Improvements in sow productivity have raised questions regarding dietary mineral recommendations. Current
calcium (Ca) levels and/or Ca sources might not support milk requirements of the larger litter in the modern sow.
Therefore, four hundred and eighty mixed parity sows of a high prolificacy genetic line were used to evaluate
the impact of the calcium source on the performance of highly prolific lactating sows. Sows were distributed in
a completely randomized experimental design among six treatments containing different levels of inorganic Ca
(INO) and organic calcium carbon-amino-phospho-chelate (CQT) inclusion. The sows were allocated to one of the
six treatments represented by increased replacement ratios between sources of calcium: 100% INO; 100% CQT;
80% INO and 20% CQT; 60% INO and 40% CQT; 40% INO and 60% CQT; 20% INO and 80% CQT. Farrowing
duration was not influenced (P>0.10) by the treatments, and averaged 185 minutes. Average daily voluntary feed
intake did not differ (P>0.10) between treatments (5.54 kg d-1 on average). The lactation BW, backfat losses and
chemical composition of body weight loss was not influenced (P>0.10) by the treatments. Litter size and average
piglet weight at birth were not influenced (P>0.10) by the treatments (13.7 and 1.26 kg, on average). Litter weight
gain, litter size and average piglet weight at weaning were also not influenced (P>0.10) by the treatments. The
Treatments did not influence (P>0.10) estimated daily milk yield; which averaged 11.41 kg d-1. The treatments
tended to influence (P<0.10) urinary pH levels at day 7 of lactation, were 100% CQT sows had a lower pH value than
other treatments (6.72 vs. 7.27). 100% CQT sows also showed a significantly lower pH level at d 14 and 21 when
compared to the other treatments (6.44 vs. 7.09; P<0.05; and 6.48 vs. 7.14; P<0.01; respectively for d 14 and 21 of
lactation). Free Ca and parathyroid hormone (PTH) serum levels were not affected (P>0.10) by treatments during
lactation and averaged 1.38 mmol/L and 14.62 pg/ml, respectively. In conclusion, this experiment demonstrated that
in diets for lactating sows an inorganic Ca source can be fully replaced by a more available Ca source (i.e., calcium
carbon-amino-phospho-chelate), without negatively impacting the productive and reproductive performance of these
animals or the performance of their litters.
Barrili_2017_evaluation of different calcium sources lactating sows
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