Effects of varying creep feeding duration on the proportion of pigs consuming creep feed and neonatal pig performance1

Abstract

In Exp. 1, 54 sows (PIC Line 1050) and their litters were used to determine the effects of creep feeding duration on the proportion of pigs consuming creep feed and preweaning performance. Two groups of sows were blocked according to parity and date of farrowing and allotted to 3 experimental treatments in a randomized complete block design. Creep feeding was initiated at d 7, 14, and 18 from birth for durations of 13, 6, and 2 d of creep feeding. A creep diet (3,495 kcal of ME/kg, 1.56% standardized ileal digestible Lys) with 1.0% chromium oxide was offered for ad libitum intake until weaning (d 20) in a rotary creep feeder with hopper. Fecal samples from all piglets were taken with sterile swabs on d 14, 18, and 20 for treatment 1, d 18 and 20 for treatment 2, and d 20 for treatment 3. Piglets were categorized as eaters when the fecal sample was colored green at least once on any of the sampling days. In Exp. 1, there were no differences in weaning weights (P > 0.61), total BW gain (P > 0.38), and daily BW gain (P > 0.38) among pigs fed creep for 13, 6, or 2 d. Total creep feed intake of litters fed creep for 13 and 6 d was greater (P < 0.01) than that for litters fed creep feed for 2 d. Litters provided with creep feed for 13 d produced 10% more (80 vs. 70%; P < 0.03) eaters than litters fed creep for 6 or 2 d. In Exp. 2, all 273 pigs weaned from 1 of the 2 groups used in Exp. 1 (averaging 5.67 kg of BW and 20 +/- 2 d) were randomly allotted to 2 treatment categories (non-eater or eater of creep feed) in a completely randomized design to determine whether there were any differences in nursery growth performance between creep feed consumption categories. There were 10 and 33 replications (pens) with 5 to 7 pigs per pen for the non-eater and eater treatment categories, respectively. Non-eaters were heavier (P < 0.004) than eaters at d 0, but eaters had greater ADG (P < 0.01) and ADFI (P < 0.05) than non-eaters from d 0 to 3 postweaning. Overall (d 0 to 28), there were no (P > 0.69) differences in ADG, ADFI, and G:F of eaters and non-eaters. In conclusion, longer durations of creep feeding increased the proportion of eaters in whole litters, but did not affect preweaning performance. Eaters had greater postweaning feed intake than non-eaters, which resulted in greater initial daily BW gains.

Influence of feed flavors and nursery diet complexity on preweaning and nursery pig performance1,2

“…However, Sulabo et al (2010a) reported that about 75% of the total litter creep feed intake was consumed in the last 7 d before weaning. Sulabo et al (2010c) also reported that pigs given access to creep feeding for 2 d before weaning consumed the same or greater amounts of creep feed compared with litters that were creep fed for 7 to 11 d. These observations indicate that creep feed intake is more related to maturity of piglets rather than the duration of creep feeding. More importantly, 3 d of creep feeding was chosen because most pig producers in the United States that practice creep feeding provide supplemental feed for only 2 to 7 d before weaning; thus, any effect of flavor addition must be observed in a short feeding duration.…”

“…Creep feeding duration influenced the proportion of eaters in whole litters (Sulabo et al, 2010c). Litters provided with creep feed for 13 d produced approximately 14% more eaters than litters fed creep for 6 and 2 d (80, 70, and 71% eaters, respectively).…”

Growth performance of piglets during the first two weeks of lactation affects the development of the intestinal microbiota

“…(Carney‐Hinkle et al., ; Mori et al., ; Torrallardona, Andrés‐Elias, López‐Soria, Badiola, & Cerdà‐Cuéllar, ). Some studies reported that eater “creep feed” piglets have lower performance during the lactation and weaning weight (Pluske et al., ; Sulabo et al., ). However, the amounts of sow feed or faecal material ingested by the piglets during the lactation period is difficult to estimate and quite variable between littermates and were not determined in the present study.…”

Facilitating ‘learning from mom how to eat like a pig’ to improve welfare of piglets around weaning

“…Overall, there is a positive correlation between preweaning and postweaning food intake under commercial conditions (Berkeveld et al, 2007;Sulabo et al, 2010). Piglets classified as eaters preweaning, by use of chromic oxide as a visual faecal marker of creep feed intake, have their first solid food intake postweaning faster than piglets classified as noneaters, show higher food intakes postweaning and have higher body weights in the early postweaning period, and a higher absorption by the small intestine, which is negatively correlated with postweaning diarrhoea (Bruininx et al, 2002;Kuller et al, 2007a,b).…”