Mortality during lactation is one of the most important limitations in pig production, without specific epidemiological challenges, the rate of weaned piglets per female per year can be affected by 20%.

Immunostimulant pronutrients are complex molecules of plant origin that act physiologically by enhancing the innate and acquired immune response. Cimenol ring is a n active molecule from botanical extract with antimicrobial properties (bactericidal and fungicidal) that acts as a feed preservative (microbiological control) and in the intestinal tract (balance of the microbiota).

A trial based on a dual strategy of natural solutions (pronutrients + cimenol ring) applied to pregnant sows is presented below, with the objective to improve productive performance in lactation.

Trial: “Use of immunostimulant pronutrients and cimenol ring in pregnant sows”

Objective

Improve the productive parameters in pregnant sows and lactating piglets thanks to the administration of immunostimulant pronutrients and cimenol ring in sows.

Hypothesis

1. Immunostimulant pronutrients will make it possible to improve the immunity of the sow and, consequently, piglets’ performance thanks to the better quality of colostrum demonstrated in previous trials:
2. The cimenol ring will help to maintain the balance of the digestive microbiota.
3. These two active ingredients together are expected to reduce mortality during pregnancy and lactation.

• Better health of the mother
• Increased immunization of piglets (colostrum)
• Less presence of pathogens in the mother’s feces (environment)

Experimental design

Batches: there were 3 batches with 3 replicates each.

• Control 1: standard diet without equivalent products
• Control 2: standard diet without equivalent products
• Treatment: standard diet + immunostimulants pronutrients + cimenol ring

The sows of the treatment flock received, from week 13 of gestation until weaning:

• Immunostimulants pronutrients: 1 kg/t
• Cimenol ring: 1 kg/t

Results

Productive parameters at birth:

The productive parameters were evaluated at birth, when the treatment batch obtained 12.96 more live-born piglets per litter, which represents an increase of 6.7% and 3.4% compared to control batches 1 and 2, respectively.

Analyzing stillborn pigs per litter, an improvement of 13.79% was obtained compared to control batch 1, and a 16.67% improvement compared to control batch 2.

Table 1: the parameters at birth. The treatment batch obtained a higher number of live-born piglets and a lower number of stillborn.

Chart 1: graphic comparison of live born per litter in the different batches.

Productive parameters at weaning:

Considering the number of piglets born per litter, the number of weaned piglets per female improved by 5.49% compared to control batch 1 and 3.68% compared to control batch 2.

Table 2: parameters obtained at weaning. The treatment batch obtained the highest number of piglets born per litter and piglets weaned per female

Chart 2: the batch of treated sows increased by 0.63 and 0.43 the number of weaned piglets compared to control batches 1 and 2, respectively.

Conclusions

Immunostimulant pronutrients and the cimenol ring administered to sows during gestation and lactation improve the digestive welfare of the sow and the quality of colostrum, consequently they:

• Increase the number of live born piglets (+0.61 piglets per litter).
• Reduce mortality during pregnancy (reduction of 15.23%).
• Reduce mortality during lactation, increasing the number of weaned piglets (+ 3.26%).

Immunostimulant pronutrients and cimenol ring are marketed by BIOVET S. A. under the name ALQUERNAT IMMUPLUS and ALQUERMOLD NATURAL respectively, available in premix and liquid presentations.