Livestock Feeding AnS 320 “ Swine Feeding and Management” Lecture #1

1. Livestock FeedingAnS 320“Swine Feeding and Management”Lecture #1 Dr. John F. Patience Department of Animal Science 201B Kildee Hall Phone: 294-5132 Email: jfp@iastate.edu

2. PRODUCTION CONTINUUM What occurs in one phase of production often affects outcomes in later phases. Or Diagnosing problems in one phase of production often requires consideration of what is happening in earlier phases. Breeding Farrowing Nursery Growout

3. Feeding and Management: Sows

4. Framework for Developing Feeding Programs Nutrient Requirements Nutrient Supply Feeding Program Functional Properties Pork Quality Profitability Sustainability

5. Life cycle feeding • Gestation feeding affects: • Sow condition at farrowing • Feed intake during lactation • Sows that get too fat in gestation eat less in lactation • Piglet birth weight • Response is very small • Cost of feeding the breeding herd • Feeding too much feed or too rich a diet increases feed costs with no benefits, possibly detriments • Well-being of the sow • Thin sows are easily chilled and more susceptible for illness

6. Life cycle feeding • Lactation feeding affects: • Sow condition at weaning • Affects subsequent reproduction • Litter weaning weights • Sows will “milk off their back” but this is both inefficient and ineffective, compared to feeding the sow correctly • Cost of feeding the breeding herd • Feeding too much feed or too rich a diet increases feed costs with no benefits, possibly detriments • Well-being of the sow • Thin sows are easily chilled and more susceptible for illness

7. Feeding and Management: Gestation

8. Example Gestation Diets

9. Example Gestation Diets aThe available phosphorus equivalency includes the phosphorus release due to inclusion of phytase in the vitamin premix.

10. Gestation feeding challenges • Optimize lifetime sow productivity, as a means of maximizing herd profitability • Over-feeding sows in gestation reduces feed intake in lactation • Under-feeding sows in gestation impairs reproductive performance and animal well-being (shoulder sores) • Avoid mycotoxins; this may be the worst place to feed mycotoxin contaminated feed

11. Gestation feeding targets • Body condition score between 3 and 3.5 – for ALL sows (on a 5-point scale) • Avoid sows that are too fat or too thin • Backfat levels of 0.75” to 0.80” at farrowing (measured at last rib, 2.5” to 3.0” off the midline) • Avoid bf less than 0.55” at weaning • Adjust feed intake according to body weight and backfat • Very thin sows have higher maintenance energy requirements, because they have lower insulation levels and are often more active.

12. Gestation feeding program • Sows must be limit fed during gestation; otherwise they become too fat • Do not feed more than 4 to 5 lb per day for the first 3 weeks after breeding; excess intake lowers fetal survival • Feed 4.0 to 4.5 lb of a corn-soybean meal diet per day, adjusting as required for body condition • Increase feed allowance by 2 lb during the last 21 days of gestation • Increases gut capacity to support maximum intake in lactation • Recognizes that most fetal growth occurs during the final 3 weeks of gestation. • Exception if over-fat sows

13. Limit feeding gestating sows • Easily accomplished in gestation stalls • Automatic drops MUST be calibrated regularly, to ensure the sow is receiving what you think she should be receiving. • More difficult to achieve in group housing systems • Key rule: to successfully feed sows in group housed gestation, remove competition for feed. The greater the competition among sows for feed, the less successful the housing system will be. • Options: • Electronic sow feeders • Walk-in-lock-in feeding stalls • Trickle feeders • Floor feeding, with multiple drops, spreading out supply of feed throughout the pen. Including dividers within the pen helps

14. Feeding Levels (lb/day) For Gestating Sows Based on Backfat and Weight Category at Breeding Based on a diet containing 1,500 kcal ME/lb (corn-soybean meal).

15. Feeding and Management: Lactation

16. Example Lactation Diets a If adding fat, substitute for grain on an equal weight basis

17. Example Lactation Diets bThe available phosphorus equivalency includes the phosphorus release due to inclusion of phytase in the vitamin premix.

18. Feed intake One of the greatest challenges in feeding the nursing sow is maximizing feed intake • Low feed intake leads to low nutrient intake • Low nutrient intake leads to: • Lower weaning weights • Loss of sow body condition • Increased sow culling • Impaired rebreeding and subsequent litter size

19. Effects of Lactation Feeding Level on Litter and Pig Performance NB – Restricted were fed 25% less than ab libitum

20. Lactation feeding program • Small amount of feed on day of farrowing • Hungry sows are restless and more likely to over-lay piglets • Sows typically will not eat much feed; farrowing room is very warm and fed deteriorates quickly • Day 1 – 2: Limit fed modestly; do not want to limit feed very much • Days 3+: Keep fresh feed in front of the sows at all times

21. Feeding Strategy for Lactating Sows

22. Factors affecting feed intake - 1 • Feed delivery • Pigs cannot eat feed that isn’t in front of them! By the 3rd day of lactation, sows should have feed in front of them all of the time • Feeding 3 to 4 times per day is preferred to feeding once or twice. • Density of the diet • Pigs eat more of a low density (low energy) diet, up to the volumetric capacity of their stomach • Temperature • High temperature discourages feed intake; low temperature encourages feed intake • If the temperature is too cold, or conditions are drafty and damp, part of the energy consumed by the sow will be needed to maintain thermal homeostasis

23. Factors affecting feed intake - 2 • Genetics • Some lines of pigs have a naturally higher appetite. If using a low appetite line of pigs, even greater attention must be directed at maximizing feed intake • Palatability • It is important to note that the important factor here is what the pig considers palatable, not what the producer “thinks” is palatable. • Nutrient balance • Imbalances among, for example, amino acids will reduce feed intake • Body condition and reproductive cycle feeding • If sows are overfed in gestation, they will accrue more body fat and this tends to impair feed intake during lactation

24. Factors affecting feed intake - 3 • Feeder design • Large feed troughs tend to increase feed intake • Wet/dry feeders tend to increase feed intake • Access to water • Water is particularly critical to a lactating sow • A sow weaning 11 piglets at 3 weeks of age weighing 13 lb will be producing an average of 2.5 gallons of milk per day!

25. Fibre in lactation diets • Nursing sows are susceptible to constipation • Constipation can be treated by using: • Fiber • Wheat midds (±20%) • Soybean hulls (±10%) • Alfalfa meal (±25%) • Sugar beet pulp (7±%) • Oats (±20%) (Risk: Use of fibrous ingredients will lower diet energy density and may compromise sow’s ability to consume sufficient energy • Chemical laxatives • MgSO4 (Epsom salts: 30 lb/ton) • NaSO4 (Glauber salts: 60 lb/ton) (Risk: Chemical laxatives are harsh; should be used carefully)

26. Lactation feeding quandary • In order to maximize sow feed intake, she wants the room kept as cool as possible • In order to maximize piglet growth and well-being, they want the room to be kept very warm • If the room is kept too cool for the piglets, they will huddle with the sow, increasing the risk of being over-lain • Increased mortality due to overlays is often related to a room temperature that is too cool Compromise • Keep the farrowing room temperature elevated during farrowing and the first 24 to 36 hours post-farrowing, to get the piglets off to a good start. • Lower the temperature to 68 to 72⁰F thereafter and provide zone heating for the piglets • Feed intake declines by about 0.2 lb/d per ⁰F above 68⁰F