Weaning Systems Flashcards
Examples of pig-to-pig disease transfer:
- Sow to piglet
- Nursery to piglet
- Grow/finish to nursery
Primary mode of disease transfer is…
Pig-to-pig
Pigs weaned _____ generally have antibody protection from COLOSTRUM.
< 21 days of age
Name the 3 types of Early Weaning Systems:
- ) Segregated Early Weaning (SEW)
- ) Medicated Early Weaning (MEW)
- ) Specific Pathogen Free (SPF)
Name 5 benefits of early weaning
- ) Reduces production losses caused by disease
- ) Reduces medication costs
- ) Maximum potential for lean growth
- ) Increases pigs/female/year
- ) Reduces need for total depopulation of herds
Name 5 drawbacks of early weaning
- ) Weaning to 1st service interval often increases *
- ) Farrowing rates may be reduced *
- ) Subsequent total pigs born may be reduced *
- Greatest impact weaning age of 14 d or less
- ) Expense of moving animals
- ) Modified nursery equipment and expensive feed
SEW Weaning age < 21 d
- Pigs have high levels of antibodies from colostrum
- Protected from infectious agents carried by their dams
SEW Weaning age varies for specific diseases:
Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae < 21 d
TGE < 10 d
PRRS < 10 d
Segregating prevents _____ of infectious diseases.
Vertical transmission
Two methods of segregation of pigs:
- Transport piglets from farrowing site to another facility
- Moving sows to breeding/gestation facility and leaving piglets where they were born
SPF
- Pigs free from a certain disease at birth
- An expensive method to replace foundation stock
SPF Diseases
Enzootic pnemonia Infectious rhinitis Pseudorabies Brucellosis Leptospirosis
Primary SPF herds are used to…
Supply multiplying herds
In SPF, new bloodlines are introduced via…
ET or AI
In primary SPF herds, pigs are born via..
C-section - 2-4 days before due date
In primary SPF herds, piglets nurse from _____ on the farm they will be going to. This allows for pigs to get _____ and increase their _____.
Nurse from synchronized foster sows
-To get antibodies and increase survival rates
In primary SPF herds, some piglets are…
Reared artificially or
Introduced to farms
In secondary SPF herds, they
Raise breeding stock for commercial producers
In secondary SPF herds, offspring are born..
Naturally
In secondary SPF herds, there are frequent..
Checks for presence of specific pathogens
When pigs in the nursery are healthy, this sets the stage for overall production efficiency, including:
- Feed intake
- Feed efficiency
- Growth rate
- Mortality rate
- Morbidity
What is the most common way to sort pigs?
Grouping by weight
Why is grouping by weight the most common method?
- Most efficient
- Makes diet switching easier
- Social order established quicker
Pigs < 21 d of age will not benefit from _____.
Creep feeding
As age of weaning decreases, the cost of feed and labor _____.
Increases
Feeding weaned pigs - what is generally added?
Preventative medication
Weaned pigs are fed by..
On a feeding board
1st 60-h post-weaning
Gruel of diet and water
Teaching pigs how to eat
Identify pigs that are are not eating based on:
- Fuzzy hair coat
- Sunken abdomen
- Sunken eyes
Place pigs near the feeder to…
Associate the food in mouth with grain in the feeder
1st 5 days…
All pigs try to eat at the same time; place feed on feeding board to provide ample space
Pellet or crumble - Pigs will…. This limits _____ and _____.
Take mouthful of feed to resting area and allow saliva to soften before swallowing.
This limits feed intake and increases feed wastage
Nursery diet: Digestion enzymes
Lactase
Amylase
The ingredients included in diets are highly dependent on the age of pigs
Lactase
Digestion of milk carbs
-Higher at birth, peaks at 2-3 weeks and then declines
Amylase
Digestion of carbs in cereal grains
-Lower at birth, increases with age
Nursery Protein Sources: High-quality protein
High-quality protein
-Smooth transition from milk to solid feed, minimize post-weaning growth lag
Nursery Protein Sources:
Dried skim milk: highly digestible, balanced AAs - feed 1-2 weeks post-weaning
- Spray Dried Plasma Protein (High in protein and lysine)
- Spray Dried Egg Protein
- Spray Dried Blood Meal (deficient in methionine)
- Fish meal
- SBM
_____ pigs cannot break down the protein and carbohydrates
3-week old pigs
Protein in pigs that cannot break down causes…
Severe damage to lining of the intestinal tract
- Lowers digestion and absorption - Raises susceptibility to enterotoxins
Nursery carbohydrates: Initial diets should contain _____ lactose.
15-25% lactose (transition from milk)
Nursery Carb examples:
Dried Whey and Corn
-Some studies suggest further processed out products rather than corn for easier digestion
Weaned Pig Comfort:
- Comfort mats
- made of wood, rubber, etc.
Comfort mats prevent _____
Drafts
Comfort mats provide areas for…
Sleeping/laying and Floor feeding
Comfort also includes…
Zone heating: heat lamps, radiant gas heaters
6 sources of stress
- ) Removal from mother
- ) Change in form, consistency, frequency of meals
- ) Change in environment
- ) Mixing of litters
- ) Establishment of new social orders
- ) Weak immune response
Colostrum immunity is low _____ and pig’s natural immunity is _____.
Post 21-d age
Natural immunity is not fully functional
6 ways to reduce stress
- ) Clean, dry environment
- ) Pens sorted by size or 2-3 intact litters
- ) Avoid overcrowding
- ) Monitoring ventilation rates
- ) Access to clean, fresh water
- ) Identify, treat and remove sick pigs
Common stress-induced problems:
Tail biting and naval sucking
Sorting by weight can _____ the # of incidences of stress-induced problems.
What other two solutions can be attempted to reduce stress problems?
Decrease
What other two solutions can be attempted to reduce stress problems?
- ) Proper tail clipping
- ) Removal to a separate pen is often the best option
- Biter or victim
Observation of comfort: When pigs are piled up on one another, they are…
Cold
Observation of comfort: When pigs are spaced out with some touching…
Comfortable
Observation of comfort: When pigs are spread out with no touching…
Hot
