The Low Feed Intake in Newly-weaned Pigs: Problems and Possible Solutions

Abstract

:The low feed intake immediately after weaning is responsible for villous atrophy and reduced growth rate in newlyweaned pigs. Overcoming this drawback will produce beneficial results for swine producers, and this warrants an understanding of the factors affecting the feed intake in newly-weaned pigs. In fact, a plethora of factors exert influences on feed intake in newly-weaned pigs, and these factors encompass health status, creep feeding, weaning age, mixing of litters, environment, dietary nutrient level and balance, palatability of ingredients, forms of diet presentation, water supply and quality, and stockmanship. Due to the complexity of the factors that affect the feed intake of weaned pigs, a comprehensive approach should be adopted to overcome the low feed intake problem right after weaning. It warrants mention that it is almost impossible to completely restore the feed intake just after weaning to preweaning level in terms of energy intake through dietary means which are available for being practiced economically and/or technically in current swine production. However, a refined dietary regime will certainly alleviate the low feed intake problem in the immediate postweaning period.

Short-term behavioural effects of weaning age in outdoor-reared piglets

“…Low energy intake at weaning is the most important factor affecting small intestine villous height of piglets after weaning (Marion et al, 2002), and has known negative effects on the piglets' metabolism, growth and health (Le Dividich and Sè ve, 2000;Dong and Pluske, 2007), thus being a major welfare issue. The distress associated with the separation from the sow and the inexperience with ingestion of solid feed at this age possibly underlie the low feeding behaviour during the first days after weaning, with a stronger effect on the youngest group.…”

“…Because this is done without a period of transition necessary to make the solid feed attractive to the piglets, weaning generally is followed by a period of low feed intake (Weary et al, 2008). Additionally, at this age the digestive system of the piglets is not adapted to digest solid feed, which predisposes the young animals to diarrhoea and secondary infections (Dong and Pluske, 2007). In order to overcome this problem, diets especially designed for the digestive system of very young piglets have been formulated (Dritz et al, 1996).…”

Unfolding the codes of short-term feed appetence in farm and companion animals. A comparative oronasal nutrient sensing biology review

“…The concept of simple and complex diets in piglet feeding has been widely discussed mainly in terms of nutrient availability and, to a lesser extend, palatability (Bruininx et al 2002;Dong and Pluske 2007). Complex diets result from the formulation of feeds with ingredients of high nutritional value, such as processed cereals and highly digestible protein sources, and are widely being used in young animals mainly to facilitate the weaning process by maximizing nutrient intake (McCracken et al 1995;Dong and Pluske 2007). High nutritional value and high palatability do not always go together.…”

Food preferences and aversions in human health and nutrition: how can pigs help the biomedical research?

“…During the growth period, diets are formulated to satisfy the animal's nutrients and energy requirements and depend on the available dietary sources. When exposed to novel food during the food transition, a period of slow growth is often The pig model in human nutrition reported in pigs, until such time as they accept their novel feeding and environmental conditions fully (Campbell, 1976;Dong and Pluske, 2007). Humans, and especially children, also exhibit this 'neophobic response' towards novel foods and this phenomenon is reinforced by an associated novel environment (Hursti and Sjö dé n, 1997).…”