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Sow feeding management
An essential part of any strategy to optimize sow reproductive performance, increase efficiency of feed usage and lower culling rate, is to control weight and backfat gain during gestation and weight and backfat loss in lactation. This is best achieved by individually feeding each sow a well balanced diet, and basing daily feed allowances according to an estimate of sow bodyweight and backfat thickness.
A well-designed feeding program can help meet operational goals for sow farm efficiency and profit by minimizing feed waste and maximizing sow productivity. An effective sow feeding program starts with breeding gilts within the right window of weight and feeding them according to recommendations during their first gestation. This can help maximize the number of sows in ideal condition at first farrowing.
Additionally, knowing and maintaining an ideal sow body condition score is a key strategic area for long-term success. The body condition of sows in the barn is closely related to the profitability of the sow farm because it impacts sow longevity and reproductive performance. Keeping sows in the ideal body condition – not too fat and not too thin – is essential. A successful feeding program includes recording data and linking body condition to feeding so you can correctly adjust each sow’s feed ration.
Introduction Sow longevity is defined as the time elapsed from gilt entry into the breeding herd until removal as a result of culling or death. Increasing herd retention rate is important to maximize sow lifetime productivity. Higher removal rate implies an increase in the percentage of young females in the herd, a category with lower production potential, and a higher risk of early culling. Systematic gilt replacement is required for genetic gain. Still,...
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INTRODUCTION Substantial increases in litter size have occurred in commercial swine production over recent years which have been accompanied by increases in pre-weaning piglet mortality. The number of piglets born alive to sows on U.S. units currently averages approximately 13.5; this number has increased by approximately three piglets over recent years (PigChamp, 2004, 2020). Pre-weaning mortality levels have also increased over this time period and currently average in...
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ABSTRACT The objective of this study is to investigate the effect of a maternal antibiotic administration during the last week of gestation on the early life intestinal development in neonatal piglets. Colonization of the gut with bacteria starts during birth and plays a major role in the intestinal and immunological development of the intestine. We demonstrate that maternal interventions induced changes in the sows (n = 6 to 8 per treatment) fecal microbiota diversity...
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Introduction Despite the wealth of information on the many factors that affect sexual maturation and the early breeding performance of gilts, it has been difficult to establish the needed protocols that produce a consistent supply of “good quality” replacement females. In the context of the latest genotypes available to the production industry, it is important to keep addressing the changing biology of the nucleus sows from which replacement...
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Robert Thaler (South Dakota State University) talks about optimal performance instead of maximum performance, during a Swine It interview with host Márcio Gonçalves....
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Guilherme Rosa (University of Wisconsin-Madison) talks about the benefits of technology in this Swine It interview with host Laura Greiner....
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Overview of Performance of Listed Vitamin Companies in 2023
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Tom Weber (AB Vista) talks about effects in the microbiome, in this Swine It interview with host Laura Greiner....
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Robert Thaler (South Dakota State University) explains how answers change over time, during a Swine It interview with host Márcio Gonçalves....
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Antibacterial activity of Bacillus species-derived surfactin on Brachyspira hyodysenteriae and Clostridium perfringens (Extract)
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Introduction In a recent detailed review of the factors determining reproductive development in the gilt (Patterson and Foxcroft, 2019), we suggested that “Substantial evidence supports successful management of gilts as an absolutely necessary component of breeding herd management and the pivotal starting point for the future fertility and longevity of the breeding herd”. We also discussed the link between earlier sexual maturation and improved...
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Maternal investment, sow behavioural needs and criteria for housing design The reproductive strategy of producing large broods and smaller young, resulting in a higher mortality rate, fits the picture of domestic pigs remarkably well (reviewed by Drake et al. 2008). The average litter size in domestic sows is around 12 to 14 piglets, but litters of above 20 piglets are not uncommon even in gilts, although the number of functional teats is usually between 14...
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INTRODUCTION Sow productivity has increased considerably in recent years, mainly owing to an increase in litter size, which has resulted in an increased metabolic demand for nutrients to support fetal growth and colostrum and milk production (TOKACH et al., 2019). However, this increase in nutritional requirements has not been accompanied by the pattern of sow intake, thus, sows undergo excessive mobilization of body protein during lactation (YANG et al., 2000a). This can affect...
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Introduction Modern piglet production has continuously increased the amount of piglets born per sow year (PSY) through improving genetics, farm management and nutrition. In the Netherlands in 2016 on average 30.0 piglets were weaned per sow per year. This was achieved in 2.36 cycles with 14.7 piglets/litter born alive (PSY 34.7). With larger litters, the heterogeneity in birth weights increases and mortality increases with a higher percentage of small piglets. The mortality till...
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COMMON PROBLEMS IN BREEDING SOWS The high prolificacy of modern genetic lines provides extraordinary productivity, but at the same time increases the frequency of problems which, if not managed properly, will increase the culling rate. Among the main challenges we can...
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Márcio Gonçalves shares some insights about sow lactation feed intake in this Swine It video....
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I would like to know what to do to the sow, it is 90 days pregnant and does not eat, drinks a little. ...
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My pregnant pig is not eating. What would be the cause? ...
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Overview of Performance of Listed Vitamin Companies in 2023
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Dr. Billy Flowers (NC State University) discusses reproductive management in depth during a Swine It interview with host Márcio Gonçalves....
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Antibacterial activity of Bacillus species-derived surfactin on Brachyspira hyodysenteriae and Clostridium perfringens (Extract)
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