Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-l7hp2 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-24T09:35:44.013Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The effect of feeding different sources of crude fibre during pregnancy on the reproductive performance of sows

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

H. Everts
H. Everts
Affiliation:
Research Institute for Livestock Feeding and Nutrition, PO Bo 160, 8200 AD Lelystad, The Netherlands
Get access

Abstract

A long-term experiment was designed to study the effect of feeding different sources of crude fibre during pregnancy on the reproductive performance of sows. The four treatments imposed during pregnancy were: C, a control compound diet; CS, the same control diet with additional chopped straw (0·2 kg/day); CM, the same control diet in which 0·25 kg was replaced daily by 1·5 kg maize silage; and CFR, a compound diet with a higher crude fibre content. In total 567 sows were used. On the treatments C, CM, CS and CFR the number of sows was 147, 142, 147 and 133 respectively. The sows remained on the experiment for five successive parities on a treatment or until the moment of culling. Feeding levels were about 32 MJ digestible energy (DE) per day during the first months of pregnancy and about 40 MJ DE per day in the last month of pregnancy. During lactation the feeding level ranged between 75 and 90 MJ DE per day.

In sows giving birth to five litters, the effect of parity was calculated irrespective of the treatments. The optimum litter size was observed in the fourth litter and the percentage of successful services within 10 days post weaning stabilized after the third parity. The live weight of the sows increased gradually up to the fifth parity.

Compared with the sows on the control treatment the proportional changes in consumption of the sows on the other treatments were: 0·45 more crude fibre, up to 0·02 more digestible energy and up to 0·06 less digestible protein.

There were only slight differences in reproductive performance. The mean number of weaned piglets per sow per year were 19·7, 19·3, 20·1 and 20·2, respectively for the treatments C, CM, CS and CFR. Higher piglet birth weights were observed for sows on the CM treatment and a higher proportion of the culled sows had leg disorders. On the CS treatment a higher number of weaned piglets per litter was observed and this was due to the higher number of piglets born and lower piglet mortality during lactation. The sows on this treatment tended to have more difficulty in becoming pregnant after the third and fourth parities. The sows on the CFR treatment had the highest body weights and had a higher number of litters per year mainly due to lower numbers returning to service and less nonproductive days. The results from this experiment gave no clear evidence that either the inclusion of roughage or a higher crude fibre content in the diet improved reproductive performance.

Keywords

crude fibrereproductionroughagesows
Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Production , Volume 52 , Issue 1 , February 1991 , pp. 175 - 184
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1991

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Aumaitre, A., Dagorn, J., Legault, C. and L E Denmat, M. 1976. Influence of farm management and breed type on sow's conception-weaning interval and productivity in France. Livestock Production Science 3: 75–83.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bäckström, L. 1973. Environmental and animal health in piglet production. A field study of incidences and correlations. Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica 41: Suppi, pp. 190–192.Google Scholar
Bonomi, A. 1978. L'utilizzazione del foraggio cereso di mais nel razionamento delle scrofe in gestazione. Suinocoltura 19 (2): 65–72.Google Scholar
Baker, D. H., Harmon, B. G. and Jensen, A. H. 1974. Value of alfalfa meal and wheat bran in diets for swine during prefarrowing and lactation. Journal of Animal Science 39: 838–840.Google Scholar
Calvert, C. C. and Steele, N. C. 1982. Digestibility of fiber components and reproductive performance of sows fed high levels of alfalfa meal. Journal of Animal Science 55: Suppl. 1, p. 263 (Abstr.).Google Scholar
Calvkrt, C. C., Steele, N. C. and Rosebrough, R. W. 1985. Digestibility of fiber components and reproductive performance of sows fed high levels of alfalfa meal. Journal of Animal Science 61: 595–602.Google Scholar
Conrad, J. H. and Beeson, W. M. 1954. Grass silage and corn silage, as a feed for brood sows. Purdue University Agriculture Experiment Station Mimeo AH 133.Google Scholar
Cronin, G. M., Tartwijk, J. M. F. M. Van, Hel, W. Van Der and Verstegen, M. W. A. 1986. The influence of degree of adaptation to tether-housing by sows in relation to behaviour and energy metabolism. Animal Production 42: 257–268.Google Scholar
Dagorn, J. and Aumaitre, A. 1979. Sow culling: reasons for and effect on productivity. Livestock Production Science 6: 167–177.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Danielson, D. M. and Noonan, J. J. 1975. Roughages i n swine gestation diets. Journal of Animal Science 41: 94–99.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Etienne, M. 1987. Utilization of high fibre feeds and cereals by sows. A review. Livestock Production Science 16: 229–242.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Everts, H., Smits, B. and Jongbloed, A. W. 1986. Effect of crude fibre, feeding level and body weight on apparent digestibility of compound feeds by swine. Netherlands Journal of Agricultural Science 34: 501–503.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fernandez, J. A., Just, A. and Jorgenskn, H. 1979. Comparison of the ability of growing pigs and sows to digest different feedstuffs. European Association for Animal Production, Harrogate, paper p 5.7.Google Scholar
French, L. R., Rutledge, J. J. and First, N. L. 1979. Effect of age and parity on litter size in pigs. Journal of Reproduction and Fertility 57: 59–60.Google Scholar
Heyden, H. Van Der and Lievens, R. 1976. Vruchtbaarheid van zeugen bij verschillende lactatieduur. 3. Levensduur-reform. Landbouwtijdschrift 2: 241–253.Google Scholar
Heyden, H. Van Der., Lievens, R., Nieuwerburg, G. Van and Doorme, H. 1974. Vruchtbaarheid van zeugen bij verschillende lactatieduur. 1. Interval spenen-oestrus. 2. Drachtigheidspercentage. Lanbouwtijdschrift 5: 1–37.Google Scholar
Johnson, C. W., Speer, V. C., Ashton, G. C., Cuthbertson, C. C. and Catron, D. V. 1957. Supplementary plane of nutrition for sows fed corn silage. Journal of Animal Science 16: 600–606.Google Scholar
Kass, M. L., Van Soest, P. J. and Pond, W. G. 1980. Utilization of dietary fiber from alfalfa by growing swine. II. Volatile fatty acid concentrations in and disappearance from the gastrointestinal tract. Journal of Animal Science 50: 192–197.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lodge, G. A., Mcdonald, I. and Macpherson, M. R. 1961. Weight changes in sows during pregnancy and lactation. Animal Production 3: 269–275.Google Scholar
Palisse, M., Colin, M. and Maury, Y. 1979. Etude de quclque aspects du transit digestif chez la truie gestante: variation avec le taux de cellulose et relation avec le phenomene de constipation. Journees Recherches Porcine en France, pp. 217–222.Google Scholar
Pattison, H. D. 1980. Patterns of sow culling. Pig News and Information 1: 215–218.Google Scholar
Perry, J. S. 1956. Observations on reproduction in a pedigree herd of Large White pigs. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 47: 332–343.Google Scholar
Pollman, D. S., Danieison, D. M., Crenshaw, M. A. and Peo, E. R. 1980. Long-term effects of dietary additions of alfalfa and tallow on sow reproductive performance. Journal of Animal Science 51: 294–299.Google Scholar
Salmon-Legagneur, E., Legault, C. and Aumaitre, A. 1966. Relations entre les variations ponderales de la truie en reproduction et les performances d'elevage. Annales de Zootechnique 15: 215–229.Google Scholar
Seerley, R. W. and Wahlstrom, R. C. 1965. Dehydrated alfalfa meal in rations for confined brood sows. Journal of Animal Science 24: 448–453.Google Scholar
Teague, H. S. 1955. The influence of alfalfa on ovulation rate and other reproductive phenomena in gilts. Journal of Animal Science 14: 621–627.Google Scholar
Wallace, H. D., Thieu, D. D. and Combs, G. E. 1975. Alfalfa meal as a special bulky ingredient in the sow diet. Feedstuffs 47: (5), 24.Google Scholar
Wullink, H. J. 1980. Wei of geen snijmais voor zeugen. Proefverslag, Varkens proefbedhjf Noord en Oost Nederland, No. 20.Google Scholar
Young, L. G. and King, G. L. 1981. Wheat shorts in diets of gestating swine. Journal of Animal Science 52: 551–556.Google Scholar