Arginine precursors for hyperprolific sows during gestation

• Grant number: 21/11366-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: March 01, 2022
• End date: October 31, 2023
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Animal Husbandry - Animal Nutrition and Feeding
• Principal Investigator: Cesar Augusto Pospissil Garbossa
• Grantee: Nadia de Almeida Ciriaco Gomes
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

With the growth in meat consumption and exportation, the pork industries must pay attention to advances in animal husbandry technologies, where it is based on animal welfare, nutrition, management, and health. Piglets with development below normal can be caused by an imbalance between the placental capacity to supply oxygen and/or nutrients and fetal demand. Thus, some additives such as L-arginine (ARG) during gestation have been proposed with the objective of benefiting fetal development. Despite the benefits of ARG supplementation, this molecule has some limitations such as short biological half-life in mammals and high cost. In this sense, the use of arginine precursors such as N-carbamoyl glutamate (NCG) and L-citrulline (CIT) has been proposed as a more feasible way to obtain the benefits provided by this functional amino acid. Thus, the experiment will be conducted during the gestation phase to evaluate the effect of supplementation of gestation feed of hyperprolific sows with L-arginine and its precursors on the metabolism, performance reproduction and litter performance until weaning. Four treatments will be used, (control) gestation feed used in the farm; (ARG) feed supplemented with 1,0% L-Arginine; (NCG) feed supplemented with 0,05% N-carbamoyl glutamate, and (CIT) feed supplemented with 0,25% L-citrulline. For the experiment in the gestation phase the treatments will be provided from the 1st to the 30th day of gestation and from the 90th to the 110th day of gestation. The analyzed variables will be productive performance, tissue mobilization, milk production, biochemical and hormonal parameters, and economic viability of additives use. The data will be submitted to statistical analysis using the SAS MIXED procedure.

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

GOMES, Nadia de Almeida Ciriaco. Arginine precursors for gestating and lactating sows under commercial conditions. 2023. Master's Dissertation - Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ/SBD) Pirassununga.