Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-8bhkd Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-20T01:09:31.484Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Voluntary food intake in the young pig

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 February 2018

V. R. Fowler  and
B. P. Gill
V. R. Fowler
Affiliation:
Rowett Research Institute, Bucksburn, Aberdeen AB2 9SB
B. P. Gill
Affiliation:
North of Scotland College of Agriculture, 581 King Street, Aberdeen AB9 1UD
Get access

Abstract

During the 1st week of life the energy contained in the body of the average piglet increases by a factor between four and five. To achieve this increase the piglet must ingest metabolizable energy (ME) at a rate which is about four times its maintenance requirement. Well over half the ME supplied in the milk of the sow is in the form of emulsified fat. Whilst the piglet is being suckled, its intake is controlled by litter size, availability of teats and productiveness of the mammary gland. At 3 weeks of age the normal piglet requires about 7.8 MJ digestible energy to sustain a live growth rate of 280 g/day. At this stage the growth comprises about 40 g protein and about 68 g fat. This means that the required intake for a newly weaned piglet on a typical starter diet should be about 475 g/day. In practice such intakes are rarely achieved for several days, therefore weaning causes severe disruption of intake and of the growth curve and there are other factors involved including social disturbance and stress. Further problems are caused by the provision of diets which are unsuited to the physiology of the piglet's immature digestive tract. The sudden loss of the IgA component and indeed other protective factors contained in the dam's milk can be extremely serious, and the reduction in food intake is effectively a defence strategy by the piglet to cope with its new circumstances and try to maintain physiological homoeostasis. In some circumstances the use of antibacterial agents, organic acids or probiotics may be beneficial, but the approach is less reliable than careful formulation of the diet to avoid provocative ingredients such as soya-bean and rapeseed meal.

Type
Research Article
Information
BSAP Occasional Publication , Volume 13: The Voluntary Food Intake of Pigs , 1989 , pp. 51 - 60
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Production 1989

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

Alexander, V. A. W. 1969. Studies on the nutrition of the neonatal pig. Ph.D. Thesis, University of Edinburgh.Google Scholar
Armstrong, W. D. and Clawson, A. J. 1980. Nutrition and management of early weaned pigs: effect of increased nutrient concentrations and (or) supplemental liquid feeding. Journal of Animal Science 50: 377–384.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Aumaitre, A. 1980. Palatability of piglet feeds: trial methods and practical results. In Palatability and Flavour Use in Animal Feeds, First International Symposium on Palatability and Flavour Use in Animal Feeds, October 1978, Zurich, pp. 86–95.Google Scholar
Barber, R. S., Braude, R. and Mitchell, K. G. 1960. Further studies on antibiotics, copper and zinc supplements for growing pigs. British Journal of Nutrition 14: 499–508.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bark, L. J., Crenshaw, T. D. and Leibbrandt, V. D. 1986. The effect of meal interval and weaning on feed intake of early weanted pigs. Journal of Animal Science 62: 1233–1239.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Blackshaw, J. K. 1981. Some behavioural deviations in weaned domestic pigs: persistent inguinal nose thrusting, and tail and ear biting. Animal Production 33: 325–332.Google Scholar
Bourne, F. J. 1969. Studies on colostral and milk whey proteins in the sow. 1. The transition of mammary secretions from colostrum to milk with natural sucking. Animal Production 11: 337–343.Google Scholar
Close, W. H. 1987. The influence of the thermal environment on the productivity of pigs. In Pig Housing and the Environment (ed. Smith, A. T. and Lawrence, T. J. L.), Occasional Publication, British Society of Animal Production, No. 11, pp. 9–24.Google Scholar
Cole, D. J. A. and Chadd, S. A. 1989. Voluntary food intake of growing pigs. In The Voluntary Food Intake of Pigs (ed. Forbes, J. M., Varley, M. A. and Lawrence, T. L. J.), Occasional Publication, British Society of Animal Production, No. 13, pp. 61–70.Google Scholar
Deprez, P., Deroose, P., van den Hende, C., Muylle, E. and Oyaert, W. 1987. Liquid versus dry feeding in weaned piglets: the influence on small intestine morphology. Journal of Veterinary Medicine 34: 254–259.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dierick, N. A., Vervaeke, I. J., Decuypere, J. A. and Henderickx, H. K. 1986a. Influence of gut flora and some growth-promoting feed additives on nitrogen metabolism in pigs. I. Studies in vitro . Livestock Production Science 14: 161–176.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dierick, N. A., Vervaeke, I. J., Decuypere, J. A. and Henderickx, H. K. 1986b. Influence of gut flora and some growth-promoting feed additives on nitrogen metabolism in pigs. II. Studies in vivo . Livestock Production Science 14: 177–193.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Duncan, D. L. and Lodge, G. A. 1960. Diet in relation to reproduction and the viability of the young. Part III. Pigs. Technical Communication, Common- wealth Agricultural Bureaux, No. 21.Google Scholar
Dutta, G. N. and Devriese, L. A. 1981. Sensitivity and resistance to growth promoting agents in animal Lactobacilli. Journal of Applied Bacteriology 51: 283–288.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Edmonds, M. S., Izquierdo, O. A. and Baker, D. H. 1985. Feed additive studies with newly weaned pigs: efficacy of supplemental copper, antibiotic and organic acids. Journal of Animal Science 60: 462–469.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Efird, R. C., Herman, D. L. and Armstrong, W. D. 1980. Effect of age and weaning system on the digestive capacity of young pigs. Journal of Animal Science 51: 195–196.Google Scholar
Elsley, F. W. H. 1970. Nutrition and lactation in the sow. In Lactation (ed. Falconer, I. R.), pp. 393–411. Butterworths, London.Google Scholar
English, P. R. 1969. Mortality and variation in growth of piglets. A study of predisposing factors with particular reference to sow and piglet behaviour. Ph.D. Thesis, University of Aberdeen.Google Scholar
English, P. R., Deligeorgis, S. G., Davidson, F. M., Dias, M. F. M., Smith, W. J. and Fowler, V. R. 1978. Evaluation of alternative diets and feeding systems for early weaned piglets. Animal Production 26: 398 (Abstr.).Google Scholar
English, P. R. and Smith, W. J. 1975. Some causes of death in neonatal piglets. In The Veterinary Annual (ed. Grunsell, C. S. G. and Hill, F. W. G.), pp. 95–104. Wright-Scientechnica, Bristol.Google Scholar
Epstein, A. A. 1986. The ontogeny of ingestive behaviour: control of milk intake by suckling rats and the emergence of feeding and drinking at weaning. In Feeding Behaviour, Neural and Hormonal Controls (ed. Ritter, R. C., Ritterand, S. Barnes, C. D.), pp 1–26. Academic Press, Florida.Google Scholar
Fowler, V. R. and Fraser, D. 1985. The effect of pre-weaning supplementary food on the growth of piglets after weaning at 25 days. Animal Production 40: 547 (Abstr.).Google Scholar
Fraser, D. 1978. Behaviour of suckling and earlyweaned piglets. Animal Behaviour 26: 22–30.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fuller, R. 1986. Probiotics. Journal of Applied Bacteriology, Symposium Supplement, pp. 1S–7S.Google ScholarPubMed
Gill, B. P. 1989. Water use by pigs managed under various conditions of housing, feeding and nutrition. Ph.D. Thesis, Seale-Hayne College of Agriculture.Google Scholar
Godoy, N. M., Abarca, M. V. and Tapia, Y. J. E. 1966. The relation of litter size at birth and at weaning to average individual weight and litter weight. Animal Breeding Abstracts 34: 1361 (Abstr.).Google Scholar
Hampson, D. J. and Smith, W. C. 1986. Influence of creep feeding and dietary intake after weaning on malabsorption and occurrence of diarrhoea in the newly weaned pig. Research in Veterinary Science 41: 63–69.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Henry, R. W., Pickard, D. W. and Hughes, P. E. 1985. Citric acid and fumarie acid as food additives for early-weaned piglets. Animal Production 40: 505–509.Google Scholar
Henry, V. G. and Conley, R. H. 1972. Fall foods of European wild hogs in the Southern Appalachians. Journal of Wildlife Management 36: 854–860.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jones, R. W. 1982. Factors affecting the survival of the newborn piglet. M.Sc. Thesis, University of Aberdeen.Google Scholar
Kirchgessner, M. and Roth, F. X. 1982. Fumarie acid as a feed additive in pig nutrition. Pig News and Information 3: 259–264.Google Scholar
Kyriazakis, L., Emmans, G. C. and Whittemore, C. T. 1988. The ability of growing pigs to control their protein intake when fed in different ways. Animal Production 46: 485 (Abstr.).Google Scholar
Leibholz, J. 1984. A note on the influence of methionine content in the diet of pigs from 21 to 49 days of age on their performance from 49 to 97 days of age. Animal Production 39: 153–155.Google Scholar
Leibholz, J. 1986. The utilisation of lysine by young pigs from nine protein concentrates compared with free lysine in young pigs fed ad lib . British Journal of Nutrition 55: 179–186.Google ScholarPubMed
Lightfoot, A. L., Miller, B. G. and Spechter, H. H. 1987. The effect of pre-weaning diet on postweaning health and performance of 3 week old pigs. Animal Production 44: 490 (Abstr.).Google Scholar
Lougnon, J. 1982. Deficiencies in various amino acids and feed behaviour in piglets. Pig News and Information 3: 131–135.Google Scholar
McLaughlin, C. L., Baile, C. A., Buckholtz, L. L. and Freeman, S. K. 1983. Preferred flavours and performance of weanling pigs. Journal of Animal Science 56: 1287–1293.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Newby, T. J., Miller, B., Stokes, C. R., Hampson, D. and Bourne, F. J. 1985. Local hypersensitivity response to dietary antigens in early weaned pigs. In Recent Developments in Pig Nutrition (ed. Cole, D. J. A. and Haresign, W.), pp. 211–221. Butterworths, London.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Okai, D. B., Aherne, F. X. and Hardin, R. T. 1976. Effects of creep and starter composition on feed intake and performance of young pigs. Canadian Journal of Animal Science 56: 573–586.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Okai, D. B., Aherne, F. X. and Hardin, R. T. 1977. Effects of sow nutrition in late gestation on the body composition and survival of the neonatal pig. Canadian Journal of Animal Science 57: 439–448.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pullar, J. D. and Webster, A. J. F. 1974. Heat loss and energy retention during growth in congenitally obese and lean rats. British Journal of Nutrition 31: 377–392.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Randall, G. C. B. 1972. Observations on parturition in the sow. II. Factors influencing stillbirths and perinatal mortality. Veterinary Record 9: 183–186.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rattray, E. A. S., Palmer, R. and Pusztai, A. 1974. Toxicity of kidney beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.), to conventional and gnotobiotic rats. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 25: 1035–1040.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Roy, J. H. B., Stobo, I. J. F., Shotton, S. M., Ganderton, P. and Gillies, C. M. 1977. The nutritive value of non-milk proteins for the preruminant calf. The effect of replacement of milk protein by soya-bean flour or fish-protein concentrate. British Journal of Nutrition 38: 167–187.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Smith, R. H. and Sissons, J. W. 1975. The effect of different feeds, including those containing soya-bean products, on the passage of digesta from the abomasum of the preruminant calf. British Journal of Nutrition 33: 329–349.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Smith, R. H. and Sissons, J. W. 1976. The effect of different diets including those containing soyabean products, on digesta movement of water and nitrogen absorption in the small intestine of the preruminant calf. British Journal of Nutrition 36: 421–438.Google Scholar
Stephens, D. B. 1987. A review of the mechanisms controlling neonatal suckling behaviour and their possible implications in the aetiology of a variety of behavioural disorders seen in later life. In The Veterinary Annual (ed. Pool, W. A.), pp. 63–70. Wright-Scientechnica, Bristol.Google Scholar
Taylor, D. J. 1981. Pig Diseases, 2nd ed, pp. 173–175. Burlington Press, Cambridge.Google Scholar
Thikey, H. M. 1985. The use of conditioned reflexes to enhance feed intake in the growing pig. M.Sc. Thesis, University of Aberdeen.Google Scholar
Vanschoubroek, F., Coucke, L. and van Spaendonck, R. 1971. The quantitative effect of pelleting feed on the performance of piglets and fattening pigs. Nutrition Abstracts and Reviews 41: 1–9.Google ScholarPubMed
Varley, M. A., Maitland, A. and Ross, L. A. 1986. The performance of piglets weaned at birth or one day of age and the use of oral vaccines against E. coli antigens. Livestock Production Science 15: 83–95.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Varley, M. A., Wilkinson, R. G. and Maitland, A. 1987. Artificial rearing of baby piglets: the effects of colostrum on the survival and plasma concentrations of IgG. British Veterinary Journal 143: 369–378.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wahlstrom, R. C., Hauser, L. A. and Libal, G. W. 1974. The effects of low lactose whey, skim milk and sugar on diet palatability and performance of early weaned pigs. Journal of Animal Science 38: 1267–1271.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Walton, J. R. 1977. A mechanism of growth promotion: non-lethal feed antibiotics induced, cell wall lesions in enteric bacteria. In Antibiotics and Antibiosis in Agriculture (ed. Woodbine, M.), pp. 259–264. Butterworths, London.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Whittemore, C. T., Aumaitre, A. and Williams, I. H. 1978. Growth of body components in young weaned pigs. Journal of Agricultural Science 91: 681–692.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wilson, A. B., King, T. P., Clarke, E. M. W. and Pusztai, A. 1980. Kidney bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) lectin-induced lesions in rat small intestine. 2. Microbiological studies. Journal of Comparative Pathology 90: 597–602.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wood, A. J. and Groves, T. D. D. 1965. Body composition studies on the suckling pig. I. Moisture, chemical fat, total protein and total ash in relation to age and body weight. Canadian Journal of Animal Science 45: 8–13.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wood, G. W. and Roark, D. N. 1980. Food habits of feral hogs in coastal South Carolina. Journal of Wildlife Management 44: 506–511.CrossRefGoogle Scholar