0
Low birth weight piglets and marked variation in body weight within the litter remain major challenges in swine production. These issues are particularly pronounced in highly prolific sow lines, where genetic selection has increased litter size but has not necessarily improved uniformity of piglet development. The presence of small piglets at birth compromises survival, growth performance, and overall herd productivity, making litter quality a critical parameter for reproductive efficiency. Nutrition is known to play a key role, and strategies such as supplementing amino acids or probiotics have shown promise. However, little is known about how these two approaches might work together.
Objective: This study set out to evaluate whether supplementing sows during late gestation with Bacillus subtilis and L arginine could improve reproductive outcomes.
Methods: A total of 247 Landrace × Yorkshire sows were randomly assigned to one of four diets from day 85 of gestation until farrowing: a standard basal diet (control), control diet plus B. subtilis, control diet plus L arginine, or control diet with both supplements combined. Piglet birth weight, total litter weight, the proportion of very small piglets, the proportion of larger piglets, and the variation in size within each litter was measured.
Results: The combination of B. subtilis and L arginine produced clear benefits compared with the control diet. Piglets were on average about 1 kg heavier at birth, total litter birth weight increased by roughly 3 kg, and the proportion of large piglets rose to 34% compared with 20% in the control group. At the same time, the incidence of low birth weight piglets was reduced by approximately 10 percentage points. Interestingly, when the supplements were given individually, these improvements were not observed. None of the treatments affected litter size, variation in birth weight within the litter, or the rates of stillbirth and mummification.
Conclusion: Providing sows with both B. subtilis and L arginine during late gestation led to healthier, heavier piglets and improved litter quality. This co-supplementation strategy may be a practical and a cost-effective way to enhance reproductive efficiency in swine production, offering producers a nutritional tool to address the persistent challenge of low birth weight and uneven litters.
Khoudphaithoune T, Lanh DTK, Thanh NV, Dung BV, Sukon P, Nam NH. Synergistic effects of Bacillus subtilis QST 713 and L-arginine supplementation during late gestation on reproductive performance in Landrace × Yorkshire sows: A randomized controlled trial. Vet World. 2025; 18(7):2087-2094. doi: 10.14202/vetworld.2025.2087-2094