Sow Fertility and Piglet Quality

Nutritional Opportunities and Consequences

Dr. Bill Close

Close Consultancy

BPEX Meetings

November – December 2014

Contents

• Components of litter size

• Litter size and piglet quality

• Nutritional influences :Transitional nutrition

• Importance of colostrum

• Strategies to improve colostrum intake

• Sow selection and piglet potential

• Conclusions

3

Danish production herds from 1992 to 2010

Vivi Aarestrup Moustsen, Flemming Thorup (DK)

Changes in sow productivity: Selected countries

Finished pigs/sow/year

Country Year

Change/year 2000 2005 2010 2013

Denmark 21.4 22.2 26.0 28.4 +0.54

Netherlands 19.1 20.0 25.7 26.0 +0.53

Germany 17.7 19.5 23.4 25.5 +0.60

France 20.2 22.4 24.1 25.1 +0.38

Ireland 17.8 19.7 19.6 25.9 +0.62

UK 18.7 18.6 21.6 24.8 +0.47

(BPEX, 2014)

Determinants of litter size

• The no. of oocytes shed at ovulation (100%)

• The no. of eggs that are fertilised (90%)

• The no. of fertilised eggs successfully implanted (65%)

• The no. of implanted eggs that survive to birth (60%)

Components of sow productivity

Ova produced (20)

Ova fertilised (18)

Embryos survived (13)

Piglets born alive / litter (12)

Piglets weaned / litter (11) Litters / sow / year (2.3)

Piglets weaned / sow / year (25)

Components of litter size in pigs

Insulin

Progesterone

LH / FSH Ovulation rate

Fertilisation rate

Embryo survival

Uterine capacity

Litter size

USPs

Nutritional Strategies

How much does the lactating sow need to eat?

200 kg sow; 25-day lactation; 10 - 15 kg weight loss

Litter size 10 12 14

Weaning weight (kg) 8.0 7.4 6.8

Piglet growth rate (g/d) 250 235 220

Maintenance (MJ/d) 25.0 25.0 25.0

Milk production (MJ/d) 70.0 79.0 86.2

Total (MJ/d) 95.0 104.0 111.2

Body reserves (MJ/d) 6.0 8.0 10.0

Total requirements (MJ/d) 89.0 96.0 101.2

Feed (kg/d) 6.6 7.1 7.6

Feed intake of the sow during lactation

200 kg sow at farrowing: 10-20 kg weight loss during lactation

Litter size: 10 piglets Piglet weight at 21 days: 7 kg

Litter size: 14 piglets Piglet weight at 21 days: 6 kg

14 piglets

Lactation weight loss to be <7% of body weight

13

Priorities for feeding the sow in gestation

2.0

2.1

2.2

2.3

2.4

2.5

2.6

2.7

2.8

2.9

3.0

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16

Feed r

equirem

ent

(kg/d

)

Gestation (weeks)

Diet 2 (optional) Diet 1

Maximum survival of quality

embryos

Muscle fibre development Sow weight/condition, gain

Foetal/mammary development

Foetal growth Mammary growth

Sow body condition

* Sow in ideal body condition (score 3.0-3.5) during gestation

Nutritional opportunities

Post weaning and post mating

Late gestation and prior to farrowing

Transitional / Programmed Nutrition

Transitional strategies

post weaning / post mating

• Increased feed / Nutrient intake

• Starch / Sugars

• Fermentable Fibres

• Amino Acids (L-arginine, glutamine)

• Acids

• Anti-oxidants

• Minerals (Se, Fe, Cu, Mn)

• Vitamins (A, C, E, B, Folic acid)

Effect of sugars on sow reproduction

Sows received 150 g dextrose + 150 g lactose after weaning

Control Dextrose+Lactose Significance

Litter size 14.09 14.40 NS

Birth weight (kg) 1.46 1.55 p 0.05

CV Birth weight (%) 23.7 20.5 p 0.04

Total mortality (%) 20.4 17.2 p 0.09

Van der Brand et al. 2009

High fibre and embryo survival

Control High fibre P

No. of corpora lutea 16.9 16.7 NS

No. of viable foetuses 12.4 14.7 NS

Embryo survival (%) 73.2 91.2 0.02

Oocytes details:

Metaphase I (%) 25.2 20.1 NS

Metaphase II (%) 65.7 75.7 0.006

Ferguson et al. 2010

End result – Thin sows

Feeding strategy in early gestation

Previous lactation

Body weight loss (kg) 21.7

Body weight loss (%) 10.4

P2 loss (mm) 3.0

Feeding post mating (d3 – 32)

Feed (kg/d) 2.5 3.25

Farrowing rate (%) 89.8 76.6

No. of piglets born 13.2 15.2

No. of piglets born alive 12.6 14.4

Av. birth weight (kg) 1.45 1.42

Mortality (d 1-31) (%) 8.7 10.3

(Hoving et al. 2011)

Suggested feed in gestation

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

0 7 14 21 28 35 42 49 56 63 70 77 84 91 98 105 112

Feed (kg/d)

Stage of gestation (days)

2.4 kg

Transitional strategies

Pre-farrowing/Lactation

• Amino acids

• Ca, P

• Electrolytes

• Energy sources

• Fibre

• Omega-3 fatty acids (EPA,DHA)

• L-carnitine

• Betaine

Effects of sugarbeet (SBP) on sow reproduction

Control SBP

Piglets born 11.41 12.37

Piglets born alive 10.85 11.47

Ferguson et al. 2004

Day 11 of lactation (20%); Wean – Oestrus (40%)

Effect of L-Carnitine on sow productivity

Diets: Control; Carnitine 125 and 250 mg/d

Diet Control +Carnitine P value

Born alive 11.3 11.5 ns

Weaned 9.0 9.4 0.06

Birth weight (kg) 1.45 1.53 0.03

Weaning weight (kg) 7.55 7.98 0.01

(Eder et al. 2010)

Effect of Omega-3 fatty acids on litter size

-0.2

0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1

1.2

1.4

1 2 3 4 5

Dif

fere

nce i

n p

igle

ts/lit

ter

Study

Live born

Weaned

Effect of N-3 fatty acid on sow productivity

Control N-3

Total born 10.9 11.2

Born alive 10.1 10.4

Wean-oestrus (d) 7.8 6.3

Subsequent parity

Farrowing rate (%) 72.1 73.8

Total born 9.7 10.7

Born alive 9.3 10.3

3 kg salmon oil/T of feed:

diets fed 8 days pre-farrowing to weaning at 19 days

(Smits et al, 2011)

Not just NUMBERS

QUALITY is also important

Litter size and birth weight

Beaulieu et al. (2010)

Consequences of more piglets / litter

• Reduced birth weight

• Higher stillbirth rate

• Higher pre-weaning mortality

• Greater variation

• Reduced colostrum intake

• Reduced immunity

• Reduced growth and weaning weight

• More days to slaughter

Low litter birth weight due to:

1. High ovulation rates (>25 ovulations)

2. Intrauterine Crowding (IUC) in early gestation

3. Limited placental development from D30 of gestation onwards

4. Measurable effects on fetal development by D50 of gestation onwards

(After Foxcroft, 2013)

Good health and immunity begin at birth

Importance of colostrum

Importance of colostrum:

• During the first postnatal day, energy reserves provide some 35-40 % of the total energy required by the piglet to survive

• Glycogen reserves sufficient for first 12 – 16 h

• The piglet must consume 150 to 170g colostrum / kg birth weight (220 to 250g for a 1.4 kg piglet) to meet energy needs

• Source of immunoglobulins and growth factors

Colostrum

Important source of:

– Energy

– Amino Acids

– Trace minerals (Cu, Fe, Zn, Se)

– Vitamins (A,D,E, B12 etc.)

– Immunoglobulins

– Functional peptides

– Stimulates gut function

– Hormones (growth factors)

Colostrum production and litter size

(Quesnel, 2011)

1 -Birth-weight 30g / 100g increase in birth-weight

2 -Birth hypoxia delayed 1st suckling and

reduced colostrum intake

3 -Cold stress delayed 1st suckling and reduced

colostrum intake

4 -Birth order later born, lower consumption

5 -Litter size -45g / additional pig born (litter size

ranging from 10 to 16 piglets)

Factors influencing colostrum consumption of piglets

Ig concentration of colostrum

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

0 12 24 36 48 60 72

Ig (

mg

/ml)

Stage of lactation (hours)

IgG

IgA

IgM

Klobasa et al., 1987

Growth hormones in colostrum and milk

Colostrum Milk

Insulin (ng/ml) 18 2.4

IGF-I (ng/ml) 301 10

IGF-II (ng/ml) 291 15

EGF (ng/ml) 1572 190

TGF ß (ng/ml) 190 ND

(Various sources: Zu, 2003)

Ways to increase colostrum quality and quantity

• Increase feeding level in late gestation

• Provide omega-3 fatty acids: fish oil/algae

• Soluble fibres in diets: SBP, Pectins etc.

• Fermentable products

• Fatty acids, CLA, HMB etc

• MOS/Yeast products

• Management techniques/Interventions

Effect of MOS on sow productivity

1 kg/Ton in gestation and lactation

France Canada P

Control MOS Control MOS

Birth weight (kg) 1.37 1.41 1.45 1.45

Growth rate (0-24 h) 83 123 138 164 0.02

Colostrum (g/piglet) 304 362 364 385 0.04

Pre-wean mortality (%) 13.9 8.4 11.4 8.1 0.02

Litter weaning weight (kg) 58.2 61.6 71.6 79.3 0.02

(Le Dividich, 2009)

Effect of dietary crude fibre on colostrum production

Crude fibre (%) 3.3 7.9 P values

NDF (%) 13.1 20.3

Colostrum production (l/24 h) 3.9 3.8 0.75

Birth - Suckling time (min) 29 25 0.29

Mortality 0-24 h (%) 8.5 6.9 0.54

(Loisel et al, 2013)

Dietary fibre and low birthweight piglets (<900g)

0

50

100

150

200

250

Colostrum intake

g/day Control High fibre

20

25

30

35

40

45

Time: Birth --> 1st Suckling

Min. Control High Fibre

(Loisel et al, 2013)

Take Home Message

• The first born pigs have ready access to colostrum and milk

• The last born pigs must compete with the fortunate first born piglets

• We must intervene to manage this process through split-suckling and other management techniques, insuring all pigs have adequate colostrum

• The first 48 hours is where effort should be placed

Selection criteria and piglet potential

Sows need to have sufficient body reserves to ensure

a long and productive breeding life: >5 parities

• 1st Mating at: 220 – 240 days of age

130 – 150 kg

16 – 18 mm P2

Serve at 3rd Oestrus

Cull animals not mated by 9 months of age

Good body condition (score >3.0)

Good legs

Select for 14 - 16 teats

Selection criteria for reproductive potential

Gilts / Pregnancy

Selection criteria for reproductive potential

Lactation / Post-weaning

• Body weight pre-farrow: 200 – 220 kg; Condition Score: 3.5

• Piglet weight at: Birth (1.4 kg) 24 hours (1.6 kg); Weaning (8.5kg)

= Colostrum and Milk production!

• Time to 1st Suckling: <30 mins = Vigour and Vitality

• Percentage of piglets alive at 5 days: >90%

• Optimise feed intake in lactation: >6 – 8 kg/day

• Provide creep diet: >300 g/piglet by day 28

• Lactation weight loss: <7% of body weight

• Maintain good sow body condition: >2.5

• Wean – mating interval 5-7 days

>7 days = reduced performance

Take-home message

New developments in sow feeding programmes, on

colostrum management, as well as on-farm practices and

accurate recording of key production traits will ensure that

sows will wean 30 quality piglets per year and that growth

rate to slaughter is increased by at least 50 g/day.

Are you ready for the challenge?

Take-home message

THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR IN REPRODUCTION is

MANAGEMENT

IT IS UP TO YOU!!!

Are you ready for the challenge?

51

I‘m Ready for the

challenge!!

ARE YOU??

Thank you.