Recommended Citation Recommended CitationSulabo, R C.; Jacela, J Y.; Wiedemann, E J.; Tokach, Michael D.; Nelssen, Jim L.; DeRouchey, Joel M.; Goodband, Robert D.; and Dritz, Steven S. (2007) "Effects of lactation feed intake and creep feeding on sow and piglet performance," Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports: Vol. 0: Iss. 10. Abstract AbstractA total of 84 sows (PIC, Line 1050) and their litters were used to determine the effects of lactation and creep feeding on sow and piglet performance. Three groups of sows were blocked according to day of farrowing and parity and allotted to four treatments in a 2 Ã-2 factorial with lactation feed intake (ad libitum vs. restricted) and creep feeding (none vs. creep) as factors. Piglets were cross-fostered within each block to standardize litter weights and litter size (>11 pigs). A common lactation diet (1,586 kcal ME/lb, 0.97% TID Lys) was used in the study. From d 3 of lactation, ad libitum sows were allowed free access to feed while restricted sows were fed 25% less than those fed ad libitum. A pelleted creep diet (1,585 ME/lb, 1.56% TID Lys) with 1.0% chromium oxide was offered to creep-fed pigs from d 3 to weaning (d 21). Piglets were weighed individually at d 3, 7, 14, and 21. Amount of creep feed consumed was determined daily. Fecal samples from all creep-fed pigs were taken on d 7, 14, and 21 and fecal color was assessed to categorize pigs as eaters or non-eaters. Sow weight and P2 backfat thickness (6.5 cm from the midline over the last rib) were measured after farrowing and at weaning. There was no interaction between lactation feed intake and creep feeding. Ad libitum feeding of sows reduced BW loss (-33.0 vs. -52.9 lb; P<0.01), improved total (P<0.04) and daily (P<0.04) gains of litters, and increased (90 vs. 71%; P<0.03) the percentage of sows returning to estrus by d 14 compared with limit-fed sows. Creep feeding did not affect (P>0.30) sow BW and backfat loss, but increased days to estrus (5.4 vs. 4.9 d; P<0.03) for sows that returned to heat by 14 d. Creep feeding tended to improve litter weaning weights (132.7 vs. 124.9 lb/d; P<0.09) by reducing mortality rate after cross-fostering (3.9 vs. 7.3%; P<0.06). Total creep feed intake of litters did not differ (2.24 vs. 2.28 lb/litter; P<0.93) between ad libitum and limit-fed sows. About 60% of the creep-fed pigs were categorized as eaters. Of those identified as eaters, 23, 20, and 57% began consuming creep feeding from d 3 to 7, 7 to 14, and 14 to 21, respectively. From d 0 to 28 post-weaning, there was no effect of creep feeding on d 28 weights (P<0.93), ADG (P<0.86), ADFI (P<0.93), and F/G (P<0.95) compared to non-creep fed pigs. Eaters tended to be heavier until d 28 postweaning (P<0.16) and had greater (P<0.06) ADG and total gains than non-eaters and no creep pigs. In conclusion, creep feeding improved survivability, but had no effects on pre-weaning gain and sow performance. Low feed intake during lactation negatively affected both sow and litter performance. Creating more eaters in w...

No abstract

No abstract

A total of 84 sows (PIC, Line 1050) and their litters were used to determine the effects of lactation and creep feeding on sow and piglet performance. Three groups of sows were blocked according to day of farrowing and parity and allotted to four treatments in a 2 Ã-2 factorial with lactation feed intake (ad libitum vs. restricted) and creep feeding (none vs. creep) as factors. Piglets were cross-fostered within each block to standardize litter weights and litter size (>11 pigs). A common lactation diet (1,586 kcal ME/lb, 0.97% TID Lys) was used in the study. From d 3 of lactation, ad libitum sows were allowed free access to feed while restricted sows were fed 25% less than those fed ad libitum. A pelleted creep diet (1,585 ME/lb, 1.56% TID Lys) with 1.0% chromium oxide was offered to creep-fed pigs from d 3 to weaning (d 21). Piglets were weighed individually at d 3, 7, 14, and 21. Amount of creep feed consumed was determined daily. Fecal samples from all creep-fed pigs were taken on d 7, 14, and 21 and fecal color was assessed to categorize pigs as eaters or non-eaters. Sow weight and P2 backfat thickness (6.5 cm from the midline over the last rib) were measured after farrowing and at weaning. There was no interaction between lactation feed intake and creep feeding. Ad libitum feeding of sows reduced BW loss (-33.0 vs.-52.9 lb; P<0.01), improved total (P<0.04) and daily (P<0.04) gains of litters, and increased (90 vs. 71%; P<0.03) the percentage of sows returning to estrus by d 14 compared with limit-fed sows. Creep feeding did not affect (P>0.30) sow BW and backfat loss, but increased days to estrus (5.4 vs. 4.9 d; P<0.03) for sows that returned to heat by 14 d. Creep feeding tended to improve litter weaning weights (132.7 vs. 124.9 lb/d; P<0.09) by reducing mortality rate after cross-fostering (3.9 vs. 7.3%; P<0.06). Total creep feed intake of litters did not differ (2.24 vs. 2.28 lb/litter; P<0.93) between ad libitum and limit-fed sows. About 60% of the creep-fed pigs were categorized as eaters. Of those identified as eaters, 23, 20, and 57% began consuming creep feeding from d 3 to 7, 7 to 14, and 14 to 21, respectively. From d 0 to 28 post-weaning, there was no effect of creep feeding on d 28 weights (P<0.93), ADG (P<0.86), ADFI (P<0.93), and F/G (P<0.95) compared to non-creep fed pigs. Eaters tended to be heavier until d 28 postweaning (P<0.16) and had greater (P<0.06) ADG and total gains than non-eaters and no creep pigs. In conclusion, creep feeding improved survivability, but had no effects on pre-weaning gain and sow performance. Low feed intake during lactation negatively affected both sow and litter performance. Creating more eaters in whole litters may be beneficial in improving post-weaning performance.

A study with 3 experiments was conducted to determine the AA digestibility and energy concentration of deoiled (solvent-extracted) corn distillers dried grains with solubles (dDGS) and to evaluate its effect on nursery pig growth performance, finishing pig growth performance, and carcass traits. In Exp. 1, a total of 5 growing barrows (initial BW = 30.8 kg) were fitted with a T-cannula in the distal ileum and allotted to 1 of 2 treatments: 1) a diet with dDGS as the sole protein source, or 2) a N-free diet for determining basal endogenous AA losses in a crossover design at 68.0 kg of BW. Apparent and standardized (SID) ileal digestibility of AA and energy concentration of dDGS were determined. In Exp. 2, a total of 210 pigs (initial BW = 9.9 kg) were used in a 28-d experiment to evaluate the effect of dDGS on nursery pig performance. Pigs were allotted to 5 dietary treatments (0, 5, 10, 20, or 30% dDGS) formulated to contain equal ME (increased added fat with increasing dDGS) and SID Lys concentrations based on the values obtained from Exp. 1. In Exp. 3, a total of 1,215 pigs (initial BW = 29.6 kg) were used in a 99-d experiment to determine the effect of dDGS on growth and carcass characteristics of finishing pigs. Pigs were allotted to dietary treatments similar to those used in Exp. 2 and were fed in 4 phases. The analyzed chemical composition of dDGS in Exp. 1 was 35.6% CP, 5.29% ash, 4.6% fat, 18.4% ADF, and 39.5% NDF on a DM basis. Apparent ileal digestibility values of Lys, Met, and Thr in dDGS were 47.2, 79.4, and 64.1%, respectively, and SID values were 50.4, 80.4, and 68.9%, respectively. The determined GE and DE and the calculated ME and NE values of dDGS were 5,098, 3,100, 2,858, and 2,045 kcal/kg of DM, respectively. In Exp. 2, nursery pig ADG, ADFI, and G:F were similar among treatments. In Exp. 3, increasing dDGS reduced (linear; P < 0.01) ADG and ADFI but tended to improve (linear; P = 0.07) G:F. Carcass weight and yield were reduced (linear; P < 0.01), loin depth tended to decrease (linear; P = 0.09), and carcass fat iodine values increased (linear; P < 0.01) as dDGS increased. No difference was observed in backfat, percentage of lean, or fat-free lean index among treatments. In conclusion, dDGS had greater CP and AA but less energy content than traditional distillers dried grains with solubles. In addition, when dietary fat was added to diets to offset the reduced ME content, feeding up to 30% dDGS did not affect the growth performance of nursery pigs but did negatively affect the ADG, ADFI, and carcass fat quality of finishing pigs.