Effect of Pre-and Post-weaning Nutrition and Management on Performance of Weaned Pigs to circa 35 kg.

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.