Beneficial effects of dietary soluble fiber supplementation in replacement gilts: Pubertal onset and subsequent performance

The aim of this study was to examine the effects of soluble fiber supplementation prior to puberty on age at puberty and subsequent reproductive performance of gilts. A total of 136 gilts of similar body weight (BW, 60.59 +/- 7.02 kg) and age (140 +/- 10 days) were fed a control diet (CON) or control diet supplemented with 0.8% soluble fiber (SF) until mating at the third estrus. Circulating concentrations of cholesterol, triglyceride, and estradiol in gilts fed the SF diet were lower than in CON gilts at 205 d of age. Compared with CON-fed gilts, the SF-fed gilts attained observed puberty 15.6 d earlier (P < 0.05), at a 12.2 kg lower body weight, and a 0.84 mm lower backfat thickness at the P-2 point (P < 0.05). The total number of piglets born, the number born alive, and average birthweight, were not affected by diet (P > 0.05). However, the incidence of intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) was lower for SF gilts (4.62%) than for CON gilts (11.3%) (P < 0.05). There was also a greater intra-litter uniformity (P < 0.05) and a tendency for a higher number of piglets born in the SF gilts compared with the CON gilts (P = 0.07). In summary, prepubescent dietary soluble fiber supplementation can reduce the age at puberty in gilts and increase their subsequent reproductive performance as sows.