Effects of Vitamin E on sow gestation: a meta-analysis

Background: Vitamin E, an antioxidant, plays a crucial function in the reproductive processes of mammals. Aim: This study evaluated the reproductive efficacy of ɑ-tocopherol/vitamin E supplementation in pregnant sows. Methods: Twenty-one articles from 1977-2021 were selected for the database. There were eight parameters observed. The data were analysed using the PROC MIXED procedure in SAS version 9.1. Results: The administration of vitamin E into sows led to a statistically significant rise in the level of α-tocopherol in the serum of both sows during gestation and in the serum of piglets on the first day after birth. The injection of vitamin E did not yield a statistically significant effect on the observed variables, including an increase in the number of pigs per litter at birth, stillborn piglets, pigs born alive, and litter weight at birth. Moreover, administering vitamin E to sows did not yield a statistically significant effect on the decrease in vitamin E levels in colostrum or on the weight of piglets at delivery. Conclusions: It is advisable to administer vitamin E supplements to female pigs to augment the concentration of α-tocopherol in their serum throughout pregnancy and enhance α-tocopherol levels in the serum of piglets on the first day after birth