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Effect of Pre-and Post-weaning Nutrition and Management on Performance of Weaned Pigs to circa 35 kg.
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1998-12-01
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Lynch, et al., Effect of Pre-and Post-weaning Nutrition and Management on Performance of Weaned Pigs to circa 35 kg, End of Project Reports, Teagasc, 1998.
Abstract
The objective of this project was to examine the factors
affecting performance (growth rate, appetite, feed conversion efficiency)
of pigs in the stage from weaning to 35 kg liveweight.
The study involved three stages, creep feeding during the suckling
period, management during the first weaner stage (c. 4 weeks
from weaning or 6 kg to 15 kg liveweight) and management during
the second weaner stage (c. 15 kg to 35 kg liveweight.
Creep feed intake before weaning was low c. 2.5 to 3.0 kg
per litter but where it was consumed the response in terms of feed
conversion efficiency was good with litter weight increasing in
weight by about 1.1 kg for each 1 kg creep consumed. Milk
replacer in liquid form was very readily consumed but its preparation
and feeding is very laborious. Weaning weight was poorly
related to post weaning performance and weaning age seemed to
be more critical which is probably a reflection of the greater
maturity of older animals.
In the first weaner stage, feeding of cooked cereal containing
diets was found to have little benefit in pig performance.
Acidification of feeds is likely to have only a minor influence on
pig performance. An experiment on choice feeding of starter and
link feeds did not confirm that smaller pigs require a higher quality
diet and, in a choice situation will eat a greater proportion of the
more nutrient dense diet.
In the second weaner stage, comparison of three commercial
weaner feeds with a cereal based control diet showed good performance
on all four diets. Pigs fed a high lysine weaner diet grew
better in the weaner stage but by slaughter those pigs fed the low
lysine weaner diet, after all pigs were fed a common finisher diet,
had overtaken them. The high lysine group did, however, have
leaner carcasses.
Residual effects of early nutrition need to be investigated in
more detail including the effect of pregnancy feeding on prenatal
development and the relationship between prenatal growth and
postnatal growth, in particular development of muscle.