Effect of Dietary Biotin Supplementation on Sow Reproductive Performance and Soundness and Pig Growth and Mortality

A 3-year study involving 90 sows and gilts and 223 litters evaluated the impact of dietary biotin supplementation on reproductive performance and piglet growth and mortality. Sows were fed corn-soybean meal-based diets with or without 440 micrograms/kg d-biotin throughout their reproductive cycle. The study found that biotin supplementation did not significantly affect sow weight, weaning to estrus interval, foot lesion score, hair loss score, structural soundness, or piglet birth and survival rates. Additionally, there was no effect on piglet growth or mortality up to 21 days of age. The results indicated that biotin supplementation in sow diets was unnecessary.