Effect of mixing at weaning and nutrient density of the weaner diet on growth performance and welfare of pigs to slaughter
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)
Pérez Hernández, José Francisco (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament de Ciència Animal i dels Aliments)
Lawlor, Peader G. (Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation Centre (Irlanda))
Boyle, Laura A. (Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation Centre (Irlanda))
Garcia Manzanilla, E. (School of Veterinary Medicine. University College Dublin)
Camp Montoro, Jordi (Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation Centre (Irlanda))

Data:	2023
Resum:	Background: Mixing pigs at weaning can compromise pig welfare and growth. Therefore, grouping littermates together may allow a diet nutrient and energy density reduction during the nursery period to reduce feed cost without affecting slaughter weight. This study investigated the combined effect of mixing and reducing dietary energy and nutrient density on growth performance, body lesions (BL), and behaviour in pigs from weaning to slaughter. Results: Forty-eight litters [554 pigs, 11-12 pigs/litter; Danish Duroc × (Large White × Landrace)] were included in the trial. At 28 days of age, pigs were weaned and housed in nursery rooms in litter groups (INTACT, n = 24) or mixed with other litters and grouped by weight to reduce within-pen pig weight variation (MIXED, n = 24). A dietary regimen meeting pigs' nutritional requirements (CON) and a low-density dietary regimen (LOW; -10% energy and protein) completed a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement (Mixing x Diet, n = 12). On day 74 of age, pigs moved to the grower-finisher accommodation without further mixing and all pigs received the CON dietary regimen. Mixing increased FCR by 4. 0% during the nursery period (p = 0. 003). Nursery pigs fed LOW experienced a growth retardation which was maintained until slaughter (-2. 6 kg slaughter weight; p = 0. 025). Initial differences in the coefficient of variation (CV) between MIXED (10. 4%) and INTACT (17. 6%; p < 0. 001) pigs were reduced in CON pens but not in LOW pens (interaction p = 0. 025) at the end of the nursery period. MIXED pigs had more fights and BL (p < 0. 001) at weaning and showed more aggression (p = 0. 003) after being moved to the grower-finisher rooms. At the end of the nursery period, MIXED pigs fed LOW showed the highest number of aggressive behaviours around the feeder (interaction; p = 0. 003) and pigs fed LOW showed more damaging behaviour (p < 0. 001). Conclusions: Mixing animals at weaning had limited impact on growth performance but impaired welfare which was aggravated by energy and nutrient reduction in the nursery diet. Decreasing dietary nutrient density in the nursery stage retarded growth, which could not be compensated for during the growing-finishing period.
Ajuts:	Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad AGL_PID2020-113604RB Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación FPU18/00401
Nota:	Les gràfiques i dades d'aquest estudi tenen una llicència 1.0. El text de l'article es difon amb la llicència BY
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Llengua:	Anglès
Document:	Article ; recerca ; Versió publicada
Matèria:	Behaviour ; Chronic aggression ; Compensatory growth ; Dominance hierarchy ; Feed competition ; Regrouping ; Skin lesions
Publicat a:	Porcine health management, Vol. 9 Núm. 1 (december 2023) , p. 38, ISSN 2055-5660
Obra relacionada:	Perez Hernandez, José Francisco; González-Solé, Francesc, 2024, "Replication data for: Effect of mixing at weaning and nutrient density of the weaner diet on growth performance and welfare of pigs to slaughter (PID2020-113604RB-I00 project)", CORA. Repositori de Dades de Recerca https://doi.org/10.34810/data1781

DOI: 10.1186/s40813-023-00334-w
PMID: 37641119

12 p, 1.3 MB

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