Successfully managing today’s high-producing sows

This study investigated the effect of dietary inclusion of 25 g/day of L-Arginine (n = 7) or iso‑nitrogenous amounts of alanine (n = 6) from d 30 of gestation to d 28 of lactation of sows on performance, muscle traits and meat quality in offspring. From each litter, heaviest and smallest littermate of both sexes were reared from d 28 and slaughtered at d 140 in accordance with a 23factorial design. A response to L-Arginine were obtained on small females where L-Arginine increased birth weight, however this effect disappeared at weaning. L-Arginine increased daily gain by 7% and increased the cross-sectional area of the M. semitendinosus in small females by 14%, suggesting an increased lean ratio. Mechanistic studies showed firstly, that small female littermates had increased number of muscle fibres (myogenesis) after L-Arginine treatment (11%) and secondly increased total DNA (12%) as a consequence of satellite cell proliferation. Traits describing tenderness seem to be affected by L-Arginine but further studies are needed.

By 2050, an estimated nine billion people will live on the planet. In order to feed the planet, we will need to increase food production dramatically. In parallel, the demands for animal products will surge, especially in emerging markets. In response, animal production systems must enhance efficiency at multiple levels in the face of many challenges, including a scarcity of resources, volatility in commodity prices, public concerns over food safety and animal welfare, antibiotic resistance, pressures to decrease pollution, and protect biodiversity. To be successful, animal production systems will need innovation that supports efficiency and sustainability.