Features of raising weaned piglets

The prerequisites for high growth rates, reproductive capacity and meat productivity of fattening pigs are created in the early period of their life. Savings on raising piglets result in an inevitable decrease in efficiency and deterioration in the economic indicators of the industry. The formation of an animal with high productivity and a strong constitution should be facilitated by a rational system of raising young animals, taking into account the biological characteristics of growth and development.

Weaning piglets is one of the stress factors, so maximum attention should be paid during this period. Growth intensity is restored by the 5th day, and cellular and humoral factors - by the end of the 1st month after weaning.

Only healthy piglets are weaned. Recently, nest weaning and rearing of piglets has proven its worth. This method makes it possible to avoid the influence of various stress factors. This method is common in industrial complexes of Siberia. In farms where piglets in nests are aligned in growth and development, they are taken from sows in groups of 10-12 in separate pens, where they are kept until they reach a weight of 105-115 kg. But in private farming, weaning by nest does not justify itself, since we wean piglets on the day of sale or on the day of transfer to fattening.

To reduce stressful situations in pigs, it is necessary to change the conditions of their housing. The basis for planning decisions for pigsties should be the technology of keeping pigs in permanent groups. In each such group, a stable “social hierarchy” is created within a few days.

When the composition of pigs in groups changes, a struggle begins to establish a new hierarchy. This leads to injuries and stress that negatively affect the growth of animals. (Starkov A., 2004)*

During the period of raising weaned piglets, the main task is to bring the live weight of the young animals to 40-45 kg by 4 months of age, if the piglets are intended for breeding purposes, and to 35-40 kg, if they are transferred for fattening.

It is believed that in pork production under normal conditions, 55% of all costs are spent on obtaining and raising piglets for fattening and only 45% is spent on fattening itself.

From 2 to 4 months of age, piglets experience intensive growth of bone and muscle tissue, enhanced development of the digestive organs, and high metabolic and energy intensity. In order to better use these features of the young body, piglets after weaning need to be fed until full, but to balance the diets in terms of energy substances, protein, minerals and vitamins, it is necessary to adhere to the existing approximate standards for the need for basic nutrients.

Features of feeding

Since after weaning, piglets are deprived of the immune bodies of milk and its nutrients, in the first period they feel hungry and, with free access to feed, eat much more than normal. Therefore, for the first eight days, piglets are fed dry food not ad libitum, but according to the norms accepted during this period. The first two days provide an average of 150 g of dry feed per piglet. The feed is sprinkled on a clean floor several times a day. Thanks to this, piglets eat food in small portions over a long period of time, without overloading the gastrointestinal tract.

From the third to the eighth days, the feed rate is gradually increased from 100 to 250 g per day per head, and to prevent gastrointestinal diseases, medications are introduced into its composition. On our farm, we use infusions and decoctions of medicinal herbs to prevent gastrointestinal diseases: horse sorrel (1 tsp seeds per glass of water), St. John's wort (1 tsp per 0.5 liters of water). Then add this decoction to the food while warm.

One of the reasons for the slowdown in growth and development, and often the death of piglets, is anemia (anemia) caused by a lack of iron. To prevent anemia in piglets at 2-3 days of age, we give an injection (intramuscular injection behind the ear) of 2 ml Ferrodex or one of the glandular preparations.

It is necessary to quickly notice hungry piglets and teach them where and how to find food. The main signs of hungry piglets: depressed appearance; skinny condition; retracted stomach; curly coat; weak appetite (the piglet does not approach the feeder).

A sign of dehydration is sunken eyes. Such piglets need to be given special attention. Piglets that are severely stunted are placed in sanitary pens with additional heating lamps, and milk is placed in feeders. Such piglets are considered to be culled, but with proper care and feeding they can be raised into an animal weighing 180 kg. In my experimental work I proved this.

The task of feeding piglets is to compensate for the milk deficiency with additional feed, since the need of piglets for food is not fully met by the milk production of sows, which most often begins to decrease after 3 weeks of lactation, as well as to ensure a smooth transition of piglets from mother's milk to solid feed with plant components, that is, in preparing their digestive tract for the digestion of dry food. You can start feeding milk from the second week of a piglet’s life. Previously, I think there is no need to do this, since if the piglet has not received maternal colostrum, then it is almost impossible to “exit” it. On our farm, there were cases of sows refusing to feed newborn piglets. Using the advice from the magazine “Homestead Farming”, my mother and I raised piglets (6 heads) up to 2 months of age. Despite all our efforts, the recommendations of the magazine and the advice of experienced pig breeders, the farrow died completely within one day. This was due to the lack of antibodies that the mother transmits during feeding.

During the first weeks of life, the digestive system of piglets adapts to the absorption (breakdown) of non-dairy sugars, starch, and proteins. This process leads to the formation of intestinal flora, which allows the adult animal to maximally absorb the nutrients of the feed. The presence of a mature digestive system in 2-month-old weaned piglets will help to avoid serious disorders associated with a sudden change in the type of feeding when they are weaned from the sow.

In practice, there are two methods of raising piglets: under a sow up to 2 months of age and under a sow up to 3-5 weeks of age, followed by transferring the piglets to feeding with special compound feed. In both cases, the key to successful rearing of piglets is good milk production of the uterus. On our farm, we adhere to the first recommendation - we leave piglets under the sow until they are 2 months old. Positive aspects of this method:

The piglet receives mother's milk, gets sick less, and learns to eat food better.

There is no need to feed pigs 3 times a day. (we feed the animals 2 times a day, excluding lunch feeding).

In the literature you can often find recommendations for feeding a piglet 4-6 times a day. I consider this unprofitable and impractical. The animal does not eat all the food; part of it turns sour in the trough, which causes digestive upset. Feeding should be given 4-5 times a day, in small portions. Remains of feed that are not eaten by piglets can be given to the sow, since feed that remains in the feeder for a long time absorbs toxic gases (ammonia) and enters into a chemical reaction, resulting in the formation of toxic substances. When piglets eat this food, they experience poisoning and diarrhea. The fresher the feed, the more willingly the piglets eat it.

We noticed that piglets very early develop a need for additional mineral nutrition, primarily calcium and iron. Therefore, we pour mineral fertilizer into a separate trough: chalk, red clay, hardwood charcoal. Piglets need drinking water, which must be changed at least 3 times a day. We also fill these needs with clean sawdust of coniferous wood, in which the piglets “bathe” and chew while looking at the sow.

The nutritional needs of piglets, as a rule, are satisfied up to 3 weeks of age through mother's milk, but this does not mean that piglets do not need to be accustomed to feeding during this period. The sooner the piglets start eating feed, the better prepared they will be for weaning, their digestive system will develop faster, and they will have a larger live weight at 2 months of age.

During this period, it is necessary to strive to create all the conditions for the piglet’s successful adaptation to the external environment. For this period, the feed should be of a higher quality and aimed at maximum absorption given the still undeveloped digestive system of piglets.

Increased consumption of feed by piglets leads to earlier development of their digestive tract. The earlier piglets are accustomed to dry food, the faster and more intense the process of restoration and increase in the length of the villi of the intestinal tract occurs after weaning. With this technology, the absorbent surface of the intestinal tract and the enzyme system are better formed in piglets, they use mother's milk and feed better, and therefore develop better. Animals that consumed nutrition at an earlier age better tolerate the transition from sow's milk to plant foods, promoting faster growth of piglets.

Weaned piglets are delivered for rearing with a live weight of 7.5-8.5 kg at one month of age. During the suckling period, their average daily increase in live weight is 215-230 g.

Feed for piglets should always be fresh and feeders clean. You need to be especially demanding about the freshness and purity of milk, since milk that has begun to sour causes diarrhea in piglets. Piglets tolerate fully fermented milk well.

When weaning piglets, it is very important to provide them with starter feeds that, in terms of the set of nutritional components, could well replace mother’s milk.

The average live weight of one piglet at 2 months of age should reach 14.0 - 16.2 kg. Reducing the suckling period even to 20-15 days with skillful rearing of piglets does not have a negative impact on their growth rate and safety in the first 2 months of their life.