Effect of Longer Pre-Starter Diet Allowance on Post-Weaning Performance of Lightweight Piglets
González Solé, Francesc (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament de Ciència Animal i dels Aliments)
Solà Oriol, David (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament de Ciència Animal i dels Aliments)
Villagómez Estrada, Sandra (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament de Ciència Animal i dels Aliments)
Muns, Ramon (Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute)
Pérez Hernández, José Francisco (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament de Ciència Animal i dels Aliments)

Data:	2024
Resum:	This study evaluated the effects of providing weaning pigs with a pre-starter diet until they reach a target body weight (7. 9 kg) before transitioning to a more affordable diet, compared to offering it until a fixed day (10 days post-weaning). Pigs were categorized as medium or small based on their weaning body weight. The results demonstrated that extending the pre-starter diet until a target body weight was achieved did not affect overall growth nor body weight variability but did reduce mortality in small pigs between days 10 and 36. Given that this study was conducted without zinc oxide and with lower protein levels than previous studies, the findings highlight the need to reassess nutritional strategies for improving small pigs' growth and reducing body weight variability. Future research should explore the potential impact of setting a target body weight in the allowance of a starter diet, as well as assess its long-term effects. First-phase diets are formulated to help pigs reach a target body weight before switching to a more affordable diet. However, these transitions typically take place on a fixed schedule, which may disadvantage low-body-weight piglets due to their underdeveloped digestive systems and limited feed intake capacity. This study examined the effects of offering low-body-weight (BW) pigs a pre-starter diet until they reached a target BW on growth performance and BW variability. A total of 528 pigs ([Landrace × Yorkshire] × Pietrain), weaned at day 21, representing the smallest 50% of their batch, were divided into medium (5. 35 ± 0. 31 kg) and small (3. 97 ± 0. 21 kg) groups based on weaning BW. Pigs received a pre-starter diet either for 10 days (FIXED) or until they reached a target BW of 7. 9 kg (TBW), followed by a starter feed. Growth performance between the TBW and fixed strategies was similar over the 36-day period. Overall, mortality was higher in small pigs, though small pigs fed using the fixed strategy showed higher mortality than the rest of the groups between days 10 and 36. This study concludes that offering a pre-starter diet based on target BW, instead of a fixed time, did not significantly improve growth performance or batch uniformity but reduced mortality in small pigs from days 10 to 36.
Ajuts:	Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad AGL_PID2020-113604RB Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades FPU18/00401
Nota:	Altres ajuts: UAB-Banco de Santander Talent Program FPU18/00401
Drets:	Aquest document està subjecte a una llicència d'ús Creative Commons. Es permet la reproducció total o parcial, la distribució, la comunicació pública de l'obra i la creació d'obres derivades, fins i tot amb finalitats comercials, sempre i quan es reconegui l'autoria de l'obra original.
Llengua:	Anglès
Document:	Article ; recerca ; Versió publicada
Matèria:	Weaned pigs ; Mortality ; Target body weight
Publicat a:	Animals, Vol. 14 (december 2024) , ISSN 2076-2615

DOI: 10.3390/ani14233471
PMID: 39682436

12 p, 904.7 KB

El registre apareix a les col·leccions:
Articles > Articles de recerca
Articles > Articles publicats