Pigs Flashcards
What are the aspects of profitable pig production?
Maximising litter size, number of piglets weaned, and optimising growth rates.
What are the biggest nutritional challenges of pig production?
Managing weaner pigs - this is a function of sow nutrition during gestation and lactation
Discuss nutrient requirements of the modern sow during gestation/lactation in terms of BCS.
Aim to minimise weight and fat loss during lactation - this is done by limiting energy intake during gestation. Weight loss during lactation compromises ability to get back in pig.
Ensure optimal intake of nutrients (protein) and energy for high milk production during lactation.
Modern sows have been selected to have less body fat reserves, lower appetite, greater growth, increased fertility and higher milk production.
Should gain 65kg BW during gestation.
Increasing feed intake in late gestation increases avg birth weight and increases survival however excessive feed intake and obesity have adverse effects on lactation.
Thin sows have decreased milk production and lower litter weaning weights.
What are the AA requirements of the sow?
Gestation = maintenance + protein deposition in maternal tissue + protein in products of conception.
125% maintenance in early gestation
150% maintenance in mid gestation
187.5% maintenance in late gestation
Especially important in gilts - maintains optimal BCS, improves milk fat, protein output and piglet growth.
Lactation = maintenance + synthesis of milk protein
Dietary L-arginine (0.4-0.8%) between days 14-25 of gestation increase viability of foetuses.
Feed restrictions can limit protein/AA intake, causing deficiency.
Discuss lactating sows and their nutrient requirements.
Produce about 1.5 x BW in milk.
Relatively insensitive to altered supply of dietary protein or fat. Severe protein and energy deficiency reduces milk protein.
Expect 10-30kg BW loss. Feed intake is major limiting factor in obtaining nutrients.
Energy requirements determined by maintenance and milk yield.
Lysine requirements is almost exclusively determined by milk yield.
Feed can be limited to maintain appetite.
What are the impacts of poor nutrition in sows?
Decreased follicle development, oocyte quality, ovulation rate, embryo survival (reduced litter size, reduced profits), weaning to oestrus cycle increases if sow looses over 15% BW, fewer litters over sow life time.
What are the nutritional aims during lactation?
Reduce energy demand - energy intake gap
Use energy dense feeds - varying fat/CHO concentrations.
High fat diets can reduce feed intake - no impact on sow condition or weaning to oestrus interval.
High starch diets - may stimulate LH and improve follicle development, minimise sow condition loss.
AA supply - amount and ratio.
Tryptophan, lysine - especially important
What are the 3 main goals of feeding programs?
- Ensure proper sow body condition at farrowing.
- Ensure provision of adequate nutritional requirements (in a cost effective manner).
- Ensure maximal reproductive performance.
What are the nutritional requirements of the neonate?
Optimising growth - appropriate sow nutrition to increase birth weight, maximise colostrum and milk production.
Intra-uterine environment is major determinant of foetal growth.
Low birth weights - low ability to maintain body temp., longer time to udder, reduced colostrum intake (immunity), reduced milk intake (growth).
Runts - fail to increase muscle fibre number or muscle growth even when fed adequately.
Discuss colostrum and piglet requirements.
Inadequate colostrum is underlying cause of post-natal piglet death.
Newborns are energy deficient so energy from colostrum critical - important for physical activity and thermoregulation.
Supplies growth factors - stimulate intestinal growth and maturation.
Need at least 250g.
1/3 of sows don’t produce enough - production is highly variable.
How can you feed to improve colostrum?
High fibre diet close to farrowing increases water intake.
Dietary fibre increases short-chain FA used by mammary glands to synthesis milk fat.
Addition of dietary fat in late gestation increases fat content which increases energy transfer to newborns.
Widespread use of commercial colostrum substitutes.
Discuss iron deficiency in piglets.
Major cause of ill thrift and death in young piglets.
Newborns are deficient, milk is a poor source, modern practices limit access (soil).
Require IM injection (hind leg or neck) as cannot be effectively addressed nutritionally.
What are the signs of iron deficiency in piglets?
Signs appear at about 1week old.
Pale, reduced weight gain, skin slight yellow tinge, rapid breathing, scouring.
Low Hb concentration.
Iron should not be administered to piglets who are also Se/Vit. E deficient - result in Fe toxicity.
Discuss the feeding management of pre-weaner piglets.
Creep feeding.
Adapt GIT to solid feed and plant-based ingredients, development of enzymes to digest post-weaning diets.
Fostering of piglets to low litter sows.
Why is arginine important in piglet diets?
Deficient in sows milk.
Needed to enhance piglet growth (up to 400g/d).
Intestinal synthesis of arginine decreases from birth.
Major factor limiting max growth.
Supplementing lactating sows with arginine is ineffective, piglets require oral supplementation.
