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Roughages in Swine Gestation Diets¹

University of Nebraska, North Platte Station, North Platte 69101

Abstract

Three experiments were conducted using 204 crossbred gilts to compare gestation diets containing 25, 33, 66 and 96.75% alfalfa hay, 66% prairie hay and 25% dehydrated alfalfa meal. In the first study, the diet devoid of alfalfa resulted in more pigs weaned per litter and greater litter weaning weights than did the diets containing 33% and 66% alfalfa hay. In the second study, the 33% alfalfa hay gestation diet produced fewer pigs weaned per litter and smaller litter weaning weights than did the 0% and 66% alfalfa hay and 66% prairie hay diets. In the third study, there were more pigs weaned from the 25% alfalfa hay diet than from either the 25% dehydrated alfalfa meal diet or the diet devoid of alfalfa. The pigs from the gilts fed the 25% dehydrated alfalfa meal in the third study were heavier at weaning than were those pigs resulting from either the 0% or 25% alfalfa hay diets. In all three studies, the gestation diet containing the highest level of alfalfa hay produced the greatest percentage of gilts farrowing in each study. As a consequence of the farrowing percentage increasing with the level of alfalfa in the diets, the highest total pig weight weaned per diet in each study occurred at the highest level of alfalfa hay. The results of these three studies would indicate that alfalfa hay could be economically efficacious when fed at high levels to gestating swine.

A fourth study involved 20 crossbred females fed a diet formulated with 96.75% alfalfa hay during their first three gestation periods. The farrowing percentages of the three generations were all approximately 95%. There were no significant differences between generations in the number of pigs weaned per litter and the litter weaning weights.

¹ Published as Paper No. 3794 Journal Series, Nebraska Agricultural Experiment Station.

² Animal Science Department.

³ Present address is Department of Animal Science, Washington State University, Pullman 99163.