Table 2 Reproductive performance and placental angiogenesis of gilts fed diets supplemented with 0 (control) or 0.4% L-arginine (Arg) between d 14 and d 30 of gestation

Maternal body weight at breeding, kg

119.7 ± 2.6

118.1 ± 3.4

Number of corpora lutea/littler, n

14.1 ± 0.6

13.9 ± 0.7

Number of live fetuses/litter, n

11.2 ± 0.7

13.1 ± 0.4^†

Embryonic survival rate, %

79.5 ± 3.5

94.2 ± 2.1^†

Weight of the viable fetus, g

1.75 ± 0.06

1.98 ± 0.08^†

Weight of total viable fetuses/litter, g

19.4 ± 0.9

25.9 ± 1.1^*

Fetal crown-to-rump length, mm

25.4 ± 0.35

26.6 ± 0.43^†

Weight of the placenta for the live fetus, g

31.6 ± 1.1

36.8 ± 1.7^†

Weight of total placentae/litter, g

353 ± 22

482 ± 26^*

Volume of allantoic fluid/viable fetus, mL

185 ± 11

229 ± 15^†

Total volume of allantoic fluid/litter, mL

2,075 ± 179

3,001 ± 262^*

Volume of amniotic fluid/viable fetus, mL

1.31 ± 0.04

1.97 ± 0.17^*

Total volume of amniotic fluid/litter, mL

14.7 ± 0.8

25.8 ± 2.5^*

Number of placental blood vessels, n/cm²

9.53 ± 0.40

12.0 ± 0.95^†

Diameter of placental blood vessels, mm

7.18 ± 0.25

8.40 ± 0.32^*