Sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia) is a tanniniferous legume that has been used as non-bloating forage for horses and ruminants for centuries, but so far its protein-rich seeds have not been utilized as a feedstuff for monogastric animals. In Europe, the main protein sources in diets for organic pigs are the grain legumes faba beans (Vicia faba) and peas (Pisum sativum), alongside the expensive high-quality components soybean cake, skimmed milk powder and potato protein. Because of the scarce supply of organic soybean cake and the highly variable yield of peas, alternative and locally produced protein sources are of great interest. As part of the EU Core Organic II research project ICOPP (improved contribution of local feed to support 100% organic feed supply to pigs and poultry), sainfoin seeds have been tested as a protein source for organic weaned piglets. In a feeding trial, a control diet, one diet containing 10% sainfoin seeds with hulls and two diets with 10 and 16% dehulled seeds, respectively (as fed basis) were fed to 137 piglets (crosses of [Pietrain×Duroc]×[Landrace×Large White]) during the 4-week post-weaning phase. The protein-rich components of the control diet were peas and soybean cake, which were partly substituted for sainfoin seeds in the experimental diets. Sainfoin seeds were found to contain 279 g kg−1 crude protein (388 g kg−1 when dehulled, as fed basis) with an amino acid profile suitable for pig feeding. Neither feed intake and body weight gain nor feed conversion ratio differed between treatments. It is concluded that sainfoin seeds can be a valuable protein source in moderate percentages of 10–16% in organic diets for weaned piglets. Where sainfoin can be cultivated easily and the seeds are harvested, using them as feed for piglets can therefore be recommended.

Simple SummarySuckling piglets need more iron for rapid and healthy growth than is available from sow’s milk alone. Therefore, iron supplementation is common on both conventional and organic farms and is usually carried out by a single injection of 200 mg iron during the piglets’ first days of life. However, the long suckling periods in organic pig farming can still lead to iron deficiency, as we found in a study with 288 piglets on an experimental farm. A single subcutaneous injection of iron led to lower iron levels and slower growth until weaning, when compared with giving iron two or three times. We conclude that one iron injection is not enough to ensure adequate iron supply and unimpaired growth of organically reared piglets, and options of additional iron supply need to be explored. AbstractSuckling piglets cannot satisfy their demand for the essential trace element iron from sows’ milk alone, which is poor in iron. Therefore, iron is usually supplemented by injecting 200 mg iron (as iron dextran) on day 3 post natum. However, the longer suckling period in organic pig herds leads to iron intake from feed starting later. We hypothesized that one iron injection is not enough for organically reared piglets, and that a second and third injection would improve their iron status and growth. On an organically certified experimental farm, 288 piglets from 32 litters were allocated to three treatments with one iron injection on day 3, two injections on day 3 and 14 and three injections on day 3, 14 and 21 post natum, respectively. One injection resulted in the lowest hematocrit and serum iron levels until day 28 post natum and the lowest daily weight gains until weaning, while piglets receiving two or three iron injections did not differ from each other. Based on these observations, we conclude that one iron injection is not enough to ensure adequate iron supply and unimpaired growth of organically reared piglets, and additional iron supply is necessary.

No abstract

No abstract

Organically produced pork occupies only a small niche in the European meat market, with one of the main reasons being the shortage of locally produced high-quality protein sources. In an effort to promote currently under-utilized protein sources, two feeding trials were conducted with grass pea seeds as feed for weaned piglets. The grass pea (Lathyrus sativus L.) is a hardy grain legume that produces protein-rich seeds, but, as other grain legumes, it contains several anti-nutritive compounds. Apart from trypsin inhibitors and tannins, it also contains the neurotoxin β-N-oxalyl-L-α,β-diaminopropionic acid (ODAP) which may cause nerve damage in farm animals as well as humans. The content of both trypsin inhibitors and ODAP can be greatly reduced by hydrothermal treatment; therefore both raw and hydrothermally treated grass pea seeds were used in the two feeding trials. Diets were fed to 152 and 144 piglets [crosses of (Pietrain × Duroc) × (Landrace × Large White)] respectively, during their rearing phase directly after weaning. In experiment 1, a control diet was compared with two diets containing 10 and 20% raw grass pea seeds, plus one diet with 20% treated grass pea seeds, respectively (as fed basis). In experiment 2, a control diet was compared with one diet containing 20% raw grass pea seeds and two diets containing 20 and 30% treated grass pea seeds, respectively (as fed basis). Grass pea seeds contained 265 and 271 g kg−1 crude protein (as fed basis) in the first and second experiment, respectively, and had an amino acid profile similar to peas (Pisum sativum), including relatively low contents of methionine and cysteine. Hydrothermally treated grass pea seeds were found to be a valuable protein source that was well accepted by piglets. At an inclusion rate of 20–30% in diets, feed intake and daily weight gain of piglets was very similar to that of the control treatment. However, including 20% raw grass pea seeds had a significant negative effect on feed intake in experiment 1 and on daily weight gain in experiment 2. Therefore, hydrothermal treatment of grass pea seeds is recommended prior to feeding to piglets.