# Dietary Fish Oil and a Flavor and Multi-Enzyme Complex Supplementation Improved the Reproductive Performance, Nutrient Metabolism and Health of Primiparous Lactating Sows and Piglets

## TL;DR

Adding fish oil and a flavor-enzyme mix to sows' diets improved their and their piglets' health, milk quality, and nutrient absorption during lactation.

## Contribution

A novel dietary strategy combining fish oil and a flavor-multi-enzyme complex to enhance sow and piglet health during lactation.

## Key findings

- HP + FME supplementation reduced sow backfat loss and improved milk composition.
- FME increased milk lactose and solids-non-fat content and improved nutrient digestibility.
- The combination enhanced antioxidant capacity and altered serum immune and metabolic markers in sows and piglets.

## Abstract

During the critical transition period of farrowing and lactation, sows face a core physiological challenge: balancing energy demands, body condition loss, milk quality, and the immune requirements of both sows and offspring. Fish oil provides energy, reduces backfat loss, and—rich in omega-3 PUFAs—improves inflammation, lipid metabolism, milk quality, and immune status. However, high PUFA levels increase lipid peroxidation risk. FME (flavor and multi-enzyme additives) enhances feed intake, nutrient digestibility/utilization, and antioxidant capacity. This complementary strategy effectively resolves the conflict between energy deficit, body reserve mobilization, milk production, and immune needs in sows and piglets. This study investigated whether supplementing sow diets with fish oil and FME [flavor (proprietary mixture of aldehydes, ketones, and esters with red fruit and vanilla taste), multi-enzymes (xylanase, beta-glucanase, phytase)] could improve nutrient digestibility, antioxidant capacity, and reproductive performance. Results showed that sows fed fish oil with FME reduced backfat loss and produced higher-quality milk. Dietary fish oil and FME supplementation improved milk composition, nutrient digestibility, and serum metabolite (lipid, protein, immunity, and antioxidant capacity) profiles of sows and piglets, suggesting that fish oil and FME can help alleviate negative energy balance in lactating sows. These findings offer potential strategies for optimizing sow health and productivity.

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) levels and FME (flavor and multiple enzymes) on the reproductive performance, nutrient digestion, and metabolism, immunity, and antioxidant capacity of sows and piglets. Forty primiparous sows [Duroc × (Landrace × York)] were randomly assigned from day 107 of gestation to day 7 post-weaning to one of four dietary treatments, low PUFA (4.6% tallow, LP), high PUFA (4.6% fish oil, HP), and LP and HP, each supplemented with 600 mg/kg FME (LP + FME, HP + FME). Results showed that dietary HP + FME supplementation significantly alleviated sow backfat loss during lactation (p < 0.05). Dietary FME supplementation significantly increased milk lactose and solids-non-fat (p < 0.05) on day 15. Meanwhile, milk protein and true protein contents were significantly lower in the LP treatment than in the LP + FME and HP treatments. The apparent total-tract digestibility (ATTD) of ash and phosphorus was improved (p < 0.05) by both HP diets and FME supplementation. The ATTD of energy and dry matter was significantly higher in LP + FME treatment than in LP and HP + FME treatments (p < 0.05). HP diets increased serum malondialdehyde (MDA, p < 0.01), total superoxide dismutase (p < 0.05) in sows, and increased serum MDA and decreased hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) contents in piglets (p < 0.05). Dietary FME supplementation decreased serum H2O2 contents and increased serum catalase activity of sows and/or piglets (p < 0.05). The serum immune markers, lipid, and protein metabolites of sows and piglets were altered (p < 0.05 or p < 0.10) by HP diets and/or FME supplementation. In conclusion, dietary fish oil (4.6% of diet replacing tallow) and FME (600 mg/kg) supplementation improved lactating performance by improving nutrient digestibility, body reserve mobilization, antioxidant capacity, and health state of sows and piglets.