Swine Cluster 2 | Animal Nutrition ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Innovative piglet management strategies for optimum performance up to slaughter weight and profitable pork production Denise Beaulieu, Prairie Swine Centre Frédéric Guay, Laval University Kees de Lange, Jim Squires, Julang Li, Niel Karrow, Vahab Farzan, Robert Friendship, University of Guelph J. Jacques Matte, Dairy and Swine Research and Development Centre, AAFC Martin Nyachoti, University of Manitoba Andrew Van Kessel, University of Saskatchewan Ruurd Zijlstra, University of Alberta
Highlights 1 Nutritional strategies for newborn piglets (J. Matte and F. Guay)
Source: Dairy and Swine Research and Development Centre, AAFC
Objective Develop effective newborn and newly weaned piglet feeding strategies that maximize profits based on performance up to market weight, minimize reliance on in-feed antibiotics, and improve pig robustness and health.
Summary The swine industry will face a number of challenges in the foreseeable future. Among these is the high cost of feed ingredients, which has historically represented the largest portion of operating costs. Furthermore, increasing public demand and regulatory restrictions on antibiotic use are anticipated. Therefore, novel nutritional strategies designed must, in addition to minimizing costs, maintain if not promote, animal health and resistance to infectious challenges. To address these challenges researchers are working on three focus areas: 1 Nutritional strategies for newborn piglets 2 Low cost post-weaning nutritional strategies 3 Novel bioactive feed supplements
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SW I N E I N N O VAT I ON POR C
It has been demonstrated in previous research that, as for iron, piglets are likely to suffer from a deficit in vitamin A, vitamin D, and copper shortly after birth and thereafter during lactation. Therefore, a first trial was conducted to determine the best route of administration, either directly to the piglets or indirectly through the sow diet, for these micro-nutrients. After this is completed, trials will be conducted over the next years to determine the impact of supplementing micro-nutrients on piglets’ health and performances. Station for exposing piglets to UV radiation, which was measured by placing a device next to the piglet. Source: Dairy and Swine Research and Development Centre, AAFC