Unit 6: Swine Feeding

1. Unit 6: Swine Feeding

2. Unit 6: Swine Feeding • Identify and discuss swine feeding options throughout various life stages • Understand specific nutrient needs and possible additives • Knowledge of swine feeding systems

3. Unit 6: Swine Feeding • The Breeding Herd • The Boar • Protein requirements • 50-125# - 18% CP • 125-200# - 16% CP • Mature boars – 14% CP • >180# - reduce ration energy content • Add fiber • Include more alfalfa meal • Replace corn w/ oats • Limit feed

4. Unit 6: Swine Feeding • Nonbreeding season • 4-6# of feed/d of 12-14% ration • 10-14d prior to breeding • Increase feed amount by 50% • Hold good condition w/out overconditioning • Sow Herd • Be aware of reproductive stages and the protein requirements for each • Pregestation • Usually – replacement gilts raised to 225-275#

5. Unit 6: Swine Feeding • Allows for full genetic expression • Full-fed grow/finish diets • At 225+#, selection of replacements and separated from the market herd • Restrict dietary energy intake to 60-75% of previous diet • Allows for more body growth, but restricts fat deposition • Breeding • Gilts • Should weigh 250-300# • 6-7 mos. Old • At least 2-3 estrus cycles

6. Unit 6: Swine Feeding • Flushing – increase energy intake prior to and during breeding – improves health, ovulation rate, increased live embryos • Sows • Bred at first estrus after weaning • High-energy lactation diet for last 2-5 wks, reduce feed intake at weaning • Some producers restrict all feed and water intake 24 hrs after weaning to help stimulate return to estrus • Gestation • Restricted energy intake to limit fattening • Excess fat impedes reproductive performance

7. Unit 6: Swine Feeding • 12-14% CP diet, 5500-6500 kcal ME/d • Can also increase dietary fiber, or interval feed (full feed every third day) • Last third of gestation • Increase daily feed intake of gilts • Keep sows at same feeding rate • Wt. gain during gestation • Sows ~50# • Gilts 75-100# from breeding through farrowing • Farrowing • Increase dietary fiber to reduce constipation risk • 3-5d prefarrowing to 3-5d postfarrowing

8. Unit 6: Swine Feeding • Some producers will feed the same diet and restrict intake, others will feed ad libitum • Lactation • May increase feeding level after farrowing to meet needs for energy and milk production • 13-16% CP diet high in energy, low in fiber • 4-5#/d base, plus 1#/nursing pig • Antibiotics if necessary • Fat may be used to increase caloric density – increases energy density of milk, improves piglet survival, heavier litter wts, reduced sow wt loss

9. Unit 6: Swine Feeding • Piglets should consume colostrum w/in 72 hrs of birth for immune function • Piglets may need supplemental iron either orally, or by injection from 3 days of age until ~3 wks • Early weaning (<21d) can increase rates of gain, lean meat production, carcass quality, etc.

10. Unit 6: Swine Feeding • Feeding the Market Pig • Protein • Maybe the most critical nutrient in swine rations • Amino acid balance is more important than % CP • Common limiting AA in swine diets • Lysine, tryptophan, threonine, methionine • Needs vary w/ age and wt of the pig

11. Unit 6: Swine Feeding • Types of Diets • Milk replacer diets • Not widely accepted • Tend to be expensive and difficult to manage • Prestarters (20-24% CP) • Fed to early wean pigs <3 wks old • Can also fortify diets for pigs not receiving enough milk • Usually contain some amount of milk protein, antibiotic, fat, and sugar • Pellet or crumble form

12. Unit 6: Swine Feeding • Starters (18-20% CP) • Complete feed ration fed from 3-6 wks of age • Can be used as a creep ration before weaning • Fed until ~40# • Include appropriate antibiotic • ½ of grain should be corn • Grow-Finish Diets • Grower diets (14-16% CP) • Fed from 40-120# wt • Typically a corn/SB diet fortified w/ min/vit and antibiotics into a complete diet

13. Unit 6: Swine Feeding • Finisher diets (13-14% CP) • Fed from 120# to market • Antibiotic level is optional • Dietary Feeding Systems • Simple vs. Complex diets • Simple diets fed to older pigs • Consist of corn, SBM, min/vits • Complex diets more appropriate for younger pigs • May contain milk proteins, medications, byproducts, etc.

14. Unit 6: Swine Feeding • Complete vs. Free-Choice Diets • Complete diets • Have the entire diet mixed into one presentation form • Recommended for grow/finish diets • Easily automatic fed • Control nutrient intake (no sorting) • Faster gains • Free Choice diets • Pigs can choose to eat two or more ingredients at free will • Requires more management of diet (palatability, etc.)

15. Unit 6: Swine Feeding • Can be expensive and poor performing if not managed properly • Full Feed vs. Limit Feed Diets • Grow/finish pigs • Full feed allows them to express their full genetic potential • Weight gain • Feed efficiency • Limit feeding is harder to justify for the increased management it requires • Limiting the pig to a intake level lower than what they would voluntarily consume

16. Unit 6: Swine Feeding • Gilts & Sows • Replacement gilts should be on full feed until the reach their heaviest lean growth potential • Until ~250# on full feed • Limit feed from then until breeding • Gestating gilts and sows • Should be limit fed to prevent overconditioning • Sows should be limit fed immediately after weaning • Individual feeding – measured amount of feed to each sow, fed in individual pens, crate, etc.

17. Unit 6: Swine Feeding • Group feeding – measured amount of feed to a group of sows, can result in aggressive sows consuming more than timid sows • Interval feeding – allow them to have full feed every third day, reduces labor required for hand feeding, reproductive performance tends to be the same as limit feeding • Dry vs. Liquid Feeding • Mixing water w/ the diet • Rate of gain is the same • May be beneficial in young pigs

18. Unit 6: Swine Feeding • Freshness is a problem w/ wet feeds • Can spoil and develop off flavor quickly • May be hard on feeding system and labor • Meal vs. Pelleted Diets • Reduces waste • Less storage required • Better control of nutrient intake (each bite is the same) • Improved palatability and feed intake • Higher cost compared to meal form

19. Unit 6: Swine Feeding • May improve availability of some nutrients • May improve ADG by 5% and feed efficiency by 10% • Very appropriate for complete diets • High-Moisture vs. Dry Corn • High-moisture corn can be used w/ no difference in production • HMC is difficult to store and handle in swine systems • Pig may have trouble consuming the proper amount of corn and supplement • May over- or undereat either ingredient

20. Unit 6: Swine Feeding • Feed Processing • Processing should be based on ingredients used and the handling system • Poorly processed feeds can cause poor performance • Particle size variation • Inadequate blending • Sorting • Health problems • Poor feed utilization

21. Unit 6: Swine Feeding • Grinding or Rolling • Most common processing method • Relatively inexpensive, and easy to justify economically • Either hammer or roller mill • Measure fineness by microns • Uniform grind produces uniform mixing and consumption • Feed efficiency improves as grind becomes finer

22. Unit 6: Swine Feeding • Too fine can cause palatability problems, handling problems, dust, gastric ulcers • Growing pigs • 650-750 microns • Breeding herd • 750-900 microns • Pelleting • Improves growth rate and feed efficiency • Reduces dust, storage space, ingredients needed on the farm, feed waste • Also destroys most feed borne pathogens

23. Unit 6: Swine Feeding • Can be expensive, increase incidence of gastric ulcers, pellet quality can be hard to maintain • Heat Processing • Can improve nutrient availability in some feeds • Time and temperature of processing is key • SBM is most effective when heat treated

24. Unit 6: Swine Feeding • Feed Ingredients for Swine Diets • General • Too many too list • Corn is the energy basis for most all diets in the U.S. • What other ingredients are used? • Protein sources tend to be SBM, and an animal protein source

25. Unit 6: Swine Feeding • Important supplemented macros • Ca, P, Na, Cl • Most likely to be deficient micros • Fe, Cu, I, Se, Zn • Likely deficient vitamins • Riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, B 12, A, D (E, K under some circumstances) • Misc. Feeds for Swine • Whole SB • No difference in performance found when used in gestation & lactation diets

26. Unit 6: Swine Feeding • Reduced performance in growth/finishing diets • Heated treated SB • Can add a lot of fat to the diet • Reduces protein concentration of the SB • Fats or Oils • Tallow or vegetable oils, or blended fats (restaurant or processing byproducts • Little performance difference in types of fats • Cannot add >7% due to handling problems • Can reduce dust

27. Unit 6: Swine Feeding • Growing pigs • Each 1% added fat increases feed efficiency by 2% • >2% = little effect on backfat thickness, >3% will slightly increase backfat thickness • Response greater in warm temperatures • Gestation & Lactation • Increases fat content of colostrum • Increase piglet survival 2-3% (in herds w/ <80% survival rates) • Little effect on litter size, BW, WW • Minimum of 7.5% needed 10-14d prefarrowing to induce a response

28. Unit 6: Swine Feeding • Dried Skim Milk & Dried Whey • DSM – 8% moisture, 32-35% CP • DW – 11% CP, 61% lactose • Valuable for milk replacers and starter diets • Readily digested • 10-30% inclusion in starter diets 10-30d postweaning • Spray Dried Plasma Protein • Blood proteins • 78% CP • Can have antibody effect • Stimulates feed intake at 4-7% inclusion 7-10d after weaning

29. Unit 6: Swine Feeding • High Lysine Corn • Normal yellow corn = .2% Lysine • HLC = .55% Lysine • Can save substantial amounts of SBM in the diet • Must determine amount of lysine in the corn • Balance for lysine requirement rather can CP • Synthetic AA • Higher AA requirement rather than just protein • Can replace SBM in the diet if cost is too high • Lysine – first limiting AA, Tryptophan (Corn-SBM) or Threonine (milo-SBM) – second limiting AA, Methionine tends to be the next limiting AA (2nd in HLC diets)

30. Unit 6: Swine Feeding • Feed Additives • May improve efficiency, acceptance, health, metabolism • Can increase meat production by 15% • May help produce a safer, higher quality product • Antimicrobial drugs • Improve health and performance • Aid in animal’s ability to withstand stressors • Usage must comply w/ FDA regs • Anthelmintics • Controls internal parasites

31. Unit 6: Swine Feeding • May be fed periodically or continuously • Copper Sulfate • 3-11 ppm inclusion to meet growth requirement • 125-250 ppm – works as a growth promoter and has similar effect as antimicrobials • Can be toxic at >250 ppm • Drawbacks – corrosion of galvanized metals, decreased bacterial degradation in lagoons • Antioxidants • Prevent deterioration of some nutrients during storage, and reduce oxidative reactions in animal tissues (spares vit E, Se)

32. Unit 6: Swine Feeding • Probiotics • Increases amount of desired GI microbes • Lactobacillus, Bacillus subtillus, Streptococcus faecium, yeast • Reduce E. coli • Produce more antibiotic substances • Reduce GI toxicity levels of some substances • Organic Acids • Used in postweaning pig diets to increase ability to digest carbos and proteins • Response is variable

33. Unit 6: Swine Feeding • Enzymes • May help digest substances the pig cannot by themselves • Can help improve digestibility of some nutrients or compounds in the diet (P, Barley) • Flavoring Agents • Increase acceptance of a low palatability diet • Increase intake under normal and stress conditions • Mold Inhibitors • Prevent mold growth in stored feeds • Mold reduces palatability and may increase risk of mycotoxins

34. Unit 6: Swine Feeding • Pellet Binders • Reduce pellet breakdown • Reduces refusal • Sodium bentonite • Zinc • High levels of SBM ties up dietary Zn • Diets must be fortified w/ Zn to prevent parakeratosis

35. Unit 6: Swine Feeding • Miscellaneous • Confinement Rearing • More reliable production than traditional systems, especially in grow/finish situations • Gestating sows may use pasture the most efficiently • Still requires grain supplementation • May reduce some health risks associated w/ confinement (except what?)

36. Unit 6: Swine Feeding • Nutrient & Environment Interaction • Floor space/pig has some effect on gain, but it decreases w/ age • Interactions w/ environmental temperature • Nutrient requirements of Swine • See tables 7-2 through 7-5