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Enhancing
Feed Intake During Lactation
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?1.
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Healthy Sow
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Check for the:
Absence of disease - mastitis, lameness, gastric
ulcer
Absence of parasites - Mange, Ascaris and other
worms.
Absence of oedema of the udder (fluid)
Clean farrowing house - All-in/All-out and good
breeding controls
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?2.
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Gestation Feed Intake
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There is a negative relationship between feeding the
dry sow and feed intake when lactating. The more sows
eat per day in gestation the less they will consume per
day in lactation.
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?3.
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Monitoring of Feed Intake
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Use a feeding curve. However, ensure you know
the actual volume/density of feed being fed.
Weigh out a scoop on a regular basis. Minimise the
number of stockpeople feeding lactating sows and ensure
that they all use the same feeding scale. Record the
feeding scale as this forces discipline.
Note volume and weight relationships vary
depending on milling and type of feed.
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?4.
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Number of Times Feed
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Twice is commonly practised. Three times will
enhance intake but may also increase risk of trauma and
trampling of the piglets. Note avoid mid-day feeding in
the summer-time as feed increases the sow's body
temperature. Wet feeding the lactating sow may produce
good results. Ad lib feeding should be considered.
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?5.
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Type of Ration Fed
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Single ration as compared with two rations.
Ideal lactation ration of 18% protein and 14 MJ DE per
kg. Lysine concentration of > 1% is required.
Increasing the protein consumption increases weaning
weights, increasing the energy reduces weaning to
service intervals. Note with crystalline lysine,
other amino-acids may become limiting, in particular
valine and threonine. To enhance amino-acid intake,
top-dress with fish meal at 150 g per day.
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?6.
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Palatability?
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Keep the food clean by having good storage
controls and feed bin hygiene.
Note changes in
diet specifications. Pigs have very sensitive noses.
Ad-lib feeding is not yet available in the farrowing
house. Note trough design. Avoid mycotoxins in feed.
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?7.
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Water Supply
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A shortage of water will reduce feed intake. The
lactating sow needs a flow rate of 2 litres per minute.
At the peak of lactation she may drink more than 40
litres per day (10 gallons). Enhancing water supplies
in the farrowing house will significantly reduce sow
deaths associated with cystitis and pyelonephritis. Wet
feeding has greatly assisted several farms.
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?8.
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Design of the Feed Trough
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Ensure the feed is accessible, Ensure no feed is
wasted. Wasted feed results in flies and expense.
Troughs with lips and difficult corners may result in
mouldy feed which reduce palatability. Many troughs are
too small for the large volumes of food consumed in the
latter stages of lactation.
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?9.
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Temperature of Farrowing House
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Ideally run at 16-18°C. Increased farrowing
house temperatures reduces feed intake. With farrowing
house temperatures at around 24°C the sow requires
drip cooling. Some farrowing houses run hotter than
18°C because of poor creep design. The use of heat
creep mats may help feed intake as it can help to
reduce the room temperature.
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?10.
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Stockmanship
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Quiet and attentive stockpeople are needed. Good
attention to sow behaviour. The playing of music helps
create a calm atmosphere.
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?11.
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Floor Type
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Cooling (heat conductive) floors can enhance
feed intake in warm climate
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?12.
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Breed of Pig
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Ensure you use genotypes which have good
appetites and good mothering abilities. Beware of
selecting from mothers with poor lactation feed intakes
and poor weaning weights/numbers.
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