CI output declined (P<.05). Supplemental K did not affect urine Na excretion. Added dietary K did not alter sow serum K on d 0, 7, 14 or 21 of lactation, but serum Na tended (P<.10) to be higher and CI was lower (P<.05) in sows fed the diet containing 1.08% K. Feeding supplemental K to sows increased (P<.05) piglet serum K and Na on d 0, but not at the other times sampled. Added K lowered (P<.05) piglet serum CI. These data indicated .42% total dietary K was adequate to support both sow and piglet performance, and that feeding supplemental KHC03 to provide 1.08% dietary K was neither beneficial nor detrimental.