ENSURING OPTIMUM WEIGHT GAIN FOR WEANED PIGLETS

Good finishing is determined by good starting.

In pig farming, fine genetics and good ration/feeding is key to a final harvest.

Below are two basic factors that ensures optimum weight gain in weaned piglets:

Piglets feeding

1. Start with strong weaned pig feed intake

The first hurdle is the transition from sow’s milk to dry feed. Until now, the piglet has only known the sow as a source of food and only been familiar with the taste and smell of the farrowing pen. Nursery feed ingredients need to include the right taste and smell profiles to set off chemical reactions and drive the pig to start eating.

Average feed intake in the first 3-4 days post-weaning is too low to meet the pig’s energy requirements for maintenance and growth. You can close the energy gap with complex, highly digestible feed ingredients. These ingredients trigger receptors along the pig’s gut that drive metabolic function. This process helps pigs get the most out of the feed they eat and drives consistent feed intake.

2. Maintain intake in the transition of nursery pig diets

Any diet change can disrupt feed intake for growing pigs. The transition from complex nursery diets to less complex grind-and-mix grower diets is no exception and poses unique challenges. Less complex pig diets provide only moderate support to the gut. This is important to manage because the gut contains about 70% of the pig’s immune system. As gut function declines, the potential risk increases for disease and performance loss.

To help pigs transition from nursery diets, use feed technologies that support gut health. For example, medium-chain fatty acids help maintain the integrity of the gut lining, which acts as a barrier to pathogens. A healthy, well-developed gut also has optimal surface area for nutrient absorption so pigs can use more nutrients.

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