Feeding level and dietary composition the last 3-6 days prior to farrowing reduced still born piglets in hyper-prolific sows

TY - ABST

T1 - Feeding level and dietary composition the last 3-6 days prior to farrowing reduced still born piglets in hyper-prolific sows

AU - Kaae Højgaard , Camilla

AU - Feyera, Takele

AU - Theil, Peter Kappel

AU - Bruun, Thomas Sønderby

N1 - Conference code: 11

PY - 2023

Y1 - 2023

N2 - Recent small-scale studies from Aarhus University indicated that optimal feeding level and fibre supply prior to farrowing improved farrowing dynamics. Thus, a follow up large-scale trial was designed in two commercial herds to substantiate the above findings with the aim of investigating the effect of different feeding levels and the use of a starch and fibre rich transition feed additive on stillbirth rate and piglet survival day 0-5 post farrowing. A total of 902 parity 3 to parity 7 sows were stratified for parity and assigned to one of three feed levels (Group 1: 2.8 kg/d lactation diet; Group 2: 3.7 kg/d lactation diet; and Group 3: 2.8 and 0.9 kg/d lactation diet and transition feed additive, respectively). The lactation feed mainly consisted of wheat (37.7%), barley (37.5%), soybean meal (14.1%), sunflower meal (3.0%), dried sugar beet pulp (2.5%), and added fat (1. %), whereas the transition feed additive main contents were wheat (76.8%), dried sugar beet pulp (6.6%), cake flour (5.0%), and oat hulls (4.5%). Sows in Group 1, 2, and 3 were supplemented with 499, 649, and 659 g/d of fibre (insoluble + soluble), respectively. The daily supply of standardized ileal digestible protein was 361, 476, and 421 g/d in Group 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Sows were fed the dietary treatments during the last 3-6 days of gestation in three similar-sized meals per day at 0500, 1130, and 2300 h. The effect of dietary treatment on several responses, including proportion of stillborn piglets of total born, piglet mortality until day 5 postpartum, sows treated at least once against MMA, and sows that received at least one farrowing assistance were performed, was analyzed using a mixed logistic model. The model included treatment as fixed effect and sow parity, week batch and herd as random effects. Pairwise comparisons were made between Group 1 and 2, and 1 and 3, respectively. The proportion of stillborn piglet was significantly greater (P=0.03) in Group 1 (11.8%) as compared with Group 3 (10.1%) but did not differ from Group 2 (10.8%; P=0.23). The number of total born piglets (22.0, 22.4, and 21.8; P=0.17), piglet mortality until day 5 postpartum (9.3, 9.9, and 10.0%; P=0.482), and the proportion of sows received at least one birth assistance (32.2, 29.6, and 28.0%; P=0.490) as well as the proportion of sows treated against MMA (27.5, 24.0, 24.4%; P=0,517) did not differ between Group 1, 2, and 3, respectively. The results indicated that in hyper-prolific sows giving birth to large litters, optimal energy allowance combined with fibre supply prior to farrowing is important to reduce the rate of stillborn piglets, whereas this feeding strategy failed to reduce piglet mortality the first five days postpartum.

AB - Recent small-scale studies from Aarhus University indicated that optimal feeding level and fibre supply prior to farrowing improved farrowing dynamics. Thus, a follow up large-scale trial was designed in two commercial herds to substantiate the above findings with the aim of investigating the effect of different feeding levels and the use of a starch and fibre rich transition feed additive on stillbirth rate and piglet survival day 0-5 post farrowing. A total of 902 parity 3 to parity 7 sows were stratified for parity and assigned to one of three feed levels (Group 1: 2.8 kg/d lactation diet; Group 2: 3.7 kg/d lactation diet; and Group 3: 2.8 and 0.9 kg/d lactation diet and transition feed additive, respectively). The lactation feed mainly consisted of wheat (37.7%), barley (37.5%), soybean meal (14.1%), sunflower meal (3.0%), dried sugar beet pulp (2.5%), and added fat (1. %), whereas the transition feed additive main contents were wheat (76.8%), dried sugar beet pulp (6.6%), cake flour (5.0%), and oat hulls (4.5%). Sows in Group 1, 2, and 3 were supplemented with 499, 649, and 659 g/d of fibre (insoluble + soluble), respectively. The daily supply of standardized ileal digestible protein was 361, 476, and 421 g/d in Group 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Sows were fed the dietary treatments during the last 3-6 days of gestation in three similar-sized meals per day at 0500, 1130, and 2300 h. The effect of dietary treatment on several responses, including proportion of stillborn piglets of total born, piglet mortality until day 5 postpartum, sows treated at least once against MMA, and sows that received at least one farrowing assistance were performed, was analyzed using a mixed logistic model. The model included treatment as fixed effect and sow parity, week batch and herd as random effects. Pairwise comparisons were made between Group 1 and 2, and 1 and 3, respectively. The proportion of stillborn piglet was significantly greater (P=0.03) in Group 1 (11.8%) as compared with Group 3 (10.1%) but did not differ from Group 2 (10.8%; P=0.23). The number of total born piglets (22.0, 22.4, and 21.8; P=0.17), piglet mortality until day 5 postpartum (9.3, 9.9, and 10.0%; P=0.482), and the proportion of sows received at least one birth assistance (32.2, 29.6, and 28.0%; P=0.490) as well as the proportion of sows treated against MMA (27.5, 24.0, 24.4%; P=0,517) did not differ between Group 1, 2, and 3, respectively. The results indicated that in hyper-prolific sows giving birth to large litters, optimal energy allowance combined with fibre supply prior to farrowing is important to reduce the rate of stillborn piglets, whereas this feeding strategy failed to reduce piglet mortality the first five days postpartum.

M3 - Conference abstract for conference

T2 - 11th International conference on pig production

Y2 - 4 June 2023 through 7 June 2023

ER -