Effect of activated silicon dioxide-40microns-on sows' diets

Abstract This trial evaluated the effects of activated silicon dioxide on sows’ diets and its effects on piglets’ performance. Eighty PIC sows from different delivery orders (3rd, 4th, 5h, and 6h) were used. At 100 ± 1 day of gestation, females were transferred from the gestation to the maternity rooms. Before delivery, they were weighed, classified according to the order of delivery, distributed and fed with the experimental diets. Sows were distributed in a completely randomized design with 2 treatments of 40 replicates, each experimental unit being composed of 1 sow. The treatments were: T1: basal diet – corn and soybean meal based; T2: basal diet + 0.3 kg of silicon dioxide/ton. Feed intake, body weight change were evaluated. At d10 after delivery, milk from 5 sows/treatment were collected to analyze density, total solids, fat, protein, and lactose. At birth and wean, litter size and weight were determined. The data was analyzed using the TTEST procedure (Statistical Analysis System, version 9.3). When the distributional assumptions for a t-test were not met, the Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney Test was applied to compare the difference in means between treatments using the NPAR1WAY procedure. Sows fed diets supplemented with activated silicon dioxide shown higher milk production (260 kg versus 247 kg; P = 0.09) and smaller body weight change than sows fed control diet (7.37% versus 9.33%; P = 0.003). At weaning, piglets from sows fed diets supplemented to activated silica were heavier than piglets from sows fed treatment control (7.00 kg versus 6.69 kg; P = 0.06). It was not found differences between treatments for milk quality (P > 0.05) but a numerical improvement on fat content for the group fed with activated silica (9,12 % vs 8,46%). It was concluded that under our trial conditions, the use of activated silicon dioxide-40 microns on maternal diets improves sows’ and piglets’ performance.