The combination effect of superovulation induction and dietary protein level in sow towards birth weight, mortality, and litter size of weaning piglets

Abstract

This study was aimed to evaluate the birth weight, mortality, and litter size of weaning piglets in sow given superovulation hormones and level of protein diet before mate. Eighteen gilts, weighing 100–107 kg were used in this research. Both PMSG and hCG hormones were used as the superovulation agent and prostaglandin PGF2α as estrous synchronization. The statistical design used in this experiment was completely randomized with a 2×3 factorial pattern, where the combination of each factor was repeated three times. The superovulation hormone as the first factor, consisted of two levels of treatment, i.e., without hormone injection (NSO) and with hormone injection (SO), and dietary protein as the second factor, consisting of three levels of treatment, i.e., 14%, 16%, and 18%. The variables measured include: birth weight, mortality, and weaned litter size of piglets. The results showed that the administration of superovulation induction combined with dietary protein level affected significantly on birth weight, mortality, and litter size of weaning piglets better than non-superovulation induction treatments. The research concluded that the administration of both superovulation induction and dietary protein level in sows before their mating were able to increase birth weight, suppress mortality, and increase of weaning litter size of the piglets.