Descripción del proyecto
With the aim of achieving greater productive performance and promoted by the appearance of new genetic selection tools, pig farming has been achieving, for years, a greater prolificacy in sows, which has given rise to hyperprolific sow lines. However, this upward trend in litter size is linked to an upward trend in sows and piglets mortality. Increase in litter sizes results in greater metabolic demands during lactation due to a higher milk production. Modern sows are not able to fully compensate for these increased metabolic demands through increased feed intake. This uncompensated need for energy causes the mobilization of its reserve of fat and eventually leads to acetonemia and fatty liver. Besides, a dramatic increase in prepartum inhibition of prolactin has been detected in lactating sows. Since prolactin an essential role in lactogenesis and galactopoiesis during lactation, milk production is dramatically reduced. As a result, pre-weaning piglet mortality ranges from 10 to 13% in the principal pig-breeding countries. This raises certain questions regarding animal welfare and contrasts the apparent productive and economic benefit with the question of where the limit of this increasing prolificacy lies.In the current scenario of pig production, it is necessary to reduce piglet mortality, not only for technical-economic reasons but also for animal welfare and its influence on the social perception of consumers about the pig industry.In this context, SOWCAPS project proposes the development of a novel nanotechnology-based feed supplement with protective hepato-pancreatic and galactogenic properties to reduce sows and preweaning piglets mortality in pig production farms.This innovative strategy, based on soy protein encapsulation nanotechnology will allow to enhance pigs health through strengthening the immune system and optimizing nutritional levels in sows and piglets using natural products and, thus, guaranteeing greater food safety. Ultimately, SOWCAPS will reduce pig production costs, improve product quality and care for pigs welfare.SOWCAPS consortium unifies an interdisciplinary team with broad expertise in veterinary science, animal nutrition, biotechnology, nanotechnology and welfare and production of pigs. On the other hand, SOWCAPS consortium, led by PIENSOS COSTA, the third largest livestock farm in Europe, brings together research and industrial SMEs (TCMS/NUCAPS), a university (UNAV) and a public company (IRTA). A heterogeneous group with wide knowledge and background in the different fields included in the which will allow to successfully achieve project objectives. SOWCAPS project development will generate innovative processes and products. Specifically, novel technological processes will be obtained to generate a novel and validated animal feed supplement, based on nanotechnology. Moreover, results will reach great relevance at pig farming sector since the project will allow increase sustainability of the sector by means of decreasing sows and piglets death rates. Moreover, SOWCAPS project will promote Spanish biotechnology sector. Thus, project impacts will finally contribute to Spains recovery and resilience plan.Finally, it is worthy to highlight that SOWCAPS project has an international dimension since it attempts to offer a novel solution to one unresolved challenge of a problem with high impact at worldwide level in pig production farms. In addition, most of the project partners have previous experience in working at international levels. Therefore, project objectives and results will be broadly disseminated to different target stakeholders.