Maternal dietary intervention with fermented feed mulberry improves offspring performance and intestinal development in suckling piglets

Abstract Background The search for sustainable, cost-effective alternatives to soybean meal in pig diets has gained significant attention. Methods This study evaluated fermented feed mulberry (FFM) as a partial soybean meal replacement on the lactating sows and their offspring. Thirty-two multiparous French Large White sows were randomly assigned to one of four dietary treatments, in which 0% (CON), 2%, 4%, or 8% an equal amount of the basal diet (mainly large soybean meal) was replaced with FFM, from gestation day 105 until weaning (day 21). Results FFM supplementation significantly increased weaning litter weight at 21 days ( P < 0.05), with the 4% and 8% FFM groups showing increases of 11.14% and 10.52%, respectively, compared to the control group, without affecting sow reproductive performance ( P > 0.05). It also affected colostrum protein, solid-not-fat (SNF) content, total solid (TS) content, and lactose content in the mature milk of sows (0.05 < P < 0.1). Serum biochemistry was affected in both sows and piglets ( P < 0.05). Sows showed decreased blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and elevated non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) and ammonia (NH 3 ), while piglets exhibited increased NEFA and calcium (Ca) but reduced NH 3 . Dietary FFM significantly improved intestinal morphology across the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum, markedly increasing ( P < 0.01) villus height and the villus height-to-crypt depth (VH/CD), and reducing crypt depth ( P < 0.05). It also increased jejunal EGF and IGF-1 protein expression ( P < 0.01), correlating with weaning litter weight. However, FFM did not affect gut microbiota diversity in piglets ( P > 0.05). Conclusions In conclusion, the weaning litter weight and intestinal development of piglets can be increased by feeding sows FFM. The recommended addition amount is 6.06% − 7.86%.