Evaluating Nutritional Strategies In The Late Gestation And Lactation Period To Improve Sow And Litter Performance, Behavior And Piglet Survivability

Abstract

The present thesis investigated the effects of feeding frequency on sow and litter performance, including sow body weight, backfat, feed intake, piglet survivability, and litter performance during lactation. At d 109 of gestation, 298 sows (Landrace × Yorkshire; BW 245 ± 3.2 kg; parity 2.54 ± 0.21) were blocked by parity and randomly assigned to one of two treatments. The treatments consisted of feeding sows either twice daily at 0730 and 1530 h (2x/day) or three times daily at 0730, 1130, and 1530 h (3x/day). Sows were fed a corn-soybean meal- containing 3.4 Mcal of ME/kg and 1.03% SID Lys. Sow BW and BF measurements were recorded at d 109 and at weaning. Litters were cross-fostered within treatments within 24-h after farrowing, and litter weights were collected at 12-h post-farrow, and at weaning. A subset of sows was used to evaluate nutrient digestibility (n = 45) and behavior (n = 26). No differences were observed in sow body weight and backfat thickness between 2x/day or 3x/day (P > 0.10). However, sows fed 3x/day tended to have a greater (P = 0.05) decrease in backfat thickness from entry to farrowing until weaning. Sows fed 3x/day had similar average daily feed intake (P = 0.48) and similar total feed intake (P = 0.47) compared to the 2x/day group. Piglet survivability was greater in the 3x/day group (P < 0.01), with a survival rate of 92 % at weaning compared to 88 % in the 2x/day group. Litter performance, including litter size, litter weight, and average daily gain, was not different between the feed strategies (P > 0.10). Subsequent reproductive performance parameters were also not different across feeding strategies (P > 0.10). Sows in the 2x/day group were more active than sows in the 3x/day group (P < 0.01), indicating increased activity in response to reduced feeding frequency. In terms of nitrogen and energy balance, no differences were observed between the groups (P > 0.10). Digestibility coefficients for nutrients and energy did not differ between the two feeding frequency strategies (P > 0.10). In conclusion, feeding sows three times daily demonstrated potential benefits in terms of piglet survival and reduced total activity during lactation.