Abstract
Creep feed intake is variable and may be partly homeostatically and exploratory driven. We studied effects of maternal feed restriction and a ‘play-feeder’ on piglet behaviour and performance. 37 Litters received creep feed in a conventional (CON) or play-feeder (PL) and their sows were full-fed (FF) or restrictedly-fed (RES). Eaters were determined via rectal swabs. At weaning (d24) four piglets from the same treatment were grouped (n = 36 pens). RES hindered piglet growth by 41 g/d and enhanced time eating, creep feed intake and percentage of eaters at weaning versus FF. RES-PL had the largest proportion of moderate and good eaters. PL stimulated feeder exploration and attracted more piglets to the feeder than CON. Post-weaning, RES increased exploratory behaviours, feed intake between d0–5, and growth between d0–2, and reduced body lesions between d0–2 (within CON), drinking and ear biting. PL increased ingestive behaviours, feed intake and growth between d0–15, and BW at d15 post-weaning by 5%. PL also lowered the prevalence of watery diarrhoea, number of body lesions and piglets with ear (within FF) and tail (within RES) damage at d15 post-weaning. Treatments did not affect FCR. To conclude, RES and particularly PL (broader and for longer) result in less weaning-associated-problems.
Highlights
Creep feed intake is variable and may be partly homeostatically and exploratory driven
Consistent with predictions, maternal feed restriction by 50% resulted in a 16% lower average daily gain (ADG) of piglets during lactation and a 12% lower weaning weight
Even though creep feed consumption by RES-piglets was only enhanced for a short period and by a small amount (34 g/piglet) and creep feed intake was still generally low (25 g/piglet/d), RES-piglets did eat 60 g/d more in the first five days post-weaning and did grow 160 g/d faster in the first two days post-weaning compared to piglets reared by FF-sows
Summary
Creep feed intake is variable and may be partly homeostatically and exploratory driven. In commercial farms, weaning occurs earlier and sudden by separation of the sows and their piglets, generally at 3 to 4 weeks of age in Europe Apart from this nutritional challenge, as piglets are abruptly not able to suckle anymore, weaning simultaneously involves social (maternal separation and mixing with unfamiliar peers) and environmental stressors (handling, transport and housing in a novel pen). These stressors together often lead to a low feed (energy) intake (reviewed by3), gastro-intestinal problems (reviewed by4), gut microbiota dysbiosis (reviewed by5), reduced growth and behavioural disturbances[6,7] after weaning, thereby reducing health and welfare. We hypothesized that both factors would encourage piglets to familiarize themselves with creep feed and thereby reduce the stress from dietary changes at weaning and improve their adaptation after weaning
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