Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-fbnjt Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-03T05:53:03.261Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The effect of level of feed intake in pregnancy and in lactation upon the productivity of sows

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

F. W. H. Elsley ,
Mary Bannerman ,
E. V. J. Bathurst ,
A. G. Bracewell ,
J. M. M. Cunningham ,
T. L. Dodsworth ,
P. A. Dodds ,
T. J. Forbes  and
R. Laird
F. W. H. Elsley
Affiliation:
Rowett Research Institute, Bucksbum, Aberdeen, and Co-operating Centres
Mary Bannerman
Affiliation:
Rowett Research Institute, Bucksbum, Aberdeen, and Co-operating Centres
E. V. J. Bathurst
Affiliation:
Rowett Research Institute, Bucksbum, Aberdeen, and Co-operating Centres
A. G. Bracewell
Affiliation:
Rowett Research Institute, Bucksbum, Aberdeen, and Co-operating Centres
J. M. M. Cunningham
Affiliation:
Rowett Research Institute, Bucksbum, Aberdeen, and Co-operating Centres
T. L. Dodsworth
Affiliation:
Rowett Research Institute, Bucksbum, Aberdeen, and Co-operating Centres
P. A. Dodds
Affiliation:
Rowett Research Institute, Bucksbum, Aberdeen, and Co-operating Centres
T. J. Forbes
Affiliation:
Rowett Research Institute, Bucksbum, Aberdeen, and Co-operating Centres
R. Laird
Affiliation:
Rowett Research Institute, Bucksbum, Aberdeen, and Co-operating Centres
Get access

Summary

Eight research and teaching centres have co-operated in an experiment involving 132 sows. Six treatments were used, combining three levels of feeding in pregnancy with two in lactation. Pregnancy treatments were High 3−2 kg meal/day, Medium 2·4 kg/day and Low 1·6 kg/day; in lactation either a high level, 4·1 kg plus 0·2 kg/pig (h) or a medium level, 2·3 kg plus 0·2 kg/pig (m) were given. The sows were maintained on the same nutritional regime for three parities although inevitably some sows were lost before the completion of the trial. Sow live-weight gains in pregnancy were directly related to feed intake; in lactation, losses in sow live weight were dependent on gains made in the previous pregnancy and on the level fed while suckling. After the first parity, in which animals fed the low level in pregnancy tended to produce larger litters (though the difference was not significant), there were no differences in numbers born attributable to treatments.

Increases in the feed intake of sows in pregnancy resulted in consistent and significant increases in the weight of the pigs at birth. This increase in birth weight also resulted in an increase in weight at weaning in the second and third parities. Level of feeding in lactation, which had a highly significant effect on sow live weight, had much less influence on weaning weights of pigs. There were no consistent pregnancy × lactation interactions, the effects of treatments in the two phases being additive.

An assessment is made of the relative efficiency of the six treatments and the value of the experiment is discussed in relation to other studies concerned with sow nutrition.

Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Production , Volume 11 , Issue 2 , May 1969 , pp. 225 - 241
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1969

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

Agricultural Research Council. 1967. The Nutrient Requirements of Farm Livestock. No. 3. Pigs. Agricultural Research Council, London.Google Scholar
Casida, L. E. 1964. The level of fertility in the female as influenced by feed level and energy intake. In Nutrition, Proceedings of the 6th International Congress, Edinburgh 1963 (ed. Mills, C. F. and Passmore, R.), pp. 366–374. E. and S. Livingstone Ltd, Edinburgh and London.Google Scholar
Elsley, F. W. H., Bannerman, Mary, Bathurst, E. V. J., Bracewell, A. G., Cunningham, J. M. M., Dodsworth, T. L., England, G. J., Forbes, T. J. and Laird, R. 1967. A study of the effects of different levels of feeding in pregnancy and lactation on sow productivity. Anim. Prod. 9: 270–271 (Abstr.).Google Scholar
Elsley, F. W. H. 1968. Nutrition of the pregnant sow. In Proceedings of a Symposium on The Nutrition of Sows, Nottingham, April 1967, pp. 20–26. Pig Industry Development Authority, London.Google Scholar
Elsley, F. W. H., MacPherson, R. M. and McDonald, I. 1968. The influence of intake of dietary energy in pregnancy and lactation upon sow productivity. J. agric. Sci., Camb. 71: 215–222.Google Scholar
Lodge, G. A., Elsley, F. W. H. and MacPherson, R. M. 1966a. The effects of level of feeding of sows during pregnancy. I. Reproductive performance. Anim. Prod. 8: 29–38.Google Scholar
Lodge, G. A., Elsley, F. W. H. and MacPherson, R. M. 1966b. The effects of level of feeding of sows during pregnancy. II. Changes in body weight. Anim. Prod. 8: 499–506.Google Scholar
Lodge, G. A. 1969. The effects of pattern of feed distribution during the reproductive cycle on the performance of sows. Anim. Prod. 11: 133–143.Google Scholar
National Research Council, U.S.A. 1964. Nutrient Requirements of Domestic Animals. No. II. Nutrient Requirements of Swine. No. 1192.Google Scholar
O'Grady, J. F. 1967. Effect of level and pattern of feeding during pregnancy on weight change and reproductive performance of sows. Ir. J. agric. Res. 6: 57–71.Google Scholar