Effect of supplemental yeast culture in sow gestation and lactation diets on apparent nutrient digestibilities and reproductive performance through one reproductive cycle.

Ninety-six crossbred sows and gilts were used to study the effect of yeast culture (Diamond V. Mills, Cedar Rapids, IA) on apparent nutrient digestibilities and reproductive performance from d 60 of gestation through d 21 of lactation. Sows were allotted to treatment groups based on parity and BW. Four dietary treatments were made by substituting 0, .5, 1.0, or 2.0% yeast culture for wheat middlings in the basal gestation and lactation diets. During gestation, sows were fed 2.15 kg/d of a 12.5% CP corn-soybean meal diet containing 25.0% alfalfa meal that provided 6.39 Mcal of ME/d. During lactation, sows were fed a 13.5% CP corn-soybean meal diet containing 12.5% alfalfa meal (3.16 Mcal of ME/kg) to appetite daily. Yeast culture supplementation did not affect (P > .3 to .9) the apparent digestibilities of DM, energy, CP, ether extract, ADF, and NDF in gestation (d 90 to 97) or lactation (d 14 to 21), sow weights on d 107 of gestation and d 1 and 21 of lactation, lactation feed intake, or days from weaning to first estrus compared to control sows. Also, yeast culture treatment had no effect (P > .3 to .5) on number of live pigs/litter at birth and d 21 or total litter weight on d 21. In conclusion, supplemental yeast culture in gestation and lactation diets containing alfalfa meal did not affect apparent nutrient digestibilities and reproductive performance criteria through one reproductive cycle.