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The effect of feeding intensity during pregnancy and of the length of lactation on the efficiency of meat production from once-bred gilts

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 November 2017

V.R. Fowler ,
M. Ellis ,
M.A. Varley  and
M. Franklin
V.R. Fowler
Affiliation:
Rowett Institute, Bucksburn, Aberdeen AB2 9SB
M. Ellis
Affiliation:
University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne
M.A. Varley
Affiliation:
University of Leeds
M. Franklin
Affiliation:
AFRC Unit of Statistics, University of Edinburgh
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Extract

The efficiency of pig production can theoretically be increased by combining the two productive functions, growth and reproduction in the same animal. This is the underlying principle of the once-bred gilt. The production of once-bred gilts also serves to solve another problem, which is the difficulty of providing adequate welfare for the sow over several parities. These problems arise because the Increasingly diverse size of sows as they mature, results in fighting, particularly when sows are mixed after completing the lactation. Similar reasons also virtually necessitate individual feeding.throughout pregnancy To overcome these problems, it is widespread practice to confine sows very closely in individual stalls or farrowing pens for several years, a practice which has rightly attracted some criticism.

Type
Recent Developments in Pig Production
Information
Proceedings of the British Society of Animal Production (1972) , Volume 1987 , March 1987 , pp. 99
Copyright
Copyright © The British Society of Animal Production 1997

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