EFFECT OF BIOTIN SUPPLEMENTATION ON REPRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE AND FOOT LESIONS IN SWINE

Two experiments, using 237 gilts and primi-parous sows of Lacombe and Yorkshire breeding, were conducted during the winter and summer months to study the effect of biotin supplementation (200 and 300 μg/kg in exps. 1 and 2) of barley-wheat-soy gestation and lactation diets on reproductive performance and incidence of foot lesions in swine. The control and supplemented groups did not significantly differ in weight change during gestation or lactation in either breed. The number of pigs born alive, mean birth weight (kg), 21 -day weight gain (kg) and number of pigs weaned (5 wk) per litter were 9.18, 1.38, 4.15, 8.0 and 8.97, 1.35, 4.14, and 7.6, respectively, for control and supplemented groups and did not differ significantly between treatments. The time to post-weaning estrus was similar (7.62 vs. 7.72 days) for both groups. Also, this interval was not significantly different (8.33 vs. 7.10 days) between Lacombes and Yorkshires. The foot lesions observed in both gilts and sows were composed of vertical and horizontal cracks including hemorrhagic ulcers on the hoof surface. Biotin supplementation did not prevent the incidence of these lesions; however, the severity was slightly decreased and this response was similar in both gilts and sows of both breeds.