Abstract
The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of fermented compound Chinese herbal medicine (FCHM, Vaccaria segetali, Tetrapanax papyriferus, Ligusticum chuanxiong Hort and Rhaponticum uniflorum) on the reproductive performance of Ningxiang sows. A total of 30 Ningxiang sows were randomly assigned to the control group (CON), CHM group, and FCHM group. The results indicated that dietary CHMs and FCHM supplementation significantly increased (p < 0.05) the milk production, feed intake, reproductive performance protein content, and lactose content in the milk of sows and significantly decreased (p < 0.05) the number of somatic cells in colostrum and in the number of low-birthweight piglets. Dietary FCHM supplementation significantly increased (p < 0.05) the number of healthy piglets, birth litter weight, colostrum fat content, and feed intake. Moreover, malondialdehyde, porcine interleukin-1α, and porcine interleukin-6 in sow serum were decreased (p < 0.05), and the activity of superoxide dismutase, total antioxidant capacity, immunoglobulin, prolactin and progesterone levels (p < 0.05) were increased, with FCHM supplementation. The colostrum metabolomics analyses showed that FCHM significantly enriched the oxytocin signaling pathway, calcium signaling pathway, and pathways associated with milk composition synthesis. In conclusion, supplementing with FCHM improved the reproductive performance and milk metabolic biomarkers of sows and may serve as an effective feed additive to improve productivity.