Effect of maternal creatine supplementation prior to parturition on piglet growth and survival prior to weaning

Over the past three decades, high incidences of piglet mortality before weaning have been a significant, and persistent problem for the Australian, and global pig industries. These piglet deaths, which are highest during the first 3 days following parturition, limit breeding herd efficiency and represent a significant welfare concern. Neonatal piglets die for several reasons; however, intra-partum oxygen deprivation is a primary cause as it results in poor vitality, impaired thermoregulation and delayed or insufficient colostrum intake (Herpin et al. 1996). Consequently, strategies that protect the piglet brain from the damaging effects of oxygen deprivation (i.e. neuroprotectants) may increase piglet vitality at birth and thus survival. The neuroprotective effects of maternal creatine monohydrate supplementation have been demonstrated in spiny mice (Dickinson et al. 2014). We have demonstrated previously that dietary creatine supplementation (2.5% of intake) for 5 days before farrowing reduced latency to stand and suckle in piglets (van Wettere et al. 2015). Consequently, the aim of the current study was to determine whether dietary creatine supplementation (2.5% of intake) of pregnant sows would increase piglet survival and growth to weaning.

Five days before farrowing due date, the diets of 64, multiparous, Large White / Landrace sows were supplemented with either 0% (Con) or 2.5% creatine monohydrate (CR) (n = 35 and 29 sows/treatment, respectively). Sows were housed in farrowing crates, and received 1 kg of the same diet three times per day (14.2 MJ/kg DE; 17.3% crude protein). The CR supplement was top-dressed onto the diet and divided equally across each feed allocation. Piglet cross-fostering was kept to a minimum, with cross-fostering only occurring when litter size suckled exceeded the number of functional teats possessed by the sow. Total litter size, number of piglet born alive and still born, piglet liveweight (LW) on d 1, 3 and 21 of life were recorded, as was piglet survival. Treatment effects were analysed using an unbalanced design analysis of variance, with suckled litter size included as a co-variate in the model when analysing piglet LW, growth and survival (Genstat 15, VSN International, Hemel Hempstead, UK). Data are presented as mean ± standard error (SE).

There was no effect of treatment (Con v. CR; P > 0.05) on the total number of piglets born (12.2 ± 0.5 and 11.2 ± 0.6), or the number of piglets born alive (10.8 ± 0.5 and 10.2 ± 0.5) or dead (1.2 ± 0.2 and 0.9 ± 0.24). Suckled litter size on d 1 post partum was similar (P > 0.05) for Con and CR sows (10.4 ± 0.4 and 10.2 ± 0.4, respectively). The proportion of piglets surviving from d 1 to 3 post partum was lower (P < 0.05) for Con compared with CR sows (0.92 ± 0.01 v. 0.96 ± 0.01), but was similar between d 1 and 21 post partum for Con and CR sows (0.84 ± 0.02 and 0.88 ± 0.02, respectively). Compared with Con, CR supplementation increased (P < 0.05) piglet weight gain (kg) between d 1 and 3 post partum (0.44 ± 0.02 versus 0.28 ± 0.02) and between d 1 and 21 post partum (4.78 ± 0.22 v. 4.10 ± 0.20).

Overall, the current data provide evidence that supplementary creatine before parturition positively affects piglet growth from d 1 to weaning and survival during the first 3 days of life. Although, a positive effect of the numerically lower litter size of the CR sows on piglet growth and survival cannot be discounted, the current results are consistent with those of our previous study involving maternal creatine supplementation (van Wettere et al. 2015). Specifically, a reduced latency to stand and suckle (as previously observed in piglets born to creatine supplemented sows; van Wettere et al. 2015) is not only an indicator of increased neonatal vitality and vigour, but is also associated with increased colostrum intake and, thus survival and growth to weaning (Herpin et al. 1996). Although, further studies with larger number of animals are required, our current, and previous, data indicate that maternal creatine monohydrate supplementation can improve neonatal piglet vitality, early survival and growth before weaning.