Effects of Long-chain and Medium-chain Fatty Acid Complex on Growth Performance and Uniformity in Weaning Pigs

Abstract

This study has been conducted to investigate the effect of vegetable unsaturated fatty acid complex on growth performance and uniformity to weaning piglets. The numbers of animal experimented were 110 Landrace sows and 248 piglets in normal breeding farms. As a treatment, long-chain fatty acid complex had fed from entering maternity barn to weaning for 4 weeks in sow experiment. In piglet experiment, liquid medium-chain fatty acid complex had fed to mouth two times during lactation period. In sow experiment, there were no difference between treatment and control in the number born alive per litter and the litter-weight at birth, but the treatment was significantly higher than the control in the litter weight at weaning and feed intake of sow (P<0.01). For days wean to estrus, the treatment did not significantly differ from the control but Corresponding author: Seung Soo Lee Tel: +82-41-580-3358 Fax: +82-41-580-3369 E-mail: genemap@korea.kr 204 ... Journal of Agriculture & Life Science 47(6) the treatment has come 0.3 day earlier than the control. Average daily gain in lactation period had significant difference due to the positive correlation with weaning weight. In piglet experiment, the treatment was significantly higher than the control in weaning weight and weight gain. The Uniformity indicators of piglets (CV and kurtosis) showed no significant differences between the treatment and the control. As a result, the feeding long-chain fatty acids in lactating period has increased the proportion of unsaturated fatty acid, e.g. oleic acid and linoleic acid, and has increased lactation of milk and feed intake of sows, and has contributed to the growth of piglets in early stage. The feeding piglets on medium-chain fatty acids has made increase of weaning weight as well.