Effects of dietary supplementation of fermented Panax ginseng and Artemisia capillaris mixed extracts to lactating sows on the growth performance of suckling piglets

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of dietary supplementation with fermented red ginseng and Artemisia capillaris extract mixture on productivity of lactating sows and suckling piglets under commercial farm conditions. A total of 66 lactating sows were assigned to either a control diet or a diet supplemented with the fermented red ginseng and A. capillaris extract mixture during the lactation period. Sow feed intake, piglet growth performance and mortality, and wean-to-estrus interval were measured. No significant difference was observed between treatments in average daily feed intake during lactation. Litter weight gain, litter weight at weaning, and number of piglets at weaning per litter were numerically improved in the supplemented group compared to the control group. However, these differences were not statistically significant. The average weaning-to-estrus interval of sows was also not significantly affected by dietary treatment. The results indicate that supplementation with the fermented red ginseng and A. capillaris extract mixture did not adversely affect sow feed intake or major productivity indices of suckling piglets during lactation. Because the present study was conducted with a limited sample size and a single supplementation level, further studies incorporating multiple inclusion levels and physiological or immunological measurements are warranted to more clearly evaluate the observed outcomes.