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Effect of Longer Pre-Starter Diet Allowance on Post-Weaning Performance of Lightweight Piglets
(MDPI AG, 2024-12-01)
Francesc González-Solé
;
David Solà-Oriol
;
VILLAGOMEZ ESTRADA, SANDRA DANIELA
;
Ramon Muns
;
José Francisco Pérez
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.
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Specialized Feed-Additive Blends of Short- and Medium-Chain Fatty Acids Improve Sow and Pig Performance During Nursery and Post-Weaning Phase
(MDPI AG, 2024-12-20)
VILLAGOMEZ ESTRADA, SANDRA DANIELA
;
MELO DURÁN, DIEGO ALEXANDER
;
Sandra van Kuijk
;
José F. Pérez
;
David Solà-Oriol
The present study investigates the impact of supplementing diets with a synergistic blend of short- and medium-chain fatty acids (SCFAs-MCFAs) during the peripartum and lactation phases on early microbial colonization and the subsequent growth performance of newborn pigs. The experiment involved 72 sows and their litters, with a follow-up on 528 weaned pigs. Sows were fed either a control diet or a diet supplemented with SCFAs-MCFAs and the pigs were monitored for their growth performance and microbial populations. Subsequently, selected weaned pigs were allotted to an SCFAs-MCFAs diet according to the maternal diet. Results showed that SCFAs-MCFAs supplementation led to reduced backfat loss in sows and improved pig weight and uniformity at weaning (p < 0.05). Additionally, suckling pigs exhibited significant shifts in gut microbiota, including increased lactic acid bacteria and reduced Streptococcus suis populations (p < 0.05). Although there was no influence of maternal diet on pig growth after weaning, there was a modulation on bacterial populations at 7 and 35 days post-weaning. Pigs fed SCFAs-MCFAs demonstrated improved feed efficiency with notable reductions in E. coli and Streptococcus suis counts. The findings suggest that maternal dietary supplementation with SCFAs-MCFAs can positively influence both sow and pig performance, offering a potential strategy to enhance productivity and health in the commercial swine production.

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