Journal of Animal Science, Vol 71, Issue 8 1991-1995, Copyright © 1993 by American Society of Animal Science

JOURNAL ARTICLE

Effect of weight, split-weaning, and nursery feeding programs on performance responses of pigs to 105 kilograms body weight and subsequent effects on sow rebreeding interval

D. C. Mahan
Animal Science Department, Ohio State University, Columbus.

An experiment using a total of 288 crossbred pigs from sows of two parties (1 or 3) were used in a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement of treatments in a randomized complete block design conducted in 12 replicates to evaluate pig weight and split-weaning on performance response to 105 kg BW. Pigs were allotted to two weight groups (4.1 to 5.5 kg or 6.8 to 8.2 kg) at 23 d of age and weaned at two ages (23 or 30 d). The lightweight pigs weaned at 23 d were fed a high-nutrient-dense diet (HNDD) for a 2-wk period, whereas those weaned at 30 d were fed the HNDD for 1 wk. Both groups were fed a corn-soybean meal-dried whey (C-SBM-DW) and a C-SBM diet, each for a 2-wk period. The heavyweight group weaned at 23 d was fed the HNDD for 1 wk, followed by the C-SBM-DW and C-SBM diet, each for 2 wk, whereas those weaned at 30 d were fed the C-SBM-DW diet and the C-SBM diet, each for 2 wk. From 20 to 105 kg, pigs of all groups were fed C-SBM diets that met or exceeded nutrient requirements. Sows that lactated for the additional week had litters of four pigs and were allowed to consume a 15% CP lactation diet ad-libitum, whereas sows weaned at 23 d were fed 1.8 kg/d of a 14% CP diet.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J. Klindt Influence of litter size and creep feeding on preweaning gain and influence of preweaning growth on growth to slaughter in barrows J Anim Sci, October 1, 2003; 81(10): 2434 - 2439. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]