Guanidinoacetic acid supplementation improves reproductive performance of gilts during gestation and lactation

A suplementação de ácido guanidinoacético melhora o desempenho de leitoas durante a gestação e lactação

This study evaluated dietary supplementation of guanidinoacetic acid (GAA) during gestation and lactation of high-prolific gilts on reproductive performance, milk amino acid profile and suckling piglets’ performance. A total of 53 gilts were distributed among 2 dietary treatments (Control diet (CON) and a GAA diet, CON + 1,0 g/kg of GAA (GAA)) in a completely randomized experimental design during gestation phase with 27 and 26 replicates respectively. During the lactation phase, according to the previous treatments and the use or not of GAA in the diets, the gilts were distributed in a 2 x 2 factorial design. The number of gilts were randomized design in four treatments: A control diet during gestation and lactation (CON-CON); a control diet during gestation and GAA during lactation (CON-GAA); GAA during gestation and CON diet during lactation (GAA-CON); and GAA during gestation and lactation (GAA-GAA). Gilts per treatment consisted of 13, 14, 13, 13 respectively. GAA supplementation for gilts improved reproductive traits and tended to increase the total number of piglets born alive (P = 0.059). The use of GAA during lactation increased daily milk production throughout this phase (P = 0.01), and improved milk amino acid content on d 7 of lactation (P < 0.5). Consequently, GAA supplementation in gestation and lactation impacted on lactation performance in first parity gilts, improving daily litter and piglet weight gain (P = 0.05), as well as litter and piglet weaning weights (P = 0.05). In conclusion, the use of GAA improves reproductive performance.

Key words:
arginine; born alive; creatine; gilts; lactation