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Pig genetics: peculiarities of feeding of gestating sows

Peter-Jan Maas, Independent feed advisor (Netherlands)

Pork production is becoming more and more efficient primarily thanks to genetic progress. From this article you’ll learn about the peculiarities of the most globally spread genetic types of pigs, and also the factors that influence the maximum fulfillment of their potential.

Nowadays there is an enormous amount of breeding companies all over the world. The most influential players on the world stage are PIC, Hypor, Topigs and DanAvl. But they are surely cought up by JSR i Hermitage. A little behind the local German and French companies are.

How to choose swine genetics?

All genetic types have their own advantages and disadvantage. They can differ by such measures:

  1. Productivity, number of total born/sow, number of piglets weaned/sow/year.
  2. Feed intake, capability in feed intake in lactation.
  3. Leanness of body, backfat building, relation on backfat and meat.
  4. Behavior characteristics (for example, PIC pigs are more aggressive than Hypor or Topigs. Danish sows are famous with their stubbornness).
  5. Efficiency (correlation of amount of feed /sow/year with produced piglet).

Feeding peculiarities

It’s difficult to compare how many feed and amino acids sows of different genetic types need although the companies have worked out feeding requirements. First of all it’s due to different systems of calculation. In Denmark, they count energy values with feed units that are measured in kilograms. In Holland and the USA the calculation of amount of feed is based on energy system which is measured in MJ ME /kg).

On the other hand, diets also differ. PIC is an American genetics and the requirements and research is done on corn based diets (up to 80% in a diet and also DDGS). In Denmark, the main ingredient of pig diets is wheat. Moreover, the feed manuals of these main genotypes except DanAvl make advices for high energy diets (USA) end low energy diets (EU).

Sows Drive the Farm!

What is a modern sow? It’s

  • large number of born alive;
  • high milk yield;
  • increasing weaning weight and number weaned;
  • increased numbers of litters per year due to shorter lactation length and faster return to pregnancy.

However, improper diet negatively impacts sow performance (a genetic type doesn’t matter):

Reduces longevity

  • Decreases resistance to disease
  • Fewer pigs per litter born and weaned
  • Lower piglet birth and weaning weights
  • Higher variation in piglet weight and growth potential
  • Poor rebreeding

Feeding of Gestating Sows

According to feed requirements, the gestating period can be divided into three phases: early (day 1 to 28), middle (day 29 to 84) and late (day 85 to 115).

1. What are the features of the world’s genetic companies? With what companies Ukrainian economy works?

2. In what types of genetic the production performance is better?

3. What features must sow have for cost-efficient economy?

4. What are the special components of feeding at all stages of gestation, lactation sows according to genotype?

A brief memo regarding feeding of sows of different genotype, see the full version e in the Profitable Pig Production magazine, № 6 (18) 2013.

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