Adaptation Physiology Group, Wageningen Institute of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University, Marijkeweg 40, P.O. Box 338, 6700 AH Wageningen, The Netherlands.
Physiol Behav. 2010 Apr 19;99(5):579-86. doi: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2010.01.031. Epub 2010 Feb 4.
Young animals can learn about flavors from the maternal diet that appear in the amniotic fluid and mother's milk, which may reduce neophobia for similarly flavored food types at weaning. Flavor learning may be beneficial for piglets, which after the rather abrupt weaning in pig husbandry frequently show a period of anorexia, reduced health, and stress-induced behaviors. We investigated the effects of pre- and postnatal flavor exposure through the maternal diet on acceptance of a similarly flavored food and subsequent growth, health and behavior of newly weaned piglets. Sows were offered anise-flavored (F) or control (C) food during late gestation. Piglets were cross-fostered after birth, with each sow fostering 5 piglets from an F sow and 5 from a C sow. During lactation, sows were offered F or C food, resulting in FF, CF, FC and CC piglets. Piglets were weaned on day 25 and were given both control and flavored food for two weeks using a double food choice approach. The flavored food was not preferred. Yet, prenatally exposed animals showed a higher food intake and a higher body weight in the first days after weaning, and a lower occurrence of diarrhoea than non-exposed piglets. Prenatal exposure also increased the latency to fight, and reduced oral manipulation of pen mates and mounting during the first two weeks after weaning. Prenatal exposure, but not postnatal exposure alone, to anisic flavor through the maternal diet reduced weaning-associated problems in piglets and enhanced their health and welfare in the period after weaning.
幼年动物可以通过在羊水和母乳中出现的母体饮食来学习味道，这可能会减少断奶后对类似味道食物类型的新事物恐惧症。味道学习可能对仔猪有益，因为在养猪业中，仔猪在相当突然的断奶后经常会出现一段时间的食欲不振、健康状况下降和应激行为。我们通过母体饮食研究了产前和产后的味道暴露对类似味道食物的接受程度以及随后的生长、健康和新断奶仔猪行为的影响。母猪在妊娠后期接受茴香味（F）或对照（C）食物。出生后，仔猪进行交叉寄养，每头母猪从 F 母猪那里寄养 5 头仔猪，从 C 母猪那里寄养 5 头仔猪。在哺乳期，母猪提供 F 或 C 食物，导致 FF、CF、FC 和 CC 仔猪。仔猪在第 25 天断奶，并用双食物选择法在两周内给予控制食物和调味食物。调味食物不受欢迎。然而，产前暴露的动物在断奶后的头几天表现出更高的食物摄入量和更高的体重，并且腹泻的发生率低于未暴露的仔猪。产前暴露还增加了打架的潜伏期，并减少了断奶后前两周对猪舍同伴的口腔操作和交配。通过母体饮食对茴香味进行产前暴露，而不是单独进行产后暴露，可以减少断奶对仔猪的影响，并在断奶后提高其健康和福利。
