 | The Use of sodium bicarbonate in the diet of lactating |  |
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  | | | The Effect of the Inclusion of Sodium Bicarbonate (NaHCO3) in the Diet of Lactating Sows during Caloric Stress and during Comfortable Temperatures.
By: José Salazar, Fernando Pérez and Abelardo Martínez.
Summary
The experiment involved 160 lactating sows over a period of six months, to evaluate the effect of NaHCO3 on the diet of sows during two seasons of the year.
The experimental diet was based on sorghum flour and soy paste. The diet was formulated in accordance with NCR requirements, with the inclusion vs. the non inclusion of NaHCO3 in the diet, with the evaluation of a dosage of 0.5%. The experimental diet was administered to animals in the Winter, during a comfortable climate temperature (24 °C max-7 °C min.) and during the Spring or during caloric stress (34 °C max - 18 °C min.), and a bi-factorial experiment was handled with 2x2 treatments and 40 repetitions.
The addition of NaHCO3 to the diet reduced the noxious effect of caloric stress in maternity which was reflected in more vigor in lactating females, higher weight in piglets when weaned and; therefore, higher weight gain by the litter (weight< .05). In the same manner, upon evaluating the effect of NaHCO3 as the only factor, the consumption of food by sows and weight gain by the litter were not favored by NaHCO3, while nutritional conversion, more vigor, and the piglet weight were all influenced by NaHCO3 (weight<.05).
The warm climate negatively affected the consumption of food, vigor, nutritional conversion and the weight of piglets without affecting weight gain by the litter (weight<.05). With the environmental conditions and the management of those carrying out the experiment, it was concluded that the diet of lactating sows requires the addition of NaHCO3, to physiologically control caloric stress. | |
