Prenatal Exposure to Innately Preferred D-Limonene and Trans-Anethole Does Not Overcome Innate Aversion to Eucalyptol, <i>Affecting</i> Growth Performance of Weanling Piglets

Abstract

In the present research, two studies were performed to determine the effects of specific botanical compounds (BCs) on the innate feed preference and feed intake of piglets, as follows: Exp. 1 studied the innate feed preferences of post-weaning piglets using a double-choice feeding test. A total of 828 weaned piglets were distributed into 36 pens (23 pigs/pen) and assigned to three dietary pair choice feeding options (n = 12): unsupplemented prestarter diets (reference) versus reference plus D-limonene, trans-anethole, or eucalyptol. Piglets showed a preference for diets with D-limonene (53.8%) and trans-anethole (54.5%), and an aversion to eucalyptol (41.6%) (p trans-anethole, and eucalyptol influences the feed intake and growth of newly-weaned piglets. Twenty-eight gestating and lactating sows were distributed into two dietary treatments (n = 14): unsupplemented Control diets or Control plus a blend of BCs (BBC; containing D-limonene, trans-anethole, and eucalyptol). D-limonene, trans-anethole, and eucalyptol were transferred into the placental fluid, and D-limonene and trans-anethole into the milk (p n = 200; Control) and (n = 203; BBC) received the same treatment as their mothers in prestarter diets. The early response after weaning showed that piglets’ post-weaning BW gain was higher in the Control (p trans-anethole, or familiarity to eucalyptol did not help to overcome the innate aversion to eucalyptol and its negative effect on weanling piglets’ BW.

Keywords

• botanical compounds
• weanling piglets
• innate feed preference
• sensory maternal learning
• growth performance
• maternal transfer