Increasing daily feeding occasions in restricted feeding strategies does not improve performance or well being of fattening pigs

Persson, Eva; Wülbers-Mindermann, M.; Berg, Charlotte; Algers, Bo

doi:10.1186/1751-0147-50-24

Cited by 7 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…In agreement with reports concluding that the eating times correspond to approximately 5 to 10 % of the time that pigs kept in a semi-natural environment spend searching for food [11], the food was rapidly consumed in both systems. However, the eating time in the wet feeding system was around 50 % shorter than in the dry feeding system.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

“…Self-feeding pigs divide their eating and drinking periods randomly throughout the day [11] and since feeding behaviour is stimulated by the sight of other pigs eating group housed pigs consume more feed than individually kept pigs [12]. A d libitum fed pigs eat ten to twelve meals per day [13], but fattening pigs are normally fed 2–3 times daily.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A d libitum fed pigs eat ten to twelve meals per day [13], but fattening pigs are normally fed 2–3 times daily. Further, wet feeding systems have expanded on behalf of dry feeding systems, and today around 70 % of all fattening pigs in Sweden are fed liquid feed [11]. However, little has been made to evaluate liquid feeding from the point of view of the pigs.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Foraging behaviour (rooting and grazing) accounts for a large proportion of the daily activity of pigs kept in a semi-natural enclosure [10], compared to approximately 5 % in modern conventional production [11]. In addition, wet feeding systems, where the pigs drink the food instead of eating it, have expanded on behalf of dry feeding systems.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Behaviour of fattening pigs fed with liquid feed and dry feed

Zoric

Johansson²,

Wallgren

2015

Porc Health Manag

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BackgroundFacilities for fattening pigs offer limited possibilities for exploration and wet feeding systems, where the pigs drink the food instead of eating it, have expanded on behalf of dry feeding systems. As little has been made to evaluate liquid feeding from the point of view of the pigs, the aims of this study were to compare behaviour in general and behaviour at feeding in particular of fatteners offered dry or wet feed. The study was carried out in an integrated herd with age segregated rearing of pigs and access to both feeding systems in the fattening units. Apart from the feeding system, the pens were identical and they were managed by the same staff. Pigs were allocated to the fattening units at 20 kg body weight and their behaviour was studied through web cameras during day hours (07.00 to 19.00).ResultsPigs performed well in both systems, but differed in behaviour. Fattening pigs offered dry feed spent longer time (P < 0.001) eating at every feeding occasion. They also expressed fewer regroupings during the first week (P < 0.001) when the social rank not yet was established. Pigs fed liquid feed regrouped during the effective eating time, while pigs fed dry feed regrouped when the first pig already had left the through which rather reflected seeking for leftover feed. Restlessness was rarely recorded before feeding, but rather frequently afterwards. During week 5–9 restlessness was more frequently recorded among pigs offered wet feed. Pigs offered liquid feed expressed unwanted behaviour in terms of belly-nosing, and nibbling of ear or tail to a somewhat higher extent than pigs offered dry feed. In both systems the pigs were occupying themselves with straw when offered, but only as long as they regarded it as new, i.e., for around 45 min following each provision.ConclusionsPigs performed equivalent in both systems, but from an animal welfare view we recommend dry feed to growing pigs and suggest that liquid feed systems ought to be reserved for systems using alternative feed supplies like whey or other liquid leftovers from the food industry.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Behaviour of fattening pigs fed with liquid feed and dry feed

Zoric

Johansson²,

Wallgren

2015

Porc Health Manag

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“…Pigs that were kept in natural outdoor enclosures could self-determinedly search for food like roots and spent a large part of their daily activity eating. In comparison, those animals living on conventional production farms only spent 5% of their time with feed intake [20,21]. A feeding system such as bottom or trough feeding can put sows in a chronic stress situation in which they are exposed to stress for longer than a described threshold period of 2 days.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fibre supply for breeding sows and its effects on social behaviour in group-housed sows and performance during lactation

et al. 2020

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Background: Fibre sources as feed components with specific physical characteristics like a high swelling capacity (SC), viscosity and water-binding capacity (WBC) have been discussed to affect sow behaviour and to have longterm effects on lactational performance. The present studies aim to analyse the effects of different fibre sources in diets for sows on behaviour in gestation, reproductive performance as well as piglet development. Methods: Twenty-eight feedingstuffs (four grain varieties, 16 by-products, three oilseeds and five leguminous plants) were compared concerning swelling capacity, viscosity and water binding capacity to select fibre sources with optimal physical characteristics. Following this a digestibility study was carried out with eight castrates for determining digestibilities of gross energy, crude protein, crude fibre, crude fat and crude ash. Additionally, a practical feeding experiment during gestation was performed with 96 sows of Danish genetics. Two supplements for sows with different fibre sources were composed, namely a control diet (based on wheat bran and lignocellulose) and a test diet containing sugar beet pulp, alfalfa, rapeseed meal, soybean hulls, grape pomace and lignocellulose. Six pens with eight sows each were video-monitored for 2 weeks (evaluation of interactions and fights). Furthermore, the animals were subjected to weekly scoring to count skin injuries. To check the fibre effect on reproductive performance and piglet development, the body condition development of the sows as well as the number and weight of live and stillborn piglets, litter weight-and weaning weight of the litters were recorded. Results: Digestibility of crude fibre increased significantly in the experimental group (58.8% ± 3.3 vs. 49.0% ± 4.3, p = 0.01). At the sow trial, there was a tendency to observe less aggressive interactions and fewer fights in sows in the fibre group without significance. No significant differences could be measured between the two groups concerning performance parameters of sows and piglets. Conclusion: Only changing the fibre source in a gestational diet does not have significant effects on the sowsb ehaviour and performance of sows and piglets in lactation. It should be investigated how the amount of fibre can be increased without having any negatives effects on the performance so that the positive effects on the behaviour of the sows become more obvious.

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