9 January 2025

6 minute read

By: Giseli Heim | Julio Villatoro

When swine researchers, nutritionists and pig producers get together, the talk often turns to how trial findings can inform practical approaches to mitigate production challenges on the farm. A recent discussion with Selko® experts explored how a dual delivery approach that supplies organic acids to the sow’s feed and water offers an optimal strategy for supporting lactating sows and their piglets. Below, Selko experts from research and product management address questions that arose during a recent gathering of swine industry stakeholders.

What pressures do sows and piglets experience during the lactation phase?

The lactation phase places intense energy requirements on the sow. However, during this critical time feed intake may decline. A decrease in feed intake is especially common in warmer climate zones and during warm seasons. As the sow consumes less feed, she can experience a greater loss of body weight. Additionally, her milk production may decline. This situation can lead to negative effects on piglets, including lower weaning weights. Organic acids have long been utilized as a nutritional tool to help support this challenge.

How does Selko investigate which organic acids to use?

Supplementing the sow’s diet with thoughtfully selected blends of organic acids is widely relied on as a go-to strategy to support pig health and performance. Selko® continuously invests in studies at global research centres and on commercial farms to understand how mode of action drives the efficacy of organic acid combinations and how they support animal performance. The benefits of organic acid supplementation have been linked to improved digestion, maintained gut health, and microbiota stabilization.

What are some examples of studies looking at how organic acids support lactating sows and piglets?

The results from multiple studies conducted by Selko® have shown the positive effect that medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs) have on stabilising the sow’s microbiota. Because newborn piglets are constantly exposed to sow’s faeces, microbiota in the sow’s gut may help influence and help steer piglet health. Other studies have looked at the effect of an in-feed blend of short chain fatty acids and MCFAs on sows’ body condition and litter performance.

Given that lactating sows often reduce their feed intake, how can organic acids be delivered in the diet?

Although feed intake may decline during lactation, sows have a high-water requirement (20-35 L/d). This insight led Selko researchers to explore water acidification as an alternative strategy for delivering the benefits of organic acids when sows’ feed consumption drops. Water is a critical support on the swine farm and helps reduce issues like constipation and risk of urinary tract infections. During lactation, water also plays a key role in contributing to sows’ optimal milk production. Researchers found that increasing sows’ water intake with a water acidifier (+11.9 %, average of three studies) delivers beneficial effects for the sow that go beyond the lactation phase.

Swine researchers also studied how a combination strategy supplying organic acids via feed and water could support both the lactating sow and her piglets. The dual delivery approach showed the benefits of acidification during the production phase when sows’ feed intake drops.

What effects have been observed by utilizing a combined water and feed approach to supply organic acids?

Supplementing sows’ water and feed with synergistic blends of free and buffered organic acids can generate a pay-off for sows as well as for piglets. On farms, the combined supplementation strategy has helped improve lactating sows’ feed intake and helped reduce bodyweight loss. The dual delivery approach has also shown a payoff in heavier weaned piglets (Table 1).

Why can high temperatures be a challenge for lactating sows?

As noted earlier, a drop in feed intake can result in reduced milk production.

Seasonal heat waves and warmer climate zones often can lead to a drop in sow feed intake. As the sow consumes less feed, performance can decrease. A common problem for the sow is bodyweight loss, often accompanied by reduced milk production which leads to lower piglet weights.

Have studies been conducted in warmer parts of the globe to evaluate the benefits of a “feed plus water” approach to organic acid supplementation?

A study was done in Brazil during summer (December to January) that looked at the efficacy of the combination approach. The trial findings suggest that supplementing organic acids both in water and feed is beneficial during summer.

The study included 36 multiparous sows and was performed in an antibiotic growth promoter-free (AGP-free) situation. Sows were randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups and tracked from five days prior to farrowing through weaning 25 days later. A control group received a basal diet. The treatment group received a basal diet supplemented with 2.5 kg Selacid® Green/ton of feed and Selko® AlpHa in the water (1 L/1,000 L water – water pH 3.8).

What effects were observed in sows and piglets?

Both sows and piglets receiving the treatment diet showed significant improvements (Table 2). Sows receiving the treatment diet had significantly higher average daily feed intake (+650 g/d, +10.9%) than the non-supplemented control sows (p = 0.0003). The improvement was reflected in a numerically lower bodyweight loss during the lactation period. The results also indicate that the benefits of organic acid supplementation extend to the piglets. Piglets of sows in the treatment group had heavier weaning weight (+1.48 kg, +23.4%) and had an increased average weight gain (+1.55 kg, +31.4%) compared to the piglets from sows in the control group (p <0.0001).

How does the mode of action in these water and feed organic acids work in the animal?

Selko® AlpHa is a water acidifier comprised of a synergistic blend of free and buffered organic acids and is designed to effectively reduce and stabilise the pH of water. Moreover, Selko® AlpHa works to support digestion by lowering the pH in the stomach.

Selacid® Green is a synergistic blend of free and buffered short-chain fatty acids combined with a blend of medium-chain fatty acids, designed to reduce stomach pH and support performance and gut health by improving the microbial balance in the gastrointestinal tract.

What is the takeaway for producers seeking to support lactating sows suckling piglets with organic acids?

Research findings suggest that a strategy of dual supplementation with organic acids delivered to sows in water and feed can be helpful in warm climate zones or during the summer season. Lactation is a complex production phase that often reduces sows’ intake. Warm temperatures can aggravate the challenge of assuring adequate feed intake to support a sow’s milk production.

A combination approach of supplementing sows’ feed and water with carefully selected blends of free and buffered organic acids and MCFAs can help deliver performance benefits that support both the lactating sow and her piglets even during warm seasons.