In this experiment, pre- and post-weaning exposure to FMA flavor tended to show a faster increase in feed intake and individual weight gain of weaning piglets during the first week post-weaning. There are several explanations for this phenomenon. Animals and their offspring share similar genetics and the same environment, which leads to a similar physiological response to various types of food. Maternal information embedded in diet, milk, feces and so on could be transmitted to offspring, affected their specific dietary preferences when encountering appropriate food sources (Morrow-Tesch & McGlone 1990; Galef 1996). Additionally, familiar odors associated with the mother could enhance safety and reduce related stress of their offspring when experiencing a new environment (Oostindjer et al. 2011). It has also been proven that weaning animals tend to seek and prefer their preference food by the feed experience during the lactation
period (Galef & Giraldeau 2001). Therefore, FMA flavor could alleviate weaning stress, and then stimulate feed intake and reduce weight loss.