Early-weaned Pigs Research Articles

Effects of time of introduction and level of soybean meal on performance of segregated early-weaned pigs (1997)

Effects of time of introduction and level of soybean meal on performance of segregated early-weaned pigs (1997)

Evaluation of the interrelationships among lactose and protein sources in diets for segregated early-weaned pigs.

We conducted two experiments to evaluate the interactions among lactose and protein sources in diets for segregated early-weaned pigs. In Exp. 1, 360 barrows (initially 5.3 kg and 19 +/- 2 d of age) were fed diets containing crystalline lactose (0, 20, and 40%), spray-dried animal plasma (0 and 7.5%), and soybean meal (0 and 20%) in a 3 x 2 x 2 factorial arrangement. We used a blend of select menhaden fish meal and casein to replace the lysine provided by soybean meal or animal plasma. Diets contained 1.7% total lysine and were fed from d 0 to 14 after weaning. Pigs were fed a common diet from d 14 to 34. From d 0 to 14 after weaning, ADG and ADFI increased with increasing dietary lactose when the diet contained soybean meal but decreased when soybean meal was not in the diet (lactose x soybean meal, P < .05 and .10, respectively). Pigs fed animal plasma had increased (P < .05) ADG and ADFI from d 0 to 14 but decreased (P < .05) ADG from d 14 to 34. In Exp. 2, 324 barrows (initially 3.7 kg and 10 +/- 2 d of age) were fed diets from d 0 to 10 similar to those used in Exp. 1 with the exception that extruded soy protein concentrate replaced the lysine provided by soybean meal or animal plasma. From d 0 to 10 after weaning, increasing lactose improved (linear, P < .05) ADG and ADFI, and pigs fed animal plasma had higher ADFI (P < .05). In conclusion, soybean meal had no negative effect on ADG; however, animal plasma and lactose increased ADG and ADFI for pigs weaned between 10 and 19 d of age.

Determining the optimal tryptophan:lysine ratio for the segregated early-weaned pigs (25 to 50 lb) (1997)

Determining the optimal tryptophan:lysine ratio for the segregated early-weaned pigs (25 to 50 lb) (1997)

Activity level and performance of weaner pigs exposed to 915 MHz microwave radiation

Microwave radiation (MWR) (915 MHz) is considered a possible source of supplementary heat for early-weaned pigs. To determine the behavioural effect of this form of heat on weaner pigs, four trials were carried out in which 64 pigs were exposed to microwave (MW) treatment at 11.4 (MW1) or 6.1 (MW2) mW cm−1 or infrared (IR) radiation at 500 W (IRR), each following a 4-d adaptation period. Pigs exposed to both MW treatments displayed greater (P &lt; 0.05) daily percent resting time compared with IR exposed pigs [86.0 ± 1.6 vs. 82.3 ± 2.5 vs. 79.4 ± 3.7% (mean ± SD) for MW1, MW2 and IRR, respectively]. The increase in resting time was greatest after the first day of treatment and gradually returned to pretreatment levels over the course of the 3-wk experiment. The treatment effect over time was also significant (P &lt; 0.05) between IR and both MW treatments and indicated similar patterns of resting time for the MW treatments. The pattern of resting behaviour for the IR group remained relatively unchanged throughout the experiment. Microwave exposure did not have an effect (P &gt; 0.05) on average daily gain [0.32 ± 0.12 vs. 0.28 ± 0.07 vs. 0.30 ± 0.13 kg day−1 (mean ± SD) for IRR, MW1 and MW2, respectively]. The results indicate that 915 MHz MWR causes a power-level-dependent decrease in activity in weaner pigs. However, MW exposure does not significantly affect performance in weaner pigs. Key words: Weaner pigs, microwaves, behaviour, performance, supplementary heat

Leg injuries of piglets reared in different types of weaner accommodation

Lyons et al (1995) compared Straw-Flow(R) with other systems for growing pigs. The present study examined its suitability for the early-weaned pig. Welfare of early-weaned pigs was compared in Straw-Flow, deep straw and flatdeck pens using various indicators, including productivity, foot injuries and adventitious bursitis of the hock. These systems were chosen to represent the variety of housing in use on farms.

Leg injuries of piglets reared in different types of weaner accommodation

Lyons et al (1995) compared Straw-Flow(R) with other systems for growing pigs. The present study examined its suitability for the early-weaned pig. Welfare of early-weaned pigs was compared in Straw-Flow, deep straw and flatdeck pens using various indicators, including productivity, foot injuries and adventitious bursitis of the hock. These systems were chosen to represent the variety of housing in use on farms.

Effect of L-carnitine and soybean oil on growth performance and body composition of early-weaned pigs.

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of dietary L-carnitine on growth performance and body composition of early-weaned pigs. In Exp. 1, 120 weanling pigs (initially 5.6 kg and 19 +/- 2 d of age) were allotted in a 3 x 2 factorial with four pigs per pen and five replications (pens) per treatment. Main effects from d 0 to 14 after weaning included dietary L-carnitine (0, 500, or 1,000 ppm) and soybean oil (0 to 10%). From d 14 to 35 after weaning, levels were reduced to 0, 250, or 500 ppm L-carnitine and 0 or 5% soybean oil. No L-carnitine x soybean oil interactions were observed (P > .10). From d 0 to 14, L-carnitine and soybean oil had no effect (P > .10) on pig performance. From d 14 to 35 and d 0 to 35, gain:feed ratio (G/F) improved (linear, P < .05) with increasing dietary L-carnitine; however, ADG and ADFI were not affected. Soybean oil improved ADG and G/F (P < .05) from d 14 to 35 and ADG from d 0 to 35. In Exp. 2, 180 weanling pigs (initially 6.0 kg and 22 +/- 2 d of age) were allotted in a 2 x 3 factorial. Pigs were fed either 0 or 1,000 ppm L-carnitine from d 0 to 14 after weaning and then pigs fed each of these diets were fed diets containing 0, 250, or 500 ppm L-carnitine from d 14 to 35. No interactions occurred between feeding L-carnitine from d 0 to 14 and performance observed from d 14 to 35. From d 0 to 14 after weaning, L-carnitine increased ADG (P < .08) and ADFI (P < .02). From d 14 to 35, ADFI decreased (linear, P < .05) and G/F increased (quadratic, P < .05) as dietary L-carnitine increased. Cumulative (d 0 to 35) ADFI decreased (linear, P < .05) and G/F increased (linear, P < .05) with increasing L-carnitine. On d 35, 14 pigs from each of four selected treatments (0 or 1,000 ppm L-carnitine from d 0 to 14 followed by either 0 or 500 ppm from d 14 to 35) were slaughtered, and carcass composition was recorded. Carcass moisture and CP percentages were not influenced (P > .10) by dietary L-carnitine. However, pigs fed 1,000 ppm L-carnitine from d 0 to 14 had less (P < .05) carcass lipid and daily lipid accretion on d 35 whether they were fed L-carnitine from d 14 to 35 or not. These results suggest that dietary L-carnitine improves G/F and reduces carcass lipid accretion in early-weaned pigs.

An evaluation of several diet acidifiers commonly utilized in pig starter diets to improve growth performance (1996)

Early-weaned pigs (weaned at 14 d of age) that are managed in a conventional one-site production system and fed a complex segregated early-weaning diet will benefit from the inclusion of a diet acidifier during the first week. However, the data indicate no benefit from including a diet acidifier in semicomplex diets fed during subsequent growth phases.; Swine Day, Manhattan, KS, November 21, 1996

The effect of carbohydrate source and extrusion processing on growth performance on segregated early-weaned pigs (1996)

A 21-day growth trial was conducted to determine the effect of various carbohydrate sources with or without moist extrusion processing on growth performance of segregated early-weaned pigs. Treatments included five different carbohydrate sources (corn, corn starch, rice, wheat flour, and grain sorghum) with or without moist extrusion processing in a 2 x 5 factorial arrangement. No interactions were observed among carbohydrate sources and extrusion processing. Growth performance was not improved by extrusion processing. Surprisingly, pigs fed corn had poorer growth performance compared to those fed other carbohydrate sources. These results suggest that corn starch, rice, wheat flour, and grain sorghum are suitable alternatives to corn in diets for segregated early-weaned pigs.; Swine Day, Manhattan, KS, November 21, 1996

Influence of lipopolysaccharide-induced immune challenge and diet complexity on growth performance and acute-phase protein production in segregated early-weaned pigs.

Segregated early-weaned pigs (initially 4.0 kg and 14 +/- 1.5 d of age) were used to quantify the effects of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced immune challenge and nursery diet complexity (complex, medium, and simple) on growth performance and haptoglobin production. Three treatments of immune challenge consisted of pigs given ad libitum access to feed (control), challenged with LPS and given ad libitum access to feed (LPS-challenged), or pair-fed to receive the same amount of feed as the LPS-challenged pigs (pair-fed). The absence of interactions (P > .10) between diet complexity and immune challenge with LPS indicated that the responses were independent. Control pigs were the heaviest (P < .01), LPS-challenged the lightest (P < .01), and pair-fed intermediate in weight on d 18 after weaning. Approximately two thirds of the decreased growth of LPS-challenged pigs was due to decreased ADFI and one third was due to decreased feed efficiency (G/F). Pigs fed the complex diet were heaviest (P < .05), and pigs fed the simple diet were lightest (P < .05) on d 18 after weaning. The increased growth of pigs fed the complex compared with those fed the medium diet was due to the increased ADFI of the former. The decreased growth of pigs fed the simple diet compared with those fed the medium or complex diets was due to both decreased ADFI and G/F. The LPS-challenged pigs had increased (P < .01) haptoglobin concentrations, suggesting that inflammatory cytokine production was higher in immune-challenged pigs. These data suggest that LPS immune challenge caused decreased growth by decreasing ADFI and altering nutrient partitioning and that growth responses to diet complexity are independent of immune challenge.

Evaluation of various specialty protein sources as replacements for spray-dried animal plasma in diets for segregated early-weaned pigs (1996)

Evaluation of various specialty protein sources as replacements for spray-dried animal plasma in diets for segregated early-weaned pigs (1996)

Enrichment satisfying specific behavioural needs in early-weaned pigs

The quality of the social environment should be studied as one of the welfare components of dairy herds. Licking and preference between cows are important socio-positive experiences in this context.The aims of this study were: 1) to describe the behaviours temporally associated with social licking in grazing dairy cows, 2) to measure the association of social licking with social hierarchy and gestational state and 3) to compare social licking between preferred mates – cows that are more often in close proximity – and other mates. Six commercial Jersey herds, averaging 24.6 ± 5 lactating cows per herd, and managed on a rotational grazing system year-round, were enrolled in the study. Herds were kept constant for at least 30 d before data collection, and at four days before data collection the herds were habituated to the data collection routine. The behaviours of all cows within each herd were observed through direct observation for six days between milking, from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm. A total of 148 cows were observed for 42 h each during the study period. Licking events and agonistic interactions were observed continuously, and the individual instigator and receptor participating in each event were recorded. All agonistic interactions were registered, and a sociometric matrix was developed for each herd. Scan sampling (every 6-min) was used to register behaviours of each individual cow and its closest neighbours. Licking was a widespread behaviour in the studied herds, registered in 94.5 % of the cows and occurring most often around 10:00, during ingestive behaviours. Social lickings were most often observed immediately before drinking or mineralizing, and immediately after idling or ruminating. Social hierarchy was not associated with the number of social lickings. Pregnant cows received 1.63 more lickings than non-pregnant cows but didn’t perform more. Furthermore, older cows performed and received more lickings than primiparous cows. Social licking interactions were higher (1.89 vs. 0.62; p ≤ 0.01) between preferential mates than the average for the herd. Similarly, agonistic interactions between preferential mates was higher (1.97 vs. 1.52; p ≤ 0.01) than observed among the average herd. Our results reveal that social licking is widespread among herds and suggests an association with social preferences when cows are on pasture, which may be related to affinity among cows. Preferred mates also showed greater number of agonistic interactions.

Amino acid digestibility in soybean meal, extruded soybean and full-fat canola for early-weaned pigs

Studies were carried out with 12 early-weaned pigs (Lacombe × Yorkshire) to determine the amino acid digestibility values in soybean meal, extruded soybean and full-fat canola. The pigs were weaned at 21 days of age and fitted with a simple T-cannula at the distal ileum at 27 and 28 days of age. The pigs were fed on three maize starch-based diets formulated to contain 160 g crude protein kg −1 from soybean meal, soybean meal plus extruded soybean and soybean meal plus full-fat canola, respectively, according to a two-period changeover design for three treatments. The pigs were fed three times daily, equal amounts at 08:00, 14:00 and 20:00 h, at a rate of 5% ( wt. wt. ) of the average body weight which was determined at the initiation of the first (8.9 kg) and the second (11.8 kg) experimental periods. Each experimental period comprised 9 days. Faeces were collected from 08:00 h on Day 6 to 08:00 h on Day 8. Ileal digesta were collected for a total of 24 h, at 6 h intervals, from 08:00 to 14:00 h on Day 8, from 20:00 h on Day 8 to 02:00 h on Day 9, from 08:00 to 14:00 h on Day 9 and from 20:00 on Day 9 to 02:00 h on Day 10. Chromic oxide was used as a digestibility marker. The apparent ileal digestibility values of extruded soybean and full-fat canola were determined by the difference method. The apparent ileal digestibility values of crude protein and most of the amino acids were higher ( P < 0.05) in soybean meal than in extruded soybean or full-fat canola. The difference in crude protein digestibility between soybean meal and extruded soybean was 11.2 percentage units; of the indispensable amino acids, the differences in digestibility values ranged from 8.9 (histidine) to 20.8 (leucine) percentage units. The difference in crude protein digestibility between soybean meal and full-fat canola was 11.4 percentage units; of the indispensable amino acids, the differences in digestibility values ranged from 7.8 (threonine) to 15.8 (histidine) percentage units. There were no differences ( P > 0.05) in the apparent ileal digestibility values of crude protein and the indispensable amino acids between extruded soybean and full-fat canola.

The impact of environment and antimicrobial agents on the growth response of early-weaned pigs to spray-dried porcine plasma.

Four 28-d experiments involving 360 weanling pigs were conducted to investigate the effects of including spray-dried porcine plasma (SDPP) in diets from d 0 to 14 after weaning followed by feeding a common diet from d 14 to d 28. In Exp. 1, 80 weanling pigs (4.9 kg BW, 17 +/- 1 d of age) were used to determine the effects of substituting 0, 3, 6, 9, or 12% SDPP for dried skim milk (DSM) and L-lysine.HCl. Growth rate and feed intakes from d 0 to 14 and d 0 to 28 were not affected by increasing levels of SDPP, but feed/gain from d 0 to 14 increased linearly (P < .001) as the level of SDPP increased. In Exp. 2 and 3, 160 pigs (80 pigs in each trial; 5.4 kg BW, 18 +/- 2 d of age) were used to determine the effect of nursery environment on the performance of pigs fed a diet containing 20% DSM or 8.3% SDPP. Pigs were housed in either an off-site, environmental chamber in newly purchased pens (experimental nursery) or a more typical, on-farm, conventional nursery. Pigs in the experimental nursery performed superior to the pigs in the conventional nursery from d 0 to 14 and from d 0 to 28 (P < .001). Growth rate and feed intake were enhanced (P < .05) by feeding SDPP to pigs in the conventional nursery, but the responses to SDPP were of considerably less magnitude in pigs housed in the experimental nursery, resulting in environment x diet interactions (P < .05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Effects of various fractions of spray-dried plasma protein on performance of early-weaned pigs (1995)

Effects of various fractions of spray-dried plasma protein on performance of early-weaned pigs (1995)

Buildings for early-weaned pigs (1995)

Buildings for early-weaned pigs present several challenges to designers and building/equipment manufacturers, but the ability to provide the optimum environmental conditions for the small pig is within the reach of today's technology.; Swine Day, Manhattan, KS, November 16, 1995

Interactions among lactose, spray-dried animal plasma, and soybean meal levels may affect segregated early-weaned pigs (1995)

Pigs weaned in a segregated early weaning (SEW) environment achieved maximum performance when fed a sequence of diets containing a gradual decrease in spray-dried animal plasma. Furthermore, pigs weaned at approximately 19 days responded positively to 20% soybean meal. Increased levels of lactose enhanced the increases in performance from soybean meal.; Swine Day, Manhattan, KS, November 16, 1995

Influence of lipopolysaccharide-induced immune challenge and diet complexity on growth performance and acute-phase protein production in segregated early-weaned pigs (1995)

Influence of lipopolysaccharide-induced immune challenge and diet complexity on growth performance and acute-phase protein production in segregated early-weaned pigs (1995)

Local and systemic immune responses to soybean protein ingestion in early-weaned pigs

The development of local and systemic immune responses to soybean proteins was investigated in early-weaned pigs. Pigs were given either antigenic (ASP, n = 10 pigs) or non-antigenic (NASP, n = 8 pigs) soybean products (6 g of protein/d) from d 5 to 9 of age by stomach tube. After weaning at d 21, pigs were fed diets containing the corresponding soybean products and slaughtered between d 28 to 30. Diarrhea was 2.4-fold more frequent, the size of duodenal villi was reduced by 24 to 36%, and the eosinophil density in the duodenal mucosa was 13 times greater (P < .02) in the ASP pigs compared with the NASP pigs. A larger erythema area (P = .006) was observed in the ASP group than in the NASP group 30 min after an intradermal injection of glycinin, but no significant difference could be detected with alpha- or beta-conglycinin or whole soybean extracts. No difference in skin fold thickness was apparent between groups 24 h later. Intestinal, mesenteric lymph node, and blood lymphocytes did not proliferate when cultured with soybean proteins, regardless of dietary treatment. By ELISA, no difference between groups was observed in the circulating levels of total immunoglobulins (Ig) and IgM. Immunoblotting patterns of raw soybean with sera from 28-d-old pigs showed two bands (22 and 36 kDa) recognized by IgA and IgM, respectively, in the ASP group only. Finally, the adverse effects observed with antigenic soybean flour can be overcome by the use of alcohol-treated products.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

The number of feeding spaces required for large groups of early-weaned pigs

Inadequate feeding space allowance could limit the performance of the early-weaned pig. No information is available on the amount of space required as group size increases; this is now more typical for some of the novel welfare systems. It has been suggested that the early-weaned pigs tend to feed together for an initial period. Indications exist that, if inadequate feeding space is provided post-weaning, a proportion of piglets may suffer.The objective of the experiment was to investigate the effect of restricting access to feed on the performance of the early-weaned pig housed in large groups in a novel sloping bed weaner pen.