Abstract This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25-OHD3) supplementation in late gestation and lactation diets on reproductive and litter performance and antioxidant capacity in sows and their progeny. A total of 30 sows (average 3.0 parities; Camborough × PIC337) in late gestation (d 105-108 of gestation) were allotted to 3 treatments in 10 replicates based on body weight, parity, and breed, and fed experimental lactation diets. Sows were fed 1.8 kg feed per day in the late gestation period and ad libitum in the lactation period. A vitamin premix without supplemental vitamin D was used for the basal diet, and supplemental VD3 and 25-OHD3 were added to the diets based on treatments. Treatments were: 1) VD: basal diet with 2,000 IU/kg VD3 supplementation; 2) MIX: basal diet with 1,000 IU/kg VD3 + 1,000 IU/kg 25-OHD3 supplementation; and 3) 25D: basal diet with 2,000 IU/kg 25-OHD3 supplementation. Sow body weight, back fat thickness, the number of total born, born alive, stillborn, mummies, and weaned pigs, and litter and piglet weights at birth and weaning were recorded. Blood samples from each sow and two piglets per litter were collected at 24 h and 14 d postpartum for antioxidant status analysis. No significant differences were observed among treatments in the number of total born (P = 0.60; 15.40, 13.75, and 14.80, respectively), number of weaned pigs (P = 0.46; 10.93, 9.78, and 10.63, respectively), and in litter and piglet weights at both birth and weaning (P = 0.91; 5.08, 4.90, and 5.03 kg weaning weight, respectively). There was no significant difference in plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations in sows. However, sows fed the 25D diet had greater plasma superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity at farrowing (P 0.05; 10.53, 10.15, and 13.19 U/mL, respectively) and plasma total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) at d 14 of lactation (P 0.05; 4.31, 4.12, and 4.94 mM Trolox equivalent, respectively) than those fed VD and MIX diets. Plasma T-AOC at farrowing was greater in sows fed the 25D and MIX diets than those fed the VD diet (7.46, 10.78, and 10.20 mM Trolox equivalent, respectively). Plasma MDA concentrations at birth were lower in piglets from the MIX treatment than those in the VD and 25D treatments (P = 0.07; 10.62, 8.25, and 10.49 μM, respectively), whereas no significant differences were observed in plasma SOD activity and T-AOC in piglets among treatments. In conclusion, dietary 25-OHD3 supplementation in sow diets from late gestation through lactation improved the antioxidant capacity of sows, and piglets from sows fed the MIX diets had reduced oxidative stress at birth. However, no significant differences were observed in reproductive or litter performance among treatments.
Kwon et al. (Wed,) studied this question.