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Biomedical subjects

M D Tokach

Publications and source records attributed to M D Tokach.

78 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

Failure of dietary amino acid supplementation at weaning to influence reproductive traits of sows.

Primiparous and multiparous sows received a single dietary supplement of either L-tyrosine, L-phenylalanine, or L-glutamate in their feed on the day after weaning and effects on various reproductive traits were evaluated in three experiments. In Exp. 1 and 2, sows received either 0 (control; n = 22 and 64, respectively) or 100 mg of L-tyrosine/kg BW (n = 24 and 62, respectively) on the day after weaning. In Exp. 1, days from weaning to estrus (5.5 +/- .3 vs 5.3 +/- .3 d) and ovulation rate (15.6 +/- .9 vs 15.6 +/- 1) were similar in control and tyrosine-supplemented sows. In Exp. 2, interval from weaning to estrus was extended (P < .01) in tyrosine-supplemented sows (6.4 +/- .5 d) compared with controls (4.5 +/- .5 d), but this was due to long return intervals in 7 of 62 tyrosine-supplemented sows. Total number of pigs born (10.2 +/- .4 vs 10.0 +/- .4) was similar in control and tyrosine-supplemented sows. In Exp. 3, sows received either no supplemental amino acids (n = 31) or their diet was supplemented with 100 mg/kg BW of either L-tyrosine (n = 31), L-phenylalanine (n = 33), or L-glutamate (n = 32). Neither days from weaning to estrus nor subsequent farrowing traits were altered in sows that received supplemental amino acids on the day after weaning. In conclusion, a single dietary supplementation of either tyrosine, phenylalanine, or glutamate to sows on the day after weaning failed to improve interval from weaning to estrus, ovulation rate, or litter traits at subsequent farrowing.

Amino Acids↗

Managing the lactating sow for optimal weaning and rebreeding performance.

Management of the lactating sow influences milk production and subsequent reproduction through changes in nutrient intake. The management goal during lactation is to maximize feed intake. Decreasing the effective environmental temperature, increasing the nutrient density of the lactation diet, maintaining fresh adequate supplies of feed and water, and preventing excess weight gain during the prior gestation period will increase nutrient intake during lactation. Effective environmental temperature of the lactating sow can be maintained in the thermoneutral zone by using drip cooling, increased ventilation rates and flooring materials with superior conductive properties. Sow parity, genetics, litter size, and disease level will also influence feed intake. Management practices must account for these factors and, thus, should be tailored to individual farm situations to ensure adequate nutrient intake and prevent aberrations in subsequent reproductive performance.

Animal Husbandry↗

Quantitative influence of lysine and energy intake on yield of milk components in the primiparous sow.

A regression approach was used to assess quantitatively the influence of lysine and ME intake during lactation on yield of milk components and to determine whether this influence was mediated through precursor metabolite concentrations in the blood. The influence of lysine and energy intake on sow weight and backfat loss also was analyzed by linear regression. Twenty-three primiparous Landrace x Yorkshire sows were fed one of nine corn-soybean meal diets to achieve a matrix of lysine (15, 30, or 45 g/d) and ME (6.5, 11.5, or 16.5 Mcal/d) intakes. Sow BW and backfat losses were found to be predominantly controlled by ME intake (P less than .02), with no response to lysine intake (P greater than .92). Lysine and ME intake explained a smaller portion of the variability in milk component yield on d 8 (R2 less than .34) than on d 22 (R2 = .64 to .78), evidence that dietary effects of milk production increased as lactation progressed. Lysine and ME intake had an interactive influence (P less than .05) on yield of all milk components except lactose, demonstrating that the amount of lysine required to maximize milk production increased as ME intake increased. Strong relationships between diet and most blood precursor metabolite concentrations (R2 = .5 to .7) were detected on d 22. No obvious relationships between precursor metabolite concentrations and milk component yield (R2 = .05 to .2) were observed. These results describe quantitatively the prominent interactive effects of lysine and ME intake on yield of milk components and demonstrate that these effects are not directly associated with changes in precursor pool concentrations.

Adipose Tissue↗

Characterization of luteinizing hormone secretion in the primiparous, lactating sow: relationship to blood metabolites and return-to-estrus interval.

Lactating, primiparous Landrace x Yorkshire sows were used to characterize LH secretion during lactation in sows that experienced an early (less than 9 d; n = 14) or late (greater than 15 d; n = 9) return to estrous postweaning and to evaluate the relationship between LH secretion and blood metabolites. Twenty-three sows were fed one of nine corn-soybean meal diets to achieve a matrix of lysine (15 to 45 g/d) and energy (6.5 to 16.5 Mcal of ME/d) intakes and a range in metabolite concentrations and return-to-estrus intervals. Blood samples for LH analysis were collected every 15 min for 6 h on d 0, 7, 14, 21, and 28 of lactation. Circulating concentrations of glucose, amino acids, insulin, triglycerides, urea N, and nonesterified fatty acids also were measured on d 7 and 21. Mean LH concentrations were .27 and .42 ng/mL at farrowing for sows with an early and late return to estrus, respectively, but decreased (P less than .01) to .12 ng/mL by d 7 in both early and late groups. Mean LH and number of LH peaks per 6 h increased linearly (P less than .01) from d 7 to 28 for early sows. Early sows had a higher LH mean and more LH peaks per 6 h on d 14, 21, and 28 than did late sows (P less than .05). Early sows had higher serum insulin on d 7 (P less than .05) and d 21 (P less than .01) than did late sows. Concentrations of other metabolites did not differ (P less than .10) between early and late sows.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Amino Acids↗

Influence of glucose infusions on luteinizing hormone secretion in the energy-restricted, primiparous, lactating sow.

The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the influence of glucose infusion during lactation on LH secretion in the energy-restricted sow. Ten primiparous Landrace x Yorkshire sows (152 kg postfarrowing) were fed a low-energy (6.5 Mcal of ME/d), high-lysine (45 g/d), corn-soybean meal diet throughout lactation. On d 18 of lactation, sows received a continuous infusion (1 L/12 h) of glucose (50% dextrose solution) or .9% saline from 1200 to 2400. Blood samples were drawn every 15 min for an 18-h period on d 18 to evaluate concentrations of plasma glucose, serum insulin, and serum LH before (600 to 1200) and during (1215 to 2400) the infusions. The glucose infusion immediately increased (P less than .001) plasma glucose and serum insulin relative to preinfusion levels. Glucose and insulin concentrations in sows receiving the glucose infusion were higher (P less than .001) throughout the infusion period relative to concentrations in sows receiving a saline infusion. Glucose infusions had no influence on LH pulsatility during the 12-h infusion period. In contrast to the response observed in the nutrient-restricted gilt, these results indicate that glucose infusions do not result in an immediate increase in pulsatile LH secretion in the energy-restricted, lactating sow.

Animals↗

Effect of protein and(or) carbohydrate fractions of dried whey on performance and nutrient digestibility of early weaned pigs.

One hundred eighty 3-wk-old pigs (initial weight 4.8 kg) were utilized in a 35-d growth trial to determine the effects of the carbohydrate and(or) protein fraction of dried whey on pig performance. In addition, 30, 3-wk-old pigs (initial weight 4.9 kg) were used in two digestion trials to study the effects of the whey fraction on nutrient digestibility. Dietary treatments included a corn-soybean meal diet (control), control + 20% dried whey, control + 14.4% lactose, control + 2.1% lactalbumin, control + 14.4% lactose + 2.1% lactalbumin, and control + 8.4% whey protein concentrate. Pelleted diets containing equal lysine concentrations were fed. Lactose and lactalbumin were added at the same levels as provided by a 20% dried whey diet. Pigs fed diets containing milk products exhibited superior (P less than .05) ADG and efficiency of feed utilization and greater (P less than .05) apparent digestibilities for DM, energy and N compared with pigs fed the control diet. Including either lactose or lactalbumin in the diet for the early weaned pig resulted in similar gain, feed efficiency and nutrient digestibility. These results indicate that both the carbohydrate (lactose) and protein (lactalbumin) fractions of dried whey are important in explaining the beneficial response to dried whey elicited in the weanling pig.

Animal Feed↗