Effects of gestation feeding level on glycogen reserves and blood parameters in the newborn pig

Ten Yorkshire gilts were fed either 1.36 or .45 kg of a gestation diet per day from day 85 of gestation to farrowing for determination of the effect of feed restriction during late gestation on reproductive performance. All gilts consumed 1.36 kg/day from day of breeding to day 85. Feeding level of affected (P < .001) gestation weight during the experimental period such that the restricted gilts lost 3.2 kg while control gilts gained 15.0 kilograms. Gestation period tended to be shorter (115.4 vs 113.6 days) and total litter weight tended to be lower (10.6 vs 8.6 kg) in the restricted group although the differences were not statistically significant. Litter size was similar (9.6 vs 9.4 pigs/litter). Restriction of gestation feed significantly reduced individual piglet birth weight (1.1 vs .9 kg), liver weight (32.9 vs 26.0 g) and skeletal muscle weights (8.9 vs 7.1 and 2.1 vs 1.6 g for the longissimus and semitendinosus muscles, respectively). Piglets born to restricted dams also had reduced liver and muscle glycogen concentrations (15.1 vs 13.9, 10.1 vs 9.4 and 9.9 vs 9.4 g/100 g of wet tissue for the liver and longissimus and semitendinosus muscles, respectively), lower (P < .05) blood pH (7.31 vs 7.23) and higher (P < .01) blood lactate levels (43.8 vs 71.3 mg/100 ml).