Effect of Mulberry Leaf powder on reproductive performance, serum indexes and milk amino acid composition in lactating sows

Experiment was conducted to study the effects of Mulberry Leaf (ML) powder on reproductive performance, serum and milk amino acid composition in sows. Fifty sows (D 85 at gestation) with parity 3 or 4 were randomly divided into 5 groups: C, M100, M200, M300 and M400, receiving 0, 100, 200, 300 and 400 g ML powder per sow per day. Blood and milk of sows at Days 1 and 21 of lactation were collected. Results showed that average daily feed intake (ADFI) during lactation was higher in groups supplemented ML compared with control group (p < 0.01). Litter weight gain during lactation was higher in M400 than in groups M200 and C (p < 0.05), with no significant difference compared with M100 and M300. Serum glucose concentration in groups M400 and M300 was higher than those in the other groups (p < 0.01). Serum HDL-C concentration in group M400 was significantly greater than those in groups M100 and M200 (p < 0.05), with no significant difference between group M400 and groups M300, control. Milk amino acid concentrations such as isoleucine, leucine, lysine and valine were all lower in group M400 than in control (p < 0.01). Serum methionine (Met) concentration was higher in M300 than in other groups (p < 0.01). Milk Met concentration in group C was higher than those of the sows in the group M400, with no significant difference compared with groups M100, M200 and M300 (p < 0.05). Serum Lys and Met concentrations were lower in M400 than in control group (p < 0.05). In summary, our results have revealed the ML supplementation at a high dose such as 300 g/day during later gestation and lactation showed benefit in regulating lipid and amino acid metabolism in sows and then improved growth performance of their offspring.