With progressive reduction in piglet mortality and increase in the number of piglets reared for litter over recent years, there has been interest in weaning the larger piglets in large litters several days prior to the planned final weaning date in an attempt to improve the growth rate and size of the smaller piglets prior to weaning. Such prior removal of larger piglets before their smaller litter mates are weaned is termed ‘partial’ or ‘split’ weaning’ and this practice was evaluated in a controlled experiment in terms of the liveweight gain to weaning of the smaller piglets within the litter.