Investigation and refinement of the utilisation of supplementary milk in sow-suckled litters, and the effect on creep intake with reference to lifetime performance, preweaning behaviour and gut development

Icely, S. (2024) Investigation and refinement of the utilisation of supplementary milk in sow-suckled litters, and the effect on creep intake with reference to lifetime performance, preweaning behaviour and gut development. Doctoral thesis, Harper Adams University.

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Abstract

Increasing sow prolificacy has necessitated strategies for rearing supernumerary piglets. Providing supplementary milk (SM) allows litters to remain intact, and can rear at least one extra piglet compared to the sow’s functional teats. This project employed a novel recording system comprising an antenna and electronic ID (EID) to record individual piglet visits to the SM bowl, and so identify which piglets were utilising SM. Duration of visits was a good estimation of consumption, and piglets without a teat had the highest consumption throughout suckling, but were lighter at weaning, probably due to the low fat content of SM. Heavy birthweight piglets had higher SM consumption in the final week before weaning. When creep was provided, duration of visits was also a good indicator of consumption. Providing creep resulted in a higher pre-weaning supplementary feeding dry matter intake (DMI) than achieved using solely SM. The lightest birthweight piglets had the lowest creep consumption. Non-suckling piglets had the highest SM and creep consumption. Piglets with high pre-weaning creep consumption were lighter at weaning, but had lower FCR and higher ADG for the first week post-weaning. After d15 post-weaning, SM consumption had no effect on ADG, but creep consumption had a positive effect on ADG to slaughter. The glycine, serine, threonine metabolism pathway was enriched by creep intake, but there was no effect of SM on metabolic profile. Withdrawing SM provision one week before weaning increased creep intake. There was no difference in duodenal morphology between low and high creep consumers, but pigs fed a high specification (lysine) diet had higher villus height:crypt depth at d9 post-weaning. Diet quality (digestibility) had no effect on duodenal morphology. The dietary regime with the lowest cost/kg gain to slaughter was high specification, high quality for pigs with low creep consumption, but high specification, low quality for pigs with high creep consumption.

Item Type:	Thesis (Doctoral)
Divisions:	Agriculture and Environment (from 1.08.20)
Depositing User:	Mrs Rachael Giles
Date Deposited:	01 Nov 2024 14:55
Last Modified:	01 Nov 2024 14:55
URI:	https://hau.repository.guildhe.ac.uk/id/eprint/18140

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