Sows

Effect of soybean hulls on growth performance of weanling pigs

Soybean hulls has a high concentration of dietary fiber and it is, therefore, possible that feeding SBH to lactating sows results in an improved immunity for not only the sows, but also the offspring and pigs from sows fed SBH may, therefore, have improved growth performance, digestibility of nutrients, and intestinal health. It is also possible that inclusion of SBH in diets for weanling pigs may have positive impacts on growth performance and health because small quantities of fiber have sometimes improved post weaning growth performance of pigs. However, there is limited information about the effects of SBH on growth performance and immune response of weanling pigs, and there is limited data on the performance of the offspring of sows that were previously fed SBH. Therefore, the objective of this experiment was to test the hypothesis that addition of SBH to diets for weanling pigs will improve growth performance and reduce diarrhea frequency. The second hypothesis was that pigs weaned from sows fed SBH during lactation may have improved immune system during the post-weaning period.

Keywords: 
Soybean hulls, Fiber, Growth performance, Sows, Weanling pigs
Authors: 
Martins, Ibagon, Lee, Stein
Publication Type: 
Research Reports

Effects of soybean hulls in diets fed to late gestating and lactating sows on lactational performance and pig growth performance

Soybean hulls (SBH) are a co-product of soybeans and provide a considerable amount of fiber, which helps with satiety and reduces stereotypic behaviors. The chemical composition of SBH is determined by the efficacy of the dehulling process, and the fiber in SBH may include varying levels of cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, pectin, proteins and minor extractives. Dietary fiber is considered good for gestating sows, but it is not known if the use of soybean hulls as the main source of fiber will also result in greater performance of lactating sows. Therefore, the objective of this experiment was to test the hypothesis that addition of 8 or 16% soybean hulls to diets for lactating sows would improve reproductive performance and immunity of lactating sows compared with sows fed diets based on corn-soybean meal and no soybean hulls. 

Keywords: 
Soybean hulls, Fiber, reproductive performance, Sows, Pigs
Authors: 
Martins, Ibagon, Lee, Stein
Publication Type: 
Research Reports

Dietary 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 boosts Ca, P absorption in late gestation sows

Guerrero, D., S. A. Lee, and H. H. Stein. 2026. Dietary 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 boosts Ca, P absorption in late gestation sows. National Hog Farmer. On-line edition. July 30, 2026. Link to full text.

Keywords: 
Vitamin D3, Calcium, Phosphorus, Sows
Authors: 
Guerrero, Lee, Stein
Publication Type: 
Extension Reports and other non-refereed publications

Effects of Dietary Protein on Nitrogen Balance, Reproductive Performance, Colostrum and Milk Compositions, and Blood Immune Characteristics of Sows

Ibagon, Jimena A., Hans H. Stein, Su A Lee. 2026. Effects of Dietary Protein on Nitrogen Balance, Reproductive Performance, Colostrum and Milk Compositions, and Blood Immune Characteristics of Sows. Journal of Animal Science, Volume 104, Issue Supplement_3, skag107.095, doi.org/10.1093/jas/skag107.095 Link to abstract.

Keywords: 
nitrogen balance, Sows, Soybean meal
Authors: 
Jimena A Ibagon, Hans H Stein, Su A Lee
Publication Type: 
Abstracts

Reducing dietary crude protein for gestating and lactating sows reduces daily nitrogen retention, but reproductive performance is not impacted by diet protein concentration

Ibagon, Jimena A., Su A Lee, Hans H. Stein. 2026. Reducing dietary crude protein for gestating and lactating sows reduces daily nitrogen retention, but reproductive performance is not impacted by diet protein concentration. Journal of Animal Science and Biotechnology 7:125 

Keywords: 
crystalline amino acids, nitrogen balance, reproductive performance, Sows, Soybean meal
Authors: 
Ibagon, Lee, Stein
Publication Type: 
Peer-reviewed journal articles

Reducing dietary protein in diets for sows

Ibagon, J. A., H. H. Stein, and S. A Lee. 2026. Reducing dietary protein in diets for sows. National Hog Farmer. On-line edition. Jan. 29. 2026. Link to full text. 

Keywords: 
dietary protein, Diets, Sows
Authors: 
Ibagon, Stein, Lee
Publication Type: 
Extension Reports and other non-refereed publications

Calcium and phosphorus needs of sows

Stein, H. H., and S. A Lee. 2025. Calcium and phosphorus needs of sows. Pig Progress. Online edition. Aug. 27, 2025. Link to full text.

Keywords: 
Calcium, Phosphorus, Sows
Authors: 
Stein, Lee
Publication Type: 
Extension Reports and other non-refereed publications

The use and application of hybrid rye in diets for weanling, growing, and reproducing swine: A review

Acosta, Jessica P., Hans H. Stein. 2025. The use and application of hybrid rye in diets for weanling, growing, and reproducing swine: A review. Animal Feed Science and Technology 328 (2025) 116442. doi.org/10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2025.116442 Link to full text.

Keywords: 
Digestibility, Growth performance, Hybrid rye, Nutrient composition, Pigs, Sows
Authors: 
Acosta, Stein
Publication Type: 
Peer-reviewed journal articles

Digestible and metabolizable energy in soybean meal and soybean hulls when fed to growing pigs or sows

Kim, Yeonwoo, Su A Lee, Hans H. Stein. 2025. Digestible and metabolizable energy in soybean meal and soybean hulls when fed to growing pigs or sows. Translational Animal Science, 2025, 9, txaf041 doi.org/10.1093/tas/txaf041 Link to full text.

Keywords: 
Digestibility, Energy, Sows, Soybean hulls, Soybean meal
Authors: 
Kim, Lee, Stein
Publication Type: 
Peer-reviewed journal articles

Digestible and metabolizable energy in soybean meal and soybean hulls when fed to growing pigs or sows

Values for digestible energy (DE) and metabolizable energy (ME) in feed ingredients are usually determined in growing pigs and subsequently applied to all groups of pigs. Results of recent research, however, indicate that the energy content of soybean meal (SBM) is greater than previously thought when fed to growing pigs. This increase in energy may be due to changes in the pigs themselves or differences in methodology, but there are no recent experiments assessing DE and ME in SBM when fed to sows. Therefore, it remains unclear if sows also have greater DE and ME in SBM compared with current book values. Likewise, there are no recent data for the DE and ME in soybean hulls although soybean hulls are often added to diets for gestating sows. Therefore, an experiment was conducted to test the hypothesis that gestating and lactating sows have greater DE and ME in SBM and soybean hulls than growing pigs and that DE and ME in SBM fed to both growing pigs and sows are greater than current book values. The second hypothesis was that there is no difference in apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of gross energy (GE) and DE between gestating and lactating sows.

Keywords: 
Digestibility, Energy, Sows, Soybean hulls, Soybean meal
Authors: 
Yeonwoo, Lee, Stein
Publication Type: 
Research Reports

Effects of spray dried plasma on litter growth performance and oxidative stress and inflammation of sows kept in a hot environment

Bailey, Hannah M., Natalia S. Fanelli, Joy M. Campbell and Hans H. Stein. 2025. Effects of spray dried plasma on litter growth performance and oxidative stress and inflammation of sows kept in a hot environment. Journal of Animal Science and Biotechnology (2025) 16:13. doi.org/10.1186/s40104-024-01139-9 Link to full text.

Keywords: 
cytokines, Lactation, Sows, Spray Dried Plasma, Weanling pigs
Authors: 
Bailey, Fanelli, Campbell, Stein
Publication Type: 
Peer-reviewed journal articles

Determination of energy values in pistachio shell powder and soybean hulls fed to gestating and lactating sows

Kim, Yeonwoo, Su A. Lee, and Hans H. Stein. 2024. Determination of energy values in pistachio shell powder and soybean hulls fed to gestating and lactating sows. Translational Animal Science, 2024, 8, txae135. doi.org/10.1093/tas/txae135 Link to full text.

Keywords: 
Digestibility, Energy, Fiber, pistachio shell powder, Sows, Soybean hulls
Authors: 
Kim, Lee, Stein
Publication Type: 
Peer-reviewed journal articles

Concentrations of energy in pistachio shell powder fed to gestating sows and lactating sows

Kim, Yeonwoo, Su A Lee, Hans H. Stein. 2024. Concentrations of energy in pistachio shell powder fed to gestating sows and lactating sows. J. Anim. Sci Vol. 102, Suppl. S2. P 90 - 91. doi.org/10.1093/jas/skae102.102 Link to abstract.

Keywords: 
Energy, pistachio shell, Sows
Authors: 
Kim, Lee, Stein
Publication Type: 
Abstracts

Effects of xylanase or a stimbiotic on growth performance and total tract digestibility of nutrients by pigs weaned from sows fed a lactation diet without or with xylanase

Acosta, Jessica P., Gemma Gonzalez Ortiz, Hans H. Stein. 2024. Effects of xylanase or a stimbiotic on growth performance and total tract digestibility of nutrients by pigs weaned from sows fed a lactation diet without or with xylanase. J. Anim. Sci Vol. 102, Suppl. S2. P 87 - 88. doi.org/10.1093/jas/skae102.099 Link to abstract.

Keywords: 
Digestibility, Growth performance, Sows, stimbiotic, Weanling pigs, Xylanase
Authors: 
Acosta, Gonzalez Ortiz, Stein
Publication Type: 
Abstracts

Concentration of Digestible Energy in Corn-Based Diets Fed to Gestating and Lactating Sows is Increased by Adding Xylanase to the Diets

Acosta Medellin, Jessica P., Charmaine D. Espinosa, Gemma Gonzalez Ortiz, Hans H. Stein. 2023. Concentration of Digestible Energy in Corn-Based Diets Fed to Gestating and Lactating Sows is Increased by Adding Xylanase to the Diets. J. Anim. Sci., Volume 101, Issue Supplement 2, Pages 35–36, doi.org/10.1093/jas/skad341.040. Link to abstract.

Keywords: 
Dietary fiber, Energy, Sows, Xylanase
Authors: 
Acosta, Espinosa, González, Stein
Publication Type: 
Abstracts

Digestibility of energy by gestating and lactating sows and concentrations of digestible and metabolizable energy in diets containing pistachio shell powder or soybean hulls

California is a leading producer of pistachios in the United States and globally and it is estimated that annual production will reach 2.08 billion pounds in 2031. As a result, about 31.2 million pounds of shells will be produced after the nuts are processed for human consumption. Pistachio shells have been viewed as a waste product and are frequently disposed of using ecologically friendly practices. However, it is possible that pistachio shell powder can be used as a high fiber ingredient for swine. Specifically, gestating sows may benefit from the high fiber concentration in pistachio shell powder because this may increase satiety and reduce stress. However, at this time, there is no information about the nutritional value of pistachio shell powder when fed to sows. Therefore, an experiment was conducted to test the hypothesis that apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of gross energy (GE) and concentrations of digestible energy (DE) and metabolizable energy (ME) in pistachio shell powder are not different from those in soybean hulls when fed to gestating sows. The second hypothesis was that the ATTD of GE and DE in pistachio shell powder are not different from those in soybean hulls when fed to lactating sows.

Keywords: 
Digestibility, Energy, hulls, pistachio shell, Sows, Soybean hulls
Authors: 
Kim, Lee, Stein
Publication Type: 
Research Reports

Xylanase and a stimbiotic increased growth performance and total tract digestibility of nutrients in diets for weanling pigs, but feeding sows xylanase in lactation did not influence pig growth performance

Arabinoxylans are the predominant fiber component in cereal grains and cereal co-products. They have a backbone of β-(1− 4) linked xylose units with side chains of arabinose, glucuronic acid, acetyl, and phenolic acids. Xylanase hydrolyzes the β-(1− 4) glycosidic bonds between xylose units in the backbone and releases a mixture of xylose and xylo-oligosaccharides that can be either absorbed or fermented by pigs. Previous data indicate that xylanase increased the degradation of dietary fiber and increased energy digestibility in diets for growing pigs and lactating sows. Xylo-oligosaccharides improve growth performance of nursery pigs because they serve as prebiotics that modulate gut microbiota. A stimbiotic (i.e., xylanase in combination with xylo-oligosaccharides) may improve growth performance of weanling pigs to a greater extent than either additive alone by shifting the intestinal microbiome to favor fiber fermentation. However, there are no data on possible effects of xylanase in sows diets on growth performance and intestinal health of the offspring or on the impact of the stimbiotic on digestibility of nutrients when fed to nursery pigs. Therefore, an experiment was conducted to test the hypothesis that xylanase or a stimbiotic improves growth performance and the apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of dry matter (DM), gross energy (GE), and total dietary fiber (TDF), and the concentration of digestible energy (DE) of diets for weanling pigs, but that the effect is greater in offspring of sows fed xylanase in lactation than in offspring of sows not fed xylanase.

Keywords: 
Digestibility, Growth performance, Sows, stimbiotic, Weanling pigs, Xylanase
Authors: 
Acosta, Gonzalez-Ortiz, Stein
Publication Type: 
Research Reports

Exogenous xylanase increases digestibility of energy and fiber in diets for gestating and lactating sows

Exogenous enzymes may improve the fermentability of dietary fiber in swine diets by hydrolyzing non-starch polysaccharides into oligosaccharides and sugars. In particular, the enzyme xylanase hydrolyzes the β-(1-4) glycosidic bonds between the xylose units in the backbone of arabinoxylans in cereal grains and grain coproducts, resulting in the release of a combination of xylose, arabinose, and xylo-oligosaccharides from arabinoxylans that can be fermented by pigs. Previous data indicate that xylanase increased the degradation of dietary fiber and increased energy digestibility in diets for growing pigs; however, there are limited data for the impact of xylanase on energy and fiber digestibility in gestating and lactating sows. Therefore, an experiment was conducted to test the hypothesis that exogenous xylanase added to diets for gestating and lactating sows will increase the apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of gross energy and total dietary fiber (TDF), and increase the concentrations of digestible energy (DE) and metabolizable energy (ME) during two reproductive cycles.

Keywords: 
Digestibility, Energy, Fiber, Sows, Xylanase
Authors: 
Acosta, Espinosa, Gonzalez-Ortiz, Stein
Publication Type: 
Research Reports

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