Enhancing
Piglet Weaning Weights
1 |
Feeding the
dry sow |
Increase
feeding from day 90 to improve piglet birth weights. An
extra 200 g at birth is worth about 6 days to slaughter. Restricting the feed intake of dry sows will
also help lactation intake |
2 |
Adequate set
up of farrowing accommodation |
The
farrowing accommodation must be very clean.
It is essential to reduce as much as possible the disease risk. The
farrowing area must also be set up to provide heat and a drying environment
to the new born piglet. The farrowing area must be draught
free. A heat source should be placed
behind the back of the sow. |
3 |
Colostrum
intake |
Adequate
colostrum intake and colostrum quality is the key to giving the piglet a good
start. |
4 |
Prompt feed
intake |
40% of
preweaning mortality is associated with malnutrition. |
5 |
Feeding the
lactating sow |
To
ensure good growth rates in the piglets.
Adequate milk production is needed for each day of life. Aim
for a consumption of around 10 kg by day 18 of lactation (gilts may only achieve 9kg). Adherence to a lactation diet. Use an agreed feeding curve and use known
quality of feed per day. Check water supply regularly, milk is 80%
water. Piglets are 85% water. Lysine concentrations may have a direct
influence on weaning weight, recommendations 1.3% lysine, note also valine
(1.3% recommended). Barley based diets
may help sows milk better with less problems post-farrowing |
6 |
Hygiene |
To
reduce disease risk. Piglets have two major options with protein intake, lay
down lean tissue or produce antibodies.
Hygiene is not just about set up, but cleaning while the piglets are
in the room, i.e. prompt removal of scour.
Having different brushes and scrapes for each room. |
7 |
Creep
feeding |
Three
times a day. Use good quality
creep. Start feeding from day 14
little and often. Use a creep tray
(which is sterilised between batches and litters). Keep creep feed cool. |
8 |
Proposed
growth curve Normal pig growth 180-250 g/day, but experimentally can
be up to 500g/day |
|
Enhancing Piglet Weaning Weights 2
9 |
Water intake |
Absolutely vital to weaning
weights: With sows fed a constant
intake of feed and offered different amounts of water daily: 8 litres per day piglet growth 50 g/day 16 litres per day piglet growth 200g/day 24 litres per day piglet growth
300g/day |
|
10 |
All-in
all-out |
This is the only way to attempt to
achieve a reasonable standard of hygiene.
You cannot pressure-wash while sows and piglets are in the room. Moving piglets is moving disease. |
|
11 |
Breeding
programme |
Change to a budget breeding programme
rather than breeding by opportunity.
Only serve sufficient sows to fill the farrowing house as
required. Divide farrowing area into
usable blocks, i.e. 24 day weaning, gives a 5 week turn around. |
|
12 |
Cross-fostering |
Very useful in the first 24 hours. After this time must adhere to a pre-set
protocol. Many cross-fostered piglets
die and take other piglets with them.
Adequate identification of piglets is essential to ensure that
cross-fostering is carried out effectively.
Ensure piglets are evenly shared between available sows. |
|
13 |
Environment
for piglet BOCM Trial (98)
Same level of feed Water controlled 24 day weaning Water Pig growth |
Air- Temperature 30•C Air speed zero Outdoors check arc has no holes. Earth
farrowing arcs No insulation increase LCT 5•C Wet floor increases LCT 10•C Slow Air movement (30ft/min) increases
LCT 6•C Water- nipple 4-6" from ground at 300 ml per min Feed- Good quality creep feed 3 times daily from
day 14 Use a creep feeder Store creep in the cool and dry off the
ground Floor - insulated solid area required. Ensure slatted area not rough. Control flies Control foxes, seagulls and magpies
outdoors |
|
8 lt/day |
50g/day |
||
16 lt/day |
200g/day |
||
24 lt/day |
300g/day |
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14 |
Reduce
disease |
Good recognition of the disease causing
a problem and prompt treatment. Willingness to submit live pigs for
post-mortem investigations Adequate feed-back and vaccine programmes Adequate medicine storage programmes |
|
15 |
Age of
weaning |
Is the post-weaning accommodation
suitable for the weight of the pigs moving into the accommodation? |
|
16 |
Time of day
feeding sow |
Avoid feeding sow when ambient
temperature too hot ie mid-day feeding as this will reduce total intake |
|
17 |
Gilt
management |
Provide the gilts with the stronger
piglets |