Open Access

Henrike Torborg, Franz Hutterer, Daniel Kisker, Hubert Grove, Johannes Budde, Kilian Fenske, Heiner Westendarp

• Piglets experience a high level of stress upon weaning due to changes in social structures and feeding. Incorporation of flavors in the maternal diet might be a promising tool to prenatally modulate flavor preferences of the offspring and prevent neophobia. This study aimed to evaluate if the supplementation of the maternal diet with Spicemaster GH 501, an intense, plant-based herbal flavor, could affect feed preferences of early-weaned piglets and thus improve feed intake, performance, and overall health conditions. On approx. day 95 of gestation, 59 pregnant sows (DanZucht) were separated into two groups. The control group received commercial gestation and lactation feeds without flavor, while the trial group received diets with added flavor (400 g/t Spicemaster GH 501). After weaning, 272 piglets from both groups were rehoused and given an early-grower feed, which was consistently supplemented in both groups with 400 g/t Spicemaster GH 501 throughout the whole trial. Strikingly, the trial group, which was prenatally exposed to the flavor, gained significantly more weight during the initial phase after weaning. Moreover, the trial group was less prone to develop ear tip necrosis and displayed an improved general health condition, which was reflected in a reduced number of antibiotic treatments during the duration of the trial. Collectively, the incorporation of flavoring compounds in the maternal diet provides a powerful mechanism to shape taste preferences in early-weaned piglets and conse-quently reduce stress levels and susceptibility to infections.