Effect of guanidino-acetic acid supplementation on the metabolic profile and peripartal performance of sows

• Grant number: 21/07101-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
• Start date: December 06, 2021
• End date: August 05, 2022
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Animal Reproduction
• Principal Investigator: Cesar Augusto Pospissil Garbossa
• Grantee: Bruno Bracco Donatelli Muro
• Supervisor: Dominiek Maes
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Ghent University (UGent), Belgium
• Associated to the scholarship: 20/02731-6 - Nutritional additive rich in dietary fiber during the transition period in order to improve sow and litter performance, BP.DR

Abstract

The metabolic condition of parturient sows has a great impact on farrowing duration, which consequently impact sows and piglets health and performance. It is estimated that sows' energy requirement increases more than 40% at day of farrowing as to support the nest-building behaviour, colostrum production and intense uterine contraction (Feyera; Theil, 2017). In this context, creatine and its precursors guanidinoacetic acid may can be important to provide sufficient creatine to the muscles to enable sufficient contractions for a smooth farrowing process. Also, creatine synthesis is also a major metabolic process in piglets. Therefore, the objective of the present study is to investigate the effects of guanidinoacetic acid supplementation to highly prolific parturient sows on farrowing kinects and neonatal piglets' viability. Twenty sows (parities between 2 and 4) will be randomly allotted upon entry in the farrowing house to either a control diet (lactation diet used on the farm) or the same diet supplemented with GAA (the dose is confidential). This diet will be given from the time the sows enter the farrowing crate (approximately 5 days prior to expected farrowing date) until weaning. The duration of farrowing will be recorded for all sows. Plasma, colostrum and milk will also be collected from each sow. A targeted metabolomics assay (LC-MS) will be used to analyze all plasma samples for the metabolites related creatine, arginine and glycine pathways of parturient sow. A marker of oxidative stress will be included (malondialdehyde) as a measurement in the sow plasma samples. Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFa) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) will also be measured in all sows. The piglets will be weighed at birth, after 24 hours, at 14 and at weaning to measure the litter performance. Also, the viability of the piglets will be scored and the mortality during suckling period will be recorded. Finally, the colostrum and milk samples will be analysed for creatine, creatinine and GAA to estimate the transfer from sow to piglets through lactation. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

MONTEIRO, MATHEUS S.; MURO, BRUNO B. D.; CARNEVALE, RAFAELLA F.; POOR, ANDRE P.; ARAUJO, KAWANY M.; VIANA, CARLOS H. C.; ALMOND, GLEN W.; MORENO, ANDREA M.; GARBOSSA, CESAR A. P.; LEAL, DIEGO F.. The beneficial effects of providing prepartum sows with nesting materials on farrowing traits, piglet performance and maternal behavior: A systematic review and meta-analysis. APPLIED ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR SCIENCE, v. 259, p. 11-pg., 2023-01-30. (21/07101-3, 20/11016-9, 20/02731-6, 21/07109-4, 19/23320-7)