Abstract
The effects of a supplemental feeding strategy during mid-gestation on lean gilts body reserves, productive and reproductive performance were assessed. A total of 90 gilts were allocated into two treatments (Control, C, and Supplemented, S). Control sows (n = 43) were fed according to the level routinely used on farm (2.5-3.0 kg/d, 2.9 Mcal metabolizable energy/kg feed and 0.6% of lysine) throughout gestation, and S sows (n = 47) received 50% more feed from day 45 to day 85 of gestation. Body weight (BW) and sows body condition [backfat (BF), loin depth and body condition score] were recorded on days 40 and 80 of gestation, at farrowing and at weaning. Litter performance at birth and on day 18 +/- 1 of lactation was registered at first and second parities. Although no differences in backfat levels were found at weaning, a higher proportion of S sows stayed within the target backfat interval both at farrowing (17-21 mm) and at weaning (> 14 mm). No differences were found in BW and body reserves losses during lactation between treatment groups. Litter weight at birth tended to be higher in the S group of sows, consistently, in the first and second parities (P < 0.10), compared to the C group. Thus, providing an extra feed allowance during mid-gestation has beneficial effects on gilts' body fat reserves at weaning (higher proportion of sows in the optimum BF interval) and slight advantages on productive output, although probably not high enough to justify the extra feed wastage.
Highlights
Efectos de un aporte extra de alimento durante la parte central de la gestación en los rendimientos productivos y reproductivos de cerdas nulíparas
This is harmful in gilts, since they have lower body reserves and a 20% lower voluntary feed intake (VFI) during lactation compared to multiparous sows (Young et al, 2005) and they need extra energy to achieve optimum growth rates
Gilts were assigned randomly to one of the two treatments according to the day of mating, body weight (BW) and body condition [backfat thickness (BF), loin depth (LD) and body condition score (BCS)] on day 40 of gestation
Summary
Efectos de un aporte extra de alimento durante la parte central de la gestación en los rendimientos productivos y reproductivos de cerdas nulíparas. Un aporte extra de alimento durante la gestación media resultó en beneficios sobre las reservas grasas de cerdas nulíparas al destete, y en un ligero pero positivo efecto en los rendimientos productivos, aunque éstos difícilmente compensan el aporte extra de alimento. Modern sows show higher culling rates due to reproductive failure and a reduced post-weaning and lifetime performance than that of some years ago (Eissen et al, 2000) This has been related both to an excessive body weight and body reserves losses during lactation and to a suboptimum level of body reserves of either fat or lean tissue at weaning of these genotypes (Koketsu et al, 1996; Clowes et al, 2003). Previous studies have suggested that maternal feeding during this period might impact foetal growth and development (Schoknecht et al, 1993; Dwyer et al, 1994)
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