Dietary Supplementation with Branched-Chain Amino Acids (BCAA) to Lactating Sows Enhances the Availability of Glutamate and Glutamine in Milk

Thirty multiparous sows (Landrace × Large White) were assigned randomly into one of three groups: 1) control (basal diet), 2) basal diet + 1.53% BCAA; and 3) basal diet + 3.07% BCAA. Diets were made isonitrogenous by addition of appropriate amounts of alanine. Lactating sows had free access to the drinking water and their respective diets. The number of live‐born piglets was normalized to 9 per sow at Day 0 of lactation. On Days 3, 15 and 29 of lactation, body weight and milk consumption of piglets were measured and blood samples obtained from sows and piglets at 2h after feeding. Data were analyzed by 1‐way ANOVA. Feed intake did not differ among the three groups of sows (P >; 0.05). Concentrations of aspartate, glutamine, citrulline, arginine, and BCAA were higher (P < 0.05) in the plasma of BCAA‐supplemented sows and their piglets than those in the control. Compared with the control, dietary supplementation with 1.53% and 3.07% BCAA increased (P < 0.05): 1) concentrations of free glutamate plus glutamine in milk by 18% and 35%; 2) milk intake of piglets by 8.2% and 13.7%; 3) daily weight gains of piglets by 6.5% and 10.3%; and 4) prenatal survival by 6.5% and 7.2%, respectively. These results indicate that dietary supplementation with up to 3.07% BCAA enhances milk production to support piglet growth in lactating sows. (Supported by Ajinomoto Inc. and Texas AgriLife Research)