Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-mlc7c Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-12T22:27:45.507Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The effect of choice feeding complete diets on the performance of weaned pigs

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 August 2016

P. G. Lawlor ,
P. B. Lynch ,
P. J. Caffrey  and
J. V. O’Doherty
P. G. Lawlor
Affiliation:
Pig Production Department, Teagasc, Moorepark Research Centre, Fermoy, Co. Cork, Ireland
P. B. Lynch
Affiliation:
Pig Production Department, Teagasc, Moorepark Research Centre, Fermoy, Co. Cork, Ireland
P. J. Caffrey
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Science and Production, Faculty of Agriculture, University College, Dublin, Ireland
J. V. O’Doherty
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Science and Production, Faculty of Agriculture, University College, Dublin, Ireland
Get access

Abstract

Post-weaning growth rate in pigs is frequently poor and variable. Choice feeding may offer the opportunity to rectify this. In experiment 1, 24 mixed sex groups of 16 pigs weaned with an average weight of 6·8 kg were blocked on weaning weight and assigned at random to the following treatments: (A) starter diet (18·3 g/kg lysine and 16·6 MJ digestible energy (DE) per kg) for 11 days followed by link diet (15·0 g/kg lysine and 15·3 MJ DE per kg) to 27 days; (B) starter diet and link diet offered in a free choice to 27 days; and (C) starter diet and weaner diet (13·0 g/kg lysine and 14·3 MJ DE per kg) offered in a free choice to 27 days. In experiment 2, 66 pigs were weaned at 6·3 kg, blocked as individuals on sex and weight and were randomly assigned to treatments as in experiment 1. In experiment 3, 24 single sex groups of 16 pigs were formed from pigs weaned at 7·8 kg. The groups were blocked on the basis of weaning weight and randomly assigned to the following treatments: (A) starter diet for 11 days followed by link diet to 26 days, (B) starter diet and link diet offered in a free choice to 26 days and (C) starter diet and link diet offered in a free choice to 26 days with feeder position rotated twice weekly. In experiments 1 and 3 pigs were offered a common weaner diet (14·1 g/kg lysine and 14·4 MJ DE per kg) following the experimental period. In experiment 1, daily gain was 406, 410 and 397 g/day (s.e. 6·6; P > 0·05) and food coversion efficiency (FCE) was 1·24, 1·21 and 1·27 g/g (s.e. 0·01; P < 0·01) during the period from day 0 to 27 for treatments A, B and C, respectively. The proportion of the diet selected as starter diet was 0·20, 0·50 and 0·47 (s.e. 0·023; P < 0·001) for treatments A, B and C, respectively. Within-pen variation in pig weight was similar for all treatments at day 14, 27 and 56 (P > 0·05), respectively. In experiment 2, daily gain was 403, 436 and 394 g/day (s.e. 13·0; P = 0·07) and FCE was 1·19, 1·16 and 1·24 g/g (s.e. 0·02; P < 0·05) during the period from day 0 to 26 for treatments A, B and C, respectively. The proportion of the diet selected as starter diet was 0·20, 0·57 and 0·53 (s.e. 0·024; P < 0·001) for treatments A, B and C, respectively. In experiment 3, daily gain was 465, 486 and 488 g/day (s.e.9·4; P > 0·05) and FCE was 1·14, 1·11 and 1·07 g/g (s.e. 0·015; P < 0·01) during the period from day 0 to 26 for treatments A, B and C, respectively. The proportion of the diet selected as starter diet was 0·21, 0·49 and 0·55 (s.e. 0·022; P < 0·001) for treatments A, B and C, respectively. Pig weight at day 49 was 36·4, 37·1 and 37·3 kg (s.e. 0·27; P = 0·09). It was concluded from these experiments that choice feeding did improve pig performance when a choice of starter and link diet was offered.

Keywords

complete dietsfood preferencespigspost-weaning interval
Type
Non-ruminant nutrition, behaviour and production
Information
Animal Science , Volume 76 , Issue 3 , June 2003 , pp. 401 - 412
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 2003

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Anonymous., 1994. A choice of feeds. Pig International 22: 14–18.Google Scholar
Aumaitre, A. 1972. Development of enzyme activity in the digestive tract of the suckling pig: nutrition significance and implications for weaning. World Review of Animal Production 8: 54–68.Google Scholar
Baldwin, B. A. 1976. Quantitative studies on taste preference in pigs. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society 35: 69–73.Google Scholar
Bradford, M. M. V. and Gous, R. M. 1992. The response of weaner pigs to a choice of foods differing in protein content. Animal Production 55: 227–232.Google Scholar
Campbell, R. G. 1976. A note on the use of a feed flavour to stimulate the feed intake of weaner pigs. Animal Production 23: 417–419.Google Scholar
Chiba, L. I. 1995. Effects of nutritional history on the subsequent and overall growth performance and carcass traits of pigs. Livestock Production Science 41: 151–161.Google Scholar
Close, W. H. 1993. Feeding the post-weaned piglet: optimising performance. JSR conference, September 1993, summary.Google Scholar
Close, W. H., Dams, G., Edwards, B., Tibble, S. and Toplis, P. 1994. Performance of post-weaned piglets when offered choice of diet. Animal Production 58: 469 (abstr. ).Google Scholar
Dalby, J. A., Forbes, J. M., Varley, M. A. and Jagger, S. 1995. The requirements of weaned piglets for a training period prior to a choice-feeding regime. Animal Science 61: 311–319.Google Scholar
Emmans, G. C. and Kyriazakis, I. 1995. The idea of optimisation in animals: uses and dangers. Livestock Production Science 44: 189–197.Google Scholar
Fairley, R., Rose, S. P. and Fuller, M. F. 1993. Selection of dietary lysine and threonine concentration by growing pigs. Animal Production 56: 468–469 (abstr. ).Google Scholar
Ferguson, N. S., Nelson, L. and Gous, R. M. 1999. Diet selection in pigs: choices made by growing pigs when given foods differing in nutrient density. Animal Science 68: 691–699.Google Scholar
Gous, R. M., Bradford, M. M. V., Kobus, G. E. and Farrell, D. J. 1989. Choice feeding experiments with growing pigs. In Recent advances in animal nutrition in Australia 1989 (ed. Farrell, D. J.), pp. 147–154. University of New England Publishing Unit, Armidale, Australia.Google Scholar
Haer, L. C. M. de and Merks, J. W. M. 1992. Patterns of daily food intake in growing pigs. Animal Production 54: 95–104.Google Scholar
King, R. H. 1979. The effect of feeding a feed flavour to the diets of young pigs before and after weaning. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture and Animal Husbandry 19: 695–697.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Krebs, J. R. and McCleery, R. H. 1984. Optimisation in behavioural ecology. In Behavioural ecology – an evolutionary approach, second edition (ed. Krebs, J. R. and Davies, N. B.), pp. 91–121. Blackwell Scientific Press, Oxford, UK.Google Scholar
Kyriazakis, I. and Emmans, G. C. 1991. Diet selection in pigs: dietary choices made by growing pigs following a period of underfeeding with protein. Animal Production 52: 337–346.Google Scholar
Kyriazakis, I., Emmans, G. C. and Whittemore, C. T. 1990. Diet selection in pigs: choices made by growing pigs given foods of different protein concentrations. Animal Production 51: 189–199.Google Scholar
McMahon, M. J. and Payne, J. D. 1991. The pelleting handbook. A guide for production staff in the compound feed industry. Borregaard Lignotech, Sarpsborg, Norway.Google Scholar
Owen, K. Q., Knabe, D. A., Burgoon, K. G. and Gregg, E. J. 1994. Self-selection of diets and lysine requirements of growing-finishing swine. Journal of Animal Science 72: 554–564.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Power, G. N., Pluske, J. R., Campbell, R. G., Cranwell, P. D., Kerton, D. J., King, R. H. and Dunshea, F. R. 1996. Effect of sex, weight and age on post-weaning growth of pigs. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society of Australia 20: 137.Google Scholar
Rose, S. P. and Fuller, M. F. 1995. Choice-feeding systems for pigs. In Recent advances in animal nutrition (ed. Garnsworthy, P. C. and Cole, D. J. A.), pp. 211–222. Nottingham University Press, UK.Google Scholar
Statistical Analysis Systems Institute. 1996. User’s guide: statistics. SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC.Google Scholar
Toplis, P. and Tibble, S. 1993. Nutritional limitations of post-weaning growth. JSR conference, September 1993, summary.Google Scholar
Usher, C. D., Green, C. J. and Smith, C. A. 1973. The rapid estimation of fat in various foods using Fosslet density apparatus. Journal of Food Technology 8: 429–437.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Worobec, E. K., Duncan, I. J. H. and Widowski, T. M. 1999. The effect of weaning at 7, 14, and 28 days on piglet behaviour. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 62: 173–182.Google Scholar