Is Lianol a hormone?

No, Lianol isn’t a hormone. Lianol is an active, natural molecule originating from a fermentation process. Lianol supports the immune system and stimulates the production of a natural, body's-own growth factor (IGF-1), causing the IGF-1 content to rise.

What is IGF-1?

IGF-1 stands for insulin-like growth factor. Like the name declares, it’s like "the brother" of insulin. Both messenger substances play an important role in various development processes of the body.

Insulin determines a tight regulation of the blood sugar level. It ensures that there is always enough energy available for the body to work with.

However, the growth factor IGF-1ensures the growth and development of all types of body cells and organs. These are, for example, egg-cells, muscle cells, blood vessels, etc. In this way, insulin and IGF-1 are compatible.

FAQ Lianol Solapro

How does Lianol Solapro improves the immunity of freshly weaned piglets?

Lianol has a 3-folded way to protect the gut of freshly weaned piglets.

• it re-establishes a homeostasis in the gut mucosa
• it enhances the resistance of tight-junctions in the gut
• it regulates a correct immune response against underlying infections (immune modulation).

These combined actions help weaned piglets to clear infections faster and to reduce the presence of intestinal pathogenic bacteria. At the same time, Lianol also restores the lowered serum IGF-1 level, causing a normalization of the weight gain.

How come Lianol has a positive effect during periods of heat stress?

During warmer periods, all sows tend to eat less. However, their piglets require the same amount of energy in order to grow. This means that sows have to rely on their body reserves even more. When these heavily emaciated sows enter the breeding stable, they will come into heat poorly and will be served with great difficulty.

When these sows eventually do farrow, they will produce smaller litters with weakened piglets. With Lianol added around weaning or during lactation, the IGF-1 level will rise, causing the sows to come into heat sooner and to be re-served less.

How does Lianol Solapro improves fertility?

In order for a sow to be served successfully after weaning, the ovaries must produce high-quality egg-cells. To do so, the ovaries have to receive a specific signal from the brain (FSH/LH release). This will result in egg-cells maturing so they can be fertilized successfully.

The brain will only release this specific signal if the levels of insulin and the growth factor IGF-1 are high enough. Based on the quantity of these 2 hormones, the brain will know the current nutritional status of the sow. Insulin and the growth factor IGF-1 are, so to speak, a thermostat for the body’s nutritional status. This ingenious system prevents a sow from ovulating if it lacks the feed or body condition to bring a possible gestation to a successful ending.

If, after weaning, a sow has a bad body condition, both hormone levels will be low and the sow will often not come into heat. If a sow is in bad condition but receives a sugar-rich diet (flush feeding), the insulin level will rise. The IGF-1 level on the other hand will only slowly recover. As a result, a sow will come into heat and can be served, but mostly unsuccessfully.

If a sow is in a bad condition but receives a flush diet and Lianol, she will come into heat and will be served successfully! Lianol Solapro and flushing diets are complementary to each other.

Can Lianol replace hormone injections after weaning?

It is possible to force a gilt or sow to come into heat with hormone shots. But once inseminated, these treated animals regularly need to be re-served. Lianol stimulates the sow from the inside out by boosting her own hormonal system.  This enhances the fertility and prevents the sow from being re-served.

Can Lianol replace oestrus suppressing means after weaning (Altrenogest)?

Yes. These products are increasingly used for high prolific sows post-weaning. They “pause” the sow’s cycle and allow for her to be placed in another group. This allows sows to recover from the condition loss they suffered during lactation without them interfering with the breeding management.

Suppressing a sow’s cycle is a very costly solution! At € 3 per non-productive day this method comes with a minimal cost of € 21 per week per sow. Depending on the management system it can lead to a manifold.

Lianol stimulates the sow from the inside out by boosting her own hormonal system. This ensures that she will come into heat better and can be served successfully at only a fraction of the costs.

What effect does Lianol have before farrowing?

Lianol (through IGF-1) stimulates the creation of new microscopical blood vessels in the placenta. This increases the supply of nutrients and oxygen for each piglet. It increases the exchange capacity of the placenta for nutrients as well. This leads to heavier and more active piglets at birth.

What effect does Lianol have after farrowing?

Cleansing of the uterus will be easier through modulation and reduction of the inflammation process. This helps the sow to feel and to eat better. After farrowing, Lianol stimulates a better onset of the milk production. IGF1 positively influences the development of the mammary gland and the actual start of milk production.

Which sows do I treat around farrowing?

Best is to treat all the sows because IGF-1 content decreases in times of stress. Changing of housing (entering the farrowing pen) and sometimes of diet requires an enormous adjustment from the sow. This is accompanied by a lot of stress. Optimal support is therefore advisable.

Do I still have to use extra sugar after weaning?

This is not strictly necessary, although the body condition of the sows must be acceptable. It is generally recommended to provide an energy dense feed after weaning (flush diet). It will always be more rewarding to prevent condition loss during lactation than to provide extra sugar after weaning.

How does Lianol boost milk production?

Lianol increases the growth factor content IGF-1 in the blood. Together with prolactin, IGF-1 increases both the number of milk producing cells and the yield of each individual cell. Therefore, Lianol helps to create MORE milk-producing cells in the mammary gland. Lianol enhances the effect of a good transition diet.

I already provide sugar to my sows after weaning to improve fertility. Why do I need Lianol as well?

Sugar (dextrose) increases the insulin content of every animal. High insulin content has a positive effect on heat detection of sows. However, post-ovulating, insulin plays no major role in prevention of sows needing to be re-served. Lianol on the other hand, has a wider impact by increasing the growth factor content IGF-1.

Prior to ovulation; Lianol causes:

• Stimulation of the ovaries
• Improvement of quality of ovulating egg-cells (FSH/LH sensitivity is increased)
• Improvement of heat detection

Post-ovulating; it is the growth factor IGF-1 that causes the egg-cells to attach to the uterine wall and the placenta to develop. Therefore, Lianol has an influence on both heat detection and sows needing to be re-served. Due to being complementary to insulin, Lianol enhances the effect of dextrose.

I already use a transition diet (from gestation to lactation), in order to have a good start of the lactation. Why should I use Lianol?

Lianol increases the growth factor content IGF-1 in the blood. Together with prolactin, IGF-1 increases both the number of milk producing cells and the yield of each individual cell. Therefore, Lianol helps to create MORE milk-producing cells in the mammary gland. Lianol enhances the effect of a good transition diet.

How does Lianol affect the birth weight of piglets?

The birth weight of a piglet is mainly determined by:

• the body condition of the sow
• the exchange of nutrients between the sow and the piglet in the last 20 days of gestation. In the last 2-3 weeks of gestation, 1/3 of the total piglet growth takes place.

Even in the relatively short period before farrowing, Lianol can exert a positive influence on the average birth weight. It ensures a better transfer of nutrients between the sow and the piglets and it provides a better blood flow in the placenta.