Abstract
Simple SummarySweet potato vine, as a by-product of sweet potato, has been previously used for various purposes in southern China. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of sweet potato vine on the onset of puberty and follicular development in the ovaries of Chinese Meishan gilts. Our results suggested that sweet potato vine supplementation delayed puberty onset and improved the follicular development, which was associated with enhanced reproductive performance in Chinese Meishan gilts.This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of sweet potato vine on the onset of puberty and the follicular development in the ovaries of Chinese Meishan gilts. A total of 20 Meishan gilts (initial body weight at 30 ± 0.18 kg) were randomly fed a control (CON) or sweet potato vine (SPV) supplemented diet until 19 days following the third estrous. Sweet potato vine was instead of part of basal diet with the same amount of energy and protein in the sweet potato vine group. The results indicate that gilts fed with sweet potato vine reached puberty 9.4 days later. The development of ovaries was enhanced by sweet potato vine supplementation, characterized by an increase (p < 0.05) in the relative weight of the ovaries and the number of large follicles (>5 mm). Sweet potato vine supplementation increased (p < 0.05) the total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) and reduced (p < 0.05) the concentration of malondialdehyde (MDA) in the serum of the gilts. Also, the expression of superoxide dismutase-1 (SOD1) and luteinizing hormone receptor (LHR) mRNA in the granulosa cells from the large follicle (>5 mm) of gilts in the SPV group were increased (p < 0.05) as compared with the CON group. These results indicate that gilts fed with sweet potato vine exhibited delayed puberty as well as improved follicular development, which may contribute to the reproductive performance of Chinese Meishan gilts.
Highlights
Sweet potato is a type of root crop commonly cultivated in southern China
The Meishan gilts fed with sweet potato vine reached estrous 9.4 days later than those in the CON
The relative weights of ovaries from gilts fed with sweet potato vine were heavier (p = 0.05) than those in the CON group, but there was no significant difference in the relative weights of the uterus between the two groups
Summary
Animals 2019, 9, 297 and SPV has been used as a protein and fiber source in pig diets, especially local Chinese pig breeds. Previous studies have shown that the intake of sweet potato leaves stimulates swine growth [1], and high protein sweet-potato roots were used as pig feed and the performance of pigs was better than those fed corn meal [2]. The proportion of sweet potato vines in pig diets should not be excessively high to avoid adverse effects on nutrient digestibility [3]. This can be due to the increase in fiber content of the diets [4] and the effect of the trypsin inhibitors in SPV.
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