Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-2brh9 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-23T14:52:20.076Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The effect of pattern of food intake in pregnancy upon sow productivity

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

F. W. H. Elsley ,
E. V. J. Bathurst ,
A. G. Bracewell ,
J. M. M. Cunningham ,
J. B. Dent ,
T. L. Dodsworth ,
R. M. MacPherson  and
N. Walker
F. W. H. Elsley
Affiliation:
The Rowett Research Institute, Bucksburn, Aberdeen, AB2 9SB and Co-operating Centres
E. V. J. Bathurst
Affiliation:
The Rowett Research Institute, Bucksburn, Aberdeen, AB2 9SB and Co-operating Centres
A. G. Bracewell
Affiliation:
The Rowett Research Institute, Bucksburn, Aberdeen, AB2 9SB and Co-operating Centres
J. M. M. Cunningham
Affiliation:
The Rowett Research Institute, Bucksburn, Aberdeen, AB2 9SB and Co-operating Centres
J. B. Dent
Affiliation:
The Rowett Research Institute, Bucksburn, Aberdeen, AB2 9SB and Co-operating Centres
T. L. Dodsworth
Affiliation:
The Rowett Research Institute, Bucksburn, Aberdeen, AB2 9SB and Co-operating Centres
R. M. MacPherson
Affiliation:
The Rowett Research Institute, Bucksburn, Aberdeen, AB2 9SB and Co-operating Centres
N. Walker
Affiliation:
The Rowett Research Institute, Bucksburn, Aberdeen, AB2 9SB and Co-operating Centres
Get access

Summary

Seven research and teaching centres have co-operated in an experiment involving 154 sows. The experiment compared the effect of feeding four different patterns of feed intake during pregnancy upon reproductive performance of sows. In each case approximately 220 kg of feed were given during each gestation according to four patterns of intake designated Constant (C), Low-High (L-H), High-Low (H-L) and High-Low-High (H-L-H). During lactation all animals were given a daily ration of 3·7 kg of feed for litters of five pigs or less, and 0·4 kg for each additional piglet. Wherever possible the sows remained on the same nutritional regimes for three parities.

Although the pattern of feed intake slightly affected the live-weight changes of the sows during the course of pregnancy, the treatments had no significant effects on overall change in weight of the sows in pregnancy or in lactation in any of the three parities. The live weights of the sows at the end of the third parity were very similar for all treatment groups.

The patterns of feed intake had no appreciable or significant effect on the numbers of pigs born, their average weight at birth or upon the numbers of pigs which survived to weaning at 6 weeks or their live weight. The health and breeding regularity of the sows were also unaffected by the treatments.

There were differences between the centres in many of the variables which were compared, but there was no evidence of any important centre × treatment interactions.

It is concluded that, at the levels of intake given in pregnancy and lactation in this experiment, there are no beneficial or detrimental effects of changing the pattern of intake during pregnancy.

Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Production , Volume 13 , Issue 2 , May 1971 , pp. 257 - 270
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1971

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

REFERENCES

Agricultural Research Council. 1967. The Nutrient Requirements of Farm Livestock. No. 3, Pigs. Agricultural Research Council, London.Google Scholar
Ballinger, C. E. 1940. Feeding sows immediately after weaning and six weeks before farrowing means more pigs per litter. N. Z Jl Agric. 60: 351–355.Google Scholar
Brody, S. 1938. Growth and development with special reference to domestic animals. 46. Relation between heat increment of gestation and birth weight. Res. Bull. Mo. agric. Exp. Stn, No. 283.Google Scholar
Brody, S., Riggs, J., Kaufman, K. And Herring, V. 1938. Growth and development with special reference to domestic animals. 45. Energy-metabolism levels during gestation, lactation, and post-lactation rest. Res. Bull. Mo. agric. Exp. Stn, No. 281.Google Scholar
Crowther, C. 1938. Nutrition and reproduction. J. Minist. Agric. 45: 797–809.Google Scholar
DeVilliers, V., Sørensen, P. H., Jakobsen, P. E. and Moustgaard, J. 1958. Ann. Rep., Sterility Research Inst., Copenhagen, p. 139.Google Scholar
Elsley, F. W. H. 1968. The influence of feeding level upon the reproductive performance of pregnant sows. Vet. Rec. 83: 93–97.Google Scholar
Elsley, F. W. H., Anderson, D. M., McDonald, I., MacPherson, R. M. and Smart, R. 1966. A comparison of the live-weight changes, nitrogen retention and carcass composition of pregnant and non-pregnant gilts. Anim. Prod. 8: 391–400.Google Scholar
Elsley, F. W. H., Bannerman, Mary M., Bathurst, E., Bracewell, A. G., Cunningham, J. M. M., Dent, D. B., Dodsworth, T. L. and Walker, N. 1969a. Patterns of feed intake for pregnant sows. Anim. Prod. 11: 289 (Abstr.).Google Scholar
Elsley, F. W. H., Bannerman, Mary M., Bathurst, E. V. J., Bracewells, A. G., Cunningham, J. M. M., Dodsworth, T. L., Dodds, F. A., Forbes, T. J. and Laird, R. 1969b. The effect of level of feed intake in pregnancy and in lactation upon the productivity of sows. Anim. Prod. 11: 225–241.Google Scholar
Elsley, F. W. H., MacPherson, R. M. And McDonald, I. 1968. The influence of intake of dietary energy in pregnancy and lactation upon sow productivity. J. agric. Sci., Camb. 71: 215–222.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Heje's Lomme-Almanak 1956. Quoted in: Diet in relation to reproduction and the viability of the young. Pt 3, Pigs, p. 70. D. L. Duncan and G. A. Lodge. Commonw. Bur. Anim. Nutr. Tech. Commun. No. 21.Google Scholar
King, J. W. B. and Young, G. B. 1957. Material influences on litter size in pigs. J. agric. Sci., Camb. 48: 457–463.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lodge, G. A., Elsley, F. W. H. and MacPherson, R. M. 1966. The effects of level of feeding of sows during pregnancy. 1. Reproductive performance. Anim. Prod. 8: 29–38.Google Scholar
Lodge, G. A. and Hardy, B. 1968. The influence of nutrition during oestrus on ovulation rate in the sow. J. Reprod. Fert. 15: 329–332.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lodge, G. A. and Lucas, I. A. M. 1959. Breeding and rearing pigs. In Scientific Principles of Feeding Farm Live Stock, p. 125. Farmer and Stockbreeder Publications, London.Google Scholar
Mitchell, H. H., Carroll, W. E., Hamilton, T. S. and Hunt, G. E. 1931. Food requirements of pregnancy in swine. Bull. Ill. agric. Exp. Stn, No. 375.Google Scholar
Mitchell, H. H. and Kelley, M. A. R. 1938. Energy requirements of swine and estimates of heat production and gaseous exchange for use in planning the ventilation of hog houses. J. agric. Res. 56:811–829.Google Scholar
Moustgaard, J. 1962. Foetal nutrition of the pig. In: Nutrition of Pigs and Poultry, p. 189 (ed J. T. Morgan and D. Lewis). Proc. 8th Easter Sch. agric. Sci. Univ. Nott. Butterworth, London.Google Scholar
Pig Industry Development Authority. 1963. Sow management. Pig Industry Development Authority, London.Google Scholar
Pomeroy, R. W. 1960. Infertility and neonatal mortality in the sow. III. Neonatal mortality and foetal development. J. agric. Sci., Camb. 54: 31–56.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Salmon-Legagneur, E. 1962. Effet chronologique d'une modification du niveau alimentaire chez la truie gestante. Annls Zootech. 11: 173–180.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Vanschoubroek, F. 1963. Studien en ondersoekingen over de voeding van varkens. Rijksuniversitoit Voeartsenijschool, Ghent.Google Scholar