The responsiveness of suckling piglets to solid food presented in different forms

Abstract

The practice of early weaning of young piglets is associated with a sudden change in both their diet and their method of food acquisition. It can be argued that 4-week-old piglets are neither physiologically nor behaviourally prepared for these rapid changes and the provision of solid creep food is largely ineffective in facilitating adaption to weaning (Fraser et al., 1994). Previous studies which have attempted to promote solid food intake in pre-weaned piglets have tended to focus on dietary factors, such as palatability and digestibility (Bruneau and Chavez, 1995). However for ingestion to occur piglets must first perceive the food items and then establish an attraction to and acceptance of them.