Effects of level of feeding after mating on ‘fat’ and ‘thin’ sows

Author(s):  
N. Walker

Pregnant sows in poor body condition require a high feed intake to restore body fat reserves. However, a high intake in the period following conception may increase embryo losses. The first objective of this experiment was to determine whether a high feed allowance after conception has any effect on litter size compared with a normal allowance. The second objective was to investigate the effects of body condition at conception and feed rate in early pregnancy on the components of maternal gain.Multiparous cross-bred sows of Large White and Landrace lineage were classified subjectively at farrowing according to body condition as either fat (F) or thin (T). A single diet containing 12.5 MJ DE/kg and 150 g CP/kg was fed throughout the experiment. The fat sows were fed more generously than the thin sows during the 28 day lactation with mean intakes of 5.3 and 4.8 kg/day. This was to maintain the differential in body condition between the two groups. After weaning all sows were fed 3 kg per day until mating. Within the fat and thin groups sows were allocated at random to either 4 or 2 kg of feed per day for 30 days after mating.

2001 ◽  
Vol 44 (6) ◽  
pp. 639-648
Author(s):  
M. Wähner ◽  
H. Scholz ◽  
B. Kämmerer

Abstract. Title of the paper: Relationship between feed intake, side fat thickness and special parameters of rearing Performance of lactating sows A total of 106 Camborough sows were used to study the relationship between feed intake, side fat thickness at the end of pregnancy, their change during lactation and special parameters of rearing Performance. Sows with a high side fat thickness at the end of pregnancy realised a lower feed intake during lactation (r = −0.206*) but a higher loss of side fat thickness (r = −0.499**) than sows with worse body condition. High feed intake during lactation stimulates a high number of weaned piglets (r = 0.299*) and the weight of weaned litter (r = 0.321*). The amount of feed intake in first week of lactation is most important for it. Generally, sows with a high predisposition for mobilisation of body fat and high intake of food during lactation realised the significant highest rearing Performance (r = 0.436***).


2016 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 357-361
Author(s):  
J.O. Oyedeji ◽  
G.O. Imagbenikaro

The study examined the effect of cooling on the reproductive performance of gilts using 27 Large White Experimental Gilts on a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with 3 systems of cooling, namely Wallow Cooling (WC), Sprinkler Cooling (SC) and Zero Cooling (ZC). Gilts were weighed at the commencement of the experiment and thereafter fed ad libitum from service to farrowing. Feed intake till farrow, feed cost, gilt weight at farrow, date of farrow, litter size and weight were recorded. The feed/piglet weight, feed intake/litter, feed cost/litter and birth weight/piglet were derived. The results showed that feed intake per litter and feed per piglet weight were highest for gilts placed on WC(P< 0.05), followed by SC and least for sow placed on ZC; gilt weight before farrow was highest for sow placed on SC (69.78±0.92), followed by ZC (69.33±0.94) and least for gilts placed on WC (67.33±0.87); litter sizes of gilts placed under the WC and SC systems were similar (5.6±0.41) while that under the ZC system was comparatively smaller (5.4±0.40);while the date of farrow was lowest in the ZC system (113.8±0.32) followed by SC (114.0±0.33) and highest under the WC (114.1±0.33). However, the feed intake per litter, feed per piglet weight, litter sizes of gilts, birth weight per piglet of gilts and the average date of farrow among gilts placed on WC, SC and ZC were not statistically different at 5% level of significance. Though, there is no significant difference in the performance among gilts placed on WC, SC and ZC, temperature regulation through provision of efficient cooling system in piggery would help to increase litter size, improve feed intake per litter and reduce the average cost of feeding gilt per day in maximizing reproductive performances in pigs.Keywords: Cooling, gilts, service, farrow, piggery, litter size, piglet and birth weight


2019 ◽  
Vol 97 (Supplement_3) ◽  
pp. 387-388
Author(s):  
Yuanfei Zhou ◽  
Zuhong Liu ◽  
Jian Peng

Abstract This study investigated the effect of feed intake during late gestation on piglet birth weight and weaning weight of sows with the low backfat thickness (BF) at gestation 90 d. A total of 397 crossbred Landrance × Large White sows according to feed intakes were randomly allotted to three groups 2.8 kg/d (the energy requirement for sow maintenance), 3.6 kg/d and 4.0 kg/d from day 90 to day 110 of gestation. Sows were weighed and measured BF at 90 d and at 110 d of gestation and at weaning. Piglet performance at parturition and at weaning and wean-to-estrus of sows were recorded. Although sows had a tendency to increase BF at gestation 110 d (P = 0.09) and had more BF gain during late gestation with higher feed intake (P &lt; 0.01), there was no evidence for differences in piglet birth weight, within-litter birth weight variation and weak piglet rate, and the number of total born, born alive and stillborn. During lactation, sows fed with high feed intake in late gestation increased body weight loss (P &lt; 0.01). And no differences were observed in piglet performance at weaning and wean-to-estrus interval of sows. In conclusion, during late gestation, sows fed with feed intake more than energy requirement for maintenance had no effect on piglet birth weight or weaning weight.


1997 ◽  
Vol 48 (6) ◽  
pp. 743 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. M. McNeill ◽  
R. W. Kelly ◽  
I. H. Williams

The effect of ewe fatness on fetal weight at term was tested without the confounding effects of placental weight and feed intake. We hypothesised that fetal weights should be similar in fat or lean ewes with placentas of a similar size, and tested the hypothesis by manipulating nutrition so that, at mating, Merino ewes carrying a single fetus were in a medium (score 2·9, liveweight 46·6 kg) or lean (score 2·0, liveweight 40·6 kg) condition. They were maintained at this fatness difference until slaughter at Day 146 of pregnancy when fetal, placental, and maternal tissues were weighed and analysed for composition. Subgroups (n = 8 per fatness group) slaughtered at Day 110, a stage when most placental hypertrophy is complete but the majority of fetal hypertrophy is yet to occur, confirmed that the treatments differed in ewe fatness (3·82 v. 9·19 kg empty-body fat, s.e.m. = 0·960; P < 0·001) but not placental weight (487 v. 538 g, s.e.m. = 41·5, P > 0·05). By Day 146, fatness differences (4·77 v. 9·56 kg empty-body fat, s.e.m. = 0·960, P < 0·001) and placental similarities (434 v. 502 g, s.e.m. = 38·3, P > 0·05) were maintained, and both groups produced fetuses of similar size (4408 v. 4382 g, s.e.m. = 204·6, P > 0·05). However, the fetuses in the lean ewes had 20% less fat/kg fat-free body weight (24 v. 30 g/kg, s.e.m. = 1·3, P < 0·01). Fetal weight was correlated with placental weight (r = 0·70; P < 0·01) but not with ewe fatness. Fetal fatness, however, was correlated with ewe fatness (r = 0·69; P < 0·01). Ewe fatness per se did not influence fetal size but did influence the deposition of fat in the fetus, possibly via a greater ability of fatter ewes to partition more glucose toward their fetus.


1981 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 545-555 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. A. Dunnington ◽  
J. M. White ◽  
W. E. Vinson

Randomly bred ICR mice were selected for five generations for high and low serum cholesterol (SC), voluntary physical activity, 56-day body weight and feed intake. An unselected, randomly bred control line was maintained with each pair of selection lines. Significant increases in mature body weight occurred in males of high weight and high intake lines and in females of high SC, high weight and high intake lines. Significant decreases in mature body weights occurred in males of low weight line and in females of low SC and low weight lines. Both high and low selected SC lines had greater (P<0.05) activity scores and consumed more feed than the SC control. Mice selected for high activity consumed more (P<0.05) feed than mice selected for low activity. Mice selected for high 56-day body weight consumed more (P<0.05) feed and had higher SC than mice selected for low 56-day body weight. Mice selected for high feed intake were heavier (P<0.05) and more active (P<0.05) than low feed intake mice but had significantly lower SC levels.


2017 ◽  
Vol 57 (6) ◽  
pp. 1040
Author(s):  
W. H. E. J. van Wettere ◽  
M. Mitchell ◽  
D. K. Revell ◽  
P. E. Hughes

The effect of moderate restriction of pre- and peri-pubertal liveweight gain on puberty attainment and potential litter size was investigated. At 69 days of age, 48 Large White/Landrace crossbred gilts (28.3 ± 0.3 kg), were fed to attain a liveweight of 70 kg (LIGHT) or 100 kg (HEAVY) at 161 days of age (n = 24 gilts/treatment). At 161 days of age, half the gilts in each group were fed to gain liveweight at 0.5 (LOW) or 1.0 (HIGH) kg/day until puberty (n = 12 gilts/treatment). From 175 days of age, gilts received 20 min/day of full, physical boar contact. Gilts were artificially inseminated at the pubertal oestrus, with reproductive tracts collected 22 ± 0.1 days later, and the number of corpora lutea and viable embryos recorded. LIGHT-LOW gilts were older (P < 0.05) at puberty compared with LIGHT-HIGH, HEAVY-LOW and HEAVY-HIGH gilts; 207.7 ± 3.50 versus 191.7 ± 3.65, 193.1 ± 3.50 and 192.5 ± 3.65, respectively. Treatment (HIGH vs LOW) increased (P < 0.05) pubertal ovulation rate (15.2 ± 0.43 vs 13.1 ± 0.47), oestradiol at oestrus (13.4 ± 1.87 vs 9.1 ± 1.22 pg/mL) and progesterone 72 h post-oestrus (7.1 ± 0.48 vs 4.6 ± 0.50 ng/mL). Embryo number (10.8 ± 0.46) and survival (77.0 ± 3.21) were unaffected (P > 0.05) by treatment. To conclude, puberty was delayed by chronic, but not acute, dietary restriction. Although short-term, moderate increases in feed intake increased pubertal ovulation rates, embryo numbers and survival were unaffected.


2011 ◽  
Vol 89 (11) ◽  
pp. 3542-3550 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. L. Hoving ◽  
N. M. Soede ◽  
C. M. C. van der Peet-Schwering ◽  
E. A. M. Graat ◽  
H. Feitsma ◽  
...  

2010 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anitha Alapati ◽  
Sarjan Rao Kapa ◽  
Suresh Jeepalyam ◽  
Srinivasa Moorthy Patrapalle Rangappa ◽  
Kotilinga Reddy Yemireddy

Author(s):  
Anitha Alapati ◽  
Sarjan Rao Kapa ◽  
Suresh Jeepalyam

Background: Body condition score (BCS) system is a subjective method to assess the body fat reserves particularly over the bony prominences like back and pelvic region. It is based on evaluation of the outer appearance of the animal that interacts with its body fat reserves and therefore is directly influenced by energy balance. Studies on the relationship between BCS and postpartum performance were meager in buffaloes. Hence, the present work was carried out to study the relationship between BCS at calving and postpartum performance in Murrah buffaloes. Methods: The effect of body condition score at calving (BCSc) on the postpartum performance was studied in 24 Murrah buffaloes grouped based on BCS, maintained at Buffalo Research Station during 2018-19. Result: The study showed that buffaloes of BCSc above 3.5 with significantly (P less than 0.01) higher body weights showed better reproductive performance compared to buffaloes of BCSc groups below 3.5 with less body weights. The prepartum and weekly postpartum changes in BCS studied showed that the buffaloes gained a BCS of 0.57 from 3 months prepartum to one week prepartum, lost 0.17 BCS due to calving, further showed a decline in BCS up to 9 weeks of postpartum and then started regaining BCS gradually until 18 weeks postpartum. The mean LBCS over the period of 18 weeks postpartum was comparatively higher (0.75±0.05) than BCS restored in the early lactation which was shown as GBCS (0.34±0.02). Buffaloes of BCSc group 3.5-3.99 showed the best reproduction performance among the four BCSc groups with less postpartum estrus period (46.66 days), service period (58.83 days), number of service per conception (1.50) and high rate of 1st service conception (66.66%).


Animals ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 214 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manuel Ochoa Cordero ◽  
César A. Meza Herrera ◽  
Juan M. Vázquez García ◽  
Caroline A. Stewart ◽  
César A. Rosales Nieto ◽  
...  

Two experiments (Australia and Mexico) tested whether feed intake (FI) and wool production (WP) are affected by pregnancy (PRG), litter size (LZ), or lamb sex (LS) in Merino-type ewes. In Experiment-1, ewes were either not pregnant (NPR; n = 6), or carrying 1 (PR1; n = 7) or 3 (PR3; n = 11) fetuses, were studied in individual pens. NPR ewes had lower (p < 0.02) FI throughout PRG and lactation (LAC), except around lambing (p < 0.001). Following lambing, FI increased in PRG ewes (p < 0.001) to double the values in NPR ewes. PRG reduced WP (p < 0.001); in PR3, WP was lower than for both PR1 and NPR (p < 0.001). WP decreased during LAC and was lower in ewes rearing lambs than in NPR ewes (p < 0.001). Experiment-2 used 48 pregnant ewes (28 bearing singles and 20 bearing twins). Dam and lamb live weights (LW) and body condition (BC) were recorded from birth to weaning at 60 d, and dam fleece weight (DFW) was measured at weaning (12 months growth). WP was higher in ewes bearing and rearing single lambs than in ewes bearing twins (p < 0.001). DFW was positively (p < 0.01) related to LZ, dam LW, and BC, but not to changes in dam LW during LAC, or to lamb weight at birth or weaning, or LW gain, or LS. In conclusion, FI was affected during PRG and by LZ during LAC, whereas WP was influenced by LZ, but not LS, only during pregnancy.


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