Weaning piglets. Husbandry and management practices at weaning by Grupo Asís

Presentation brochure Emilio Magallón Botaya (Coordinator)

Husbandry and management practices. Weaning

Servet (División de Grupo Asís Biomedia S.L.) Centro Empresarial El Trovador, planta 8, oficina I Plaza Antonio Beltrán Martínez, 1 • 50002 Zaragoza (España) Tel.: +34 976 461 480 • Fax: +34 976 423 000 • www.grupoasis.com

Husbandry and management practices at weaning

Weaning piglets Emilio Magallón Botaya (coordinator) Alberto García Flores Roberto Bautista Moreno Boris Alonso Sánchez José Ignacio Cano Latorre Silvia Almenara Díaz Patricia Prieto Martínez Pablo Magallón Verde Eva Ortiz Tomás

piglets

The publishing strength of Grupo AsĂs Editorial Servet, a division of Grupo AsĂs, has become one of the reference publishing companies in the veterinary sector worldwide. More than 15 years of experience in the publishing of contents about veterinary medicine guarantees the quality of its work. With a wide national and international distribution, the books in its catalogue are present in many different countries and have been translated into nine languages to date: English, French, Portuguese, German, Italian, Turkish, Japanese, Russian and Chinese. Its identifying characteristic is a large multidisciplinary team formed by doctors and graduates in Veterinary Medicine and Fine Arts, and specialised designers with a great knowledge of the sector in which they work. Every book is subject to thorough technical and linguistic reviews and analyses, which allow the creation of works with a unique design and excellent contents. Servet works with the most renowned national and international authors to include the topics most demanded by veterinary surgeons in its catalogue. In addition to its own works, Servet also prepares books for companies and the main multinational companies in the sector are among its clients.

Emilio Magallón Botaya (Coordinator)

Husbandry and management practices at weaning

Weaning piglets

Husbandry and management practices. Weaning

Husbandry and management practices at weaning Weaning piglets

Emilio Magallón Botaya (coordinator) Alberto García Flores Roberto Bautista Moreno Boris Alonso Sánchez José Ignacio Cano Latorre Silvia Almenara Díaz Patricia Prieto Martínez Pablo Magallón Verde Eva Ortiz Tomás

piglets

Authors: Emilio Magallón (coordinator), Alberto

García, Roberto Bautista, Boris Alonso, José Ignacio Cano, Silvia Almenara, Patricia Prieto, Pablo Magallón, Eva Ortiz.

Format: 17 x 24 cm. Number of pages: 192. Binding: hardcover.

Estimated

RETAIL PRICE

60 €

Weaning piglets is the new book by E. Magallón and collaborators, all professionals of the industry who are very involved in the daily work on sow farms. After writing about management practices in farrowing units during farrowing and lactation, he now focuses on the management of the weaning period. The book addresses the basic aspects of this phase and the essential practices to reach an optimal production: from the physiological aspects of weaning, to the different management systems, their advantages and disadvantages, the most appropriate facilities design and animal health control. As for the previous volumes, the authors have carefully elaborated this book so that, despite its technical contents – which are based on rigorous scientific research –, it is pleasant to read and with a language simple enough to facilitate the reader’s understanding of the different concepts.

Presentation of the book Pig farms have undergone great changes over the past few years: increased average size of the animals, introduction of new more prolific genetic lines, improved health control, increased productivity, better-qualified professionals, changes in feeding management, improved facilities, farm automation and increasing use of computers. All these changes have increased both sow farm productivity and the farm workersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; professionalism significantly. These spectacular increases in productivity mean that sows farrow many more piglets, but with a lower birth weight, which therefore requires new husbandry practices and management systems in all the areas of production, especially at weaning, as well as improved facilities and feeding practices. On pig operations using the three-phase system, phase 2, or postweaning period, is critical to obtain piglets with a good weight and high health status, which can develop their growth potential during the growing phase. In addition to the traditional transition phase in closed cycles, new models of farms specialised in this phase have appeared: isowean farms (farms specialised in weaning and isolated from sow and fattening farms) and wean-to-finish farms (farms specialised in rearing phase 2 and 3 pigs), where recently weaned piglets are fattened on the same site until they are sent to slaughter. With this work, we will try to provide updated information on postweaning management on farms with a traditional transition system as well as on those using isowean, weanto-finish and other systems. We will start with a review of the technical and physiological aspects of weaning in piglets, nutritional concepts and management at weaning. We will also describe the different post-weaning facilities and their design and address topics such as environmental control, health control programmes and personnel management. We believe that such a book was necessary to gather the most innovative methods to manage the postweaning period, and show them in a pleasant and simple manner to facilitate their understanding. This is why we have used numerous images, graphs and diagrams. However, we are aware that this is a technical book and we have therefore tried to provide the most rigorous scientific information, supported by an extensive bibliography and our own experience. This book is intended for a very heterogeneous audience, from veterinary professionals to students, farm managers and workers, and, of course, any veterinary professional or livestock farmer who would like to know about the latest innovations in postweaning management on swine farms in a simple and direct manner. To conclude, it is important to highlight that this book is the third volume of a collection on husbandry and management practices on swine farms, after a first volume on farrowing and a second on lactation.

Husbandry and management practices at weaning. Weaning piglets

Authors Emilio Magallón Botaya Emilio Magallón Botaya graduated in Veterinary Medicine from the University of Zaragoza in 1978, with a specialisation in Animal Production and Agricultural Economics. He is Associate Professor of Swine Production at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the University of Zaragoza and has participated in the Master’s degree programme on Animal Health and Production organised by the universities of Zaragoza, Lleida, Barcelona and Madrid. He has participated in several research projects related to the swine industry and is currently codirector of a project on genetic improvement in swine funded by the Centro para el Desarrollo Tecnológico Industrial (CDTI, centre for industrial technological development) and developed together with the area of animal production of the IRTA research institute. Emilio Magallón has published numerous articles on the Spanish swine sector and has participated in many talks and round table discussions throughout Spain.

Alberto García Flores Alberto García Flores graduated in Veterinary Medicine from the University of Zaragoza in 2000, with a specialisation in Animal Health and Medicine. He has been working for the pork production division of a multinational company for more than ten years, and is in charge of veterinary tasks related to production, nutrition, disease diagnosis and treatment and farm management.

Roberto Bautista Moreno Roberto Bautista Moreno graduated in Veterinary Medicine from the University of Zaragoza in 1990, with a specialisation in Animal Health and Medicine. He has been working in integrated farming since 1997. He initially worked as a veterinary practictioner in the beef industry for a company located in the Spanish regions of Aragon and Navarre, but then went on to work as a vet for a national company of the swine industry, where he has now been in charge of the technical, economic and clinical management of sow and fattening farms for more than 12 years.

Boris Alonso Sánchez Boris Alonson Sánchez graduated in Veterinary Medicine from the University of Zaragoza in 1998, with a specialisation in Animal Production and Agricultural Economics. He started his professional career as a technical sales representative for several companies in 1999. From 2001 to 2007, he was responsible for the management of pig fattening and sow farms and since 2007 he has been working for the Technical Veterinary Service of Inga Food, S.A., in the region of Aragon. He has participated in numerous seminars and training sessions on swine production.

José Ignacio Cano Latorre José Ignacio Cano Latorre graduated in Veterinary Medicine from the University of Zaragoza in 1990, with a specialisation in Animal Production and Agricultural Economics. He holds the official certificate in cooperative company management approved by the Spanish Ministry of Labour (1989-1990). In 1991, he took an advanced course on domestic animal nutrition organised by the INRA in Paris, France. Since 1992 he has been working as a veterinary practitioner for the swine technical service of a company leader in the animal feed industry, and has carried out and implemented artificial insemination on the company’s farms. He specialises in the technical and financial management of breeding, fattening and weaning farms. Since 2008, he has served as the team leader of the same company and collaborated with its R&D centre. José Ignacio Cano has collaborated in several national publications and has attended and participated in numerous seminars and national and international conferences in Spain and in different countries of great relevance in the swine industry.

Silvia Almenara Díaz

hkeita/shutterstock.com

Silvia Almenara Díaz graduated in Veterinary Medicine from the University of Zaragoza in 2006, with a specialisation in Animal Production and Agricultural Economics. Her final project towards her Master’s degree in Swine Production and Health, organised in partnership by the universities of Zaragoza, Barcelona and Lérida, won a prize awarded by the Association of Swine Veterinary Practitioners of Aragon. She has done internships in different companies in the sector and she has been working since 2008 for an important animal pork production company in the area of Zaragoza. Silvia Almenara has participated in various conferences and training sessions on swine production and health.

Husbandry and management practices at weaning. Weaning piglets

Patricia Prieto Martínez Patricia Prieto Martínez graduated in Veterinary Medicine from the University of Zaragoza in 2006, with a specialisation in Animal Production and Agricultural Economics. She completed her training with practical work experience in different areas of production at the schools of veterinary medicine of the universities of Lisbon and Costa Rica. In 2007, she took a Master’s degree in Animal Production and Health organised in partnership by the universities of Zaragoza, Barcelona and Lérida. Patricia Prieto began her career in 2008 at the veterinary technical service of one of the most important companies in the swine industry, where she manages several sow and fattening farms. She has participated in numerous seminars and training sessions on swine production.

Pablo Magallón Verde Pablo Magallón Verde graduated in Veterinary Medicine from the University of Zaragoza in 2012. He has done internships at the swine production company Inga Food, S.A., and has taken courses on Swine Production Medicine Clinical Rotation and Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine at the Iowa State University (USA). He has completed a Master’s degree programme in Swine Health and Production organised in partnership by the universities of Zaragoza, Barcelona Lérida and Madrid.

Eva Ortiz Tomás Eva Ortiz Tomás graduated in Veterinary Medicine from the University of Zaragoza in 1993, with a specialisation in Animal Production. She then obtained a specialisation in Clinical Medicine and Pathology in Turin (Italy) through the ERASMUS programme. She combined her studies with her work as a veterinary assistant for production animals in the region of Piamonte, thanks to a COMETT grant for the cooperation between universities and industry. She has worked as a swine veterinary practitioner at NANTA S.A. since 1998 and completed a specialisation course in pig production at the Complutense University of Madrid in 2000. Her work currently focuses on the phases of piglet production; she is in charge of new product sales and marketing, and coordinates and monitors experimental and field trials. In May 2013, she completed in Eindhoven (Netherlands) the first specialisation course in piglet production organised by Nutreco.

Communication services Website Online visualisation of the sample chapter. Presentation brochure in PDF format. AuthorÂ´s CV. Sample chapter compatible with iPad.

www.grupoasis.com/promo/management_weaning

Emilio Magallón Botaya (Coordinator)

Husbandry and management practices at weaning

Weaning piglets

Husbandry and management practices. Weaning

piglets

Table of contents Introduction 1. Technical and physiological aspects of weaning Introduction Stress at weaning Sociabilisation: play and hierarchies Changes in the digestive tract Technical curves

2. Management of weaned piglets Introduction Transport Preparation of the units Cleaning, disinfection and drying All-in, all-out system Inspection of the material and environment

Initiating feed intake Group sizes Densities Selection Males and females: together or separate?

3. Different management systems Introduction Traditional transition

Isowean system - production in phases. Isowean principle Multiorigin Multiage

Wean-to-finish system Advantages and disadvantages of each system

4. Facilities. Designs Transition concept (1/3 Feeding, 1/3Â Resting y 1/3 Eating) Traditional weaning Early-weaning unit. Outdoor weaning Isowean farms Wean-to-finish farms Equipment Heating pads Drinking troughs Feeding troughs Toys

5. Environmental control Introduction Temperature Temperature curve according to age

Humidity Humidity curve according to age

Animal welfare European law The five freedoms of animal welfare

6. Feeding

Prevention and control measures Vaccines

Introduction

Antiparasitic treatments

Feeding problems at weaning

Most common drugs

Nutritional key points and concepts Piglet latency and growth period in the first weeks post weaning

Use of zinc

8. Personnel

The importance of water at weaning

Ratios of workers per place and type of weaning

Feeding programmes

Personnel training for weaning

7. Health control Introduction Diarrhoea Nutrition- and management-related conditions (cold,...)

Oedema Streptococcal infections Epidermitis Salt poisoning Glässer’s disease Porcine pleuropneumonia Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome Circovirus New syndromes at weaning Health strategies

Job description Daily routines. Occasional and seasonal tasks Arrivals Weaning week Moving the animals out Transport preparation

Specific tasks Cleaning and disinfection Health management. Treatment of sick animals Environmental control: temperature, humidity,… Water and feed intake monitoring

9. Conclusions Bibliography

Feeding

Feed intake in the farrowing unit The true benefit of creep feed (Figs. 6 and 7) is that it is directly associated with an improved intake and growth rate immediately after weaning. Piglets start eating earlier and their growth rate during the first week is increased by 38Â % (Bruggeman, 2010). This occurs because creep feed helps piglets adapt more easily to weaning. Piglets get used to eating solid food earlier; in addition, the consumption of creep feed stimulates the production in the digestive tract of enzymes that act on other nutrients different from those in milk. With this pre-weaning adaptation of their intestinal physiology, piglets can digest carbohydrates and proteins better and the risk of them suffering from diarrhoea at weaning is reduced. In 2010, Sulabo et al. observed that 40Â % of piglets never ate feed in the farrowing unit. The feed intake only corresponded to the other 60Â % of piglets. This fact suggests that some piglets can eat more due to a more mature gastrointestinal tract, which allows them to use the nutrients from the feed at earlier ages. These researchers discovered that the longer the period during which feed was offered (13 days against 2 days), the more piglets ate it.

Husbandry and management practices. Weaning piglets

Figure 6

Piglets â&#x20AC;&#x153;exploringâ&#x20AC;? the feed in the farrowing unit.

Figure 7

Piglets recognise the feed and the pan feeder at weaning. Courtesy of Nutreco, R&D.

In 2002, Bruininx and his team monitored piglets and observed their behaviour in the farrowing unit (intake or no intake of creep feed) and during the postweaning period (Table 3). The researchers concluded that the piglets that had eaten feed in the farrowing unit required much less time to start eating after weaning, and also had a higher feed intake and average daily gain, as well as a better feed conversion rate during the five weeks post weaning. Food neophobia (refusal to eat unfamiliar foods) plays an important role in the weaning period, and it is therefore necessary to teach piglets to eat a transition diet before the start of the phase and offer preweaning and postweaning diets of a similar palatability.

Table 3.

Performance improvements in piglets that have eaten feed in the farrowing unit compared with those that have not. From Bruininx et al. 2002. Feed intake

adg

Feed conversion rate

improvement 1st week

41 %

56 %

10 %

improvement 5 weeks

12 %

17 %

6. Feeding

Without creep feeding

With creep feeding

100

successful visits (%)

90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 0

Hours post weaning Figure 8

Visits made by piglets to the feeding station with and without creep feeding during the lactation period. Adapted from Van Kempen, T. Piglets at the feeding station. Courtesy of Nutreco, R&D, 2014.

Some research works have assessed the feeding behaviour of piglets that had previously been given creep feed in comparison with those that had not (Fig. 8). The results showed that those that had eaten this type of feed made twice more effective visits to the feeding station on the first day after weaning. At weaning, piglets should be given the same ration as in the farrowing unit. The type of feed should never be changed at weaning. If piglets are weaned late (28Â days), they should be given prestarter feed during the last week of lactation. Figure 9 shows how long piglets take to start eating at weaning depending on when the feed type is changed, at 13 days of age or at weaning. In the latter case, 6-7Â % of piglets only start eating after two days.

Feeding piglets before weaning with a high-quality feed facilitates the transition period and reduces the risk of health complications. The feed given before and after weaning should be the same.

Husbandry and management practices. Weaning piglets

piglets with an empty stomach (% of the total)

100 90 80

change of type of feed at weaning

change of type of feed before weaning

(13 days of age)

50 40 30 20 10 0 0

Post weaning Figure 9

100

110

postweaning interval (h)

Time elapsed until piglets eat after weaning. The graph shows the percentage of fasting piglets. Adapted from Bruininx et al. 2002.

Feeding The feed should essentially be provided using pan feeders or hopper feeders in the following way: â&#x20AC;˘ Hopper feeders: provide the approximate amount of feed that the piglets are going to eat in a day, but do not divide it into meals. â&#x20AC;˘ Feeder pans: feed 3-4 times a day but in small amounts. The design of the hoppers should allow a correct flow of feed and prevent it from falling in large amounts. If the trough is filled in excess, the feed becomes humid and ferments. In these cases, the piglets try to get to the fresh feed and waste it. Hopper feeders with side drinkers or traditional hopper feeders with dividers can be used (Figs. 10 and 11). Feed should be given frequently and in small amounts, so that it does not lose its flavour and freshness. In addition, it is important to draw the pigletâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s attention and stimulate its curiosity (Figs. 12 and 13).

6. Feeding

Figure 10

Hopper feeder with side drinkers.

Figure 11

Hopper feeder with dividers.

Figures 12 and 13

Feed is given in small amounts but frequently. Figure 13 courtesy of Nutreco, R&D.

The imitation behaviour of piglets encourages them to eat in group, in the same way as they did in the farrowing unit, and facilitates their adaptation to the new dry feeding system. Accessory hopper feeders, pan feeders or a long feed trough with dividers should therefore be used â&#x20AC;&#x201C; for instance, one per ten piglets â&#x20AC;&#x201C; in the first few days after weaning. This way, feed consumption is encouraged in the first hours after weaning as all the piglets can eat at the same time (Figs. 14 and 15). Another alternative is to place rubber mats or trays with feed on them next to the trough to stimulate their feed intake even more (Fig. 16).

Husbandry and management practices. Weaning piglets

Figures 14 and 15

The feed should be given in accessory hopper feeders, pan feeders or a long feed trough with dividers to encourage feed consumption in group in the first few days after weaning.

The feeder space requirement per piglet increases from 4 to 7Â cm during these first few days. After seven days, these accessory feeders are removed, except in the area for the smallest piglets, where it is necessary to keep encouraging the intake of feed. A good practice is to use the accessory feeders to give a different feed from that in the hopper feeders (for three or four days) when changing the feed type. This way, the piglet can choose and the change is less sudden. Changes of feed should be gradual so the animals do not suffer from any type of stress caused by the change that may trigger an enteric problem. Changes should always be smooth (75:25, 50:50, 25:75) and done taking into account the pigletsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; weight more than their age. Figure 16

Mat with feed on it and a long trough to encourage the intake of feed during the first days post weaning.

6. Feeding

Porridge Piglets under 28 days of age should be given porridge for three or four days after weaning, as on many occasions the largest piglets are those that have eaten less feed in the farrowing unit (they got the best teat). Piglets get used to porridge quicker as they continue with a liquid diet and can eat and drink at the same time. The results achieved are even better when, in addition to being fed at weaning, porridge is also fed three or four days before weaning (Figs. 17 and 18). This procedure is particularly interesting in piglets that have been weaned early (which are perfectly identified with ear tags of a different colour, according to the week, and separated from the others). In order for piglets to get used to eating dry feed, the pan should be cleaned between two porridge meals so the same feed in its dry form can be given.

Porridge should be liquid and warm, like milk, asÂ this will achieve a faster adaptation to feed.

Figure 17

Porridge feeding in the farrowing unit prior to weaning.

Figure 18

Porridge feeding once the piglets have been weaned.

Husbandry and management practices. Weaning piglets

Table 4

Recommendations for porridge feeding.

Water temperature

40-45 °C

duration

2-3 days up to a week (lightest and youngest piglets)

Frequency

2-3 times/day

amount

50 g/piglet/meal

density

1:4 at the beginning (more liquid) and 1:2 at the end (more dense)

cleanliness

Remove the remaining porridge after 30-45 min.

Key aspects of feeding in the first week post weaning.

• Feeding form (fresh feed, small amount and frequently).

• Extra feeder space (pans or long troughs with 7 cm per piglet).

• Preparation of porridge.

Feed characteristics presentation In general, it is always advisable to use pelleted feed, as it increases the average daily intake (ADI), average daily gain (ADG) and feed conversion rate (FCR). The use of mash feed is only recommended in cases of severe digestive disorders. The advantages of using pelleted feed are: • Improved FCR by 5-10 % (improved digestibility due to the heat treatment and less wastage). • Feed in better condition (due to the heat treatment). • Prevents its components from being separated. According to the research studies of Paredes and collaborators (2010, nonpublished), feeding crumbles results in lower intakes, fewer visits to the trough and a lower feed conversion rate than pellets.

6. Feeding

particle size Thick grinding increases the retention time of the feed and therefore promotes the growth of lactic acid bacteria in the stomach. These increase the production of lactic acid and other organic acids, which leads to a reduction of the pH and limits the proliferation of enterobacteria. Thin grinding, between 2 and 2.5 mm, improves feed digestibility and thus the piglets’ growth and conversion rate, but is detrimental to their intestinal health.

pellet size In general, a diameter greater than 2.5 mm reduces the intake of prestarter feed, while for starter feed there is no difference with diameters greater than 3-4 mm.

pellet hardness Feed intake is reduced if the pellets are excessively hard.

Pelleted feed leads to a better FCR as there is less wastage and digestibility is higher. Thick grinding improves intestinal health but decreases feed digestibility.

Imprinting Imprinting or “flavour learning” is based on the fact that foetuses and newborn piglets can taste the dominant flavours in the diet through their mother or their milk before eating solid food. To do so, a specific flavour is included in the sows’ diet 14 days before the expected date of farrowing. During lactation, this flavour is passed to the milk. The same flavour is added to the feed; this way, the piglets recognise the flavour and start eating the feed earlier and in a larger amount. Campell and King in the eighties, and later Nutreco in 1999, demonstrated that piglets that ate feed with a specific flavour previously added to the lactation feed for their mothers had a better ADI and ADG.

Husbandry and management practices. Weaning piglets

A study has recently been conducted on the use of anise flavour at the end of the gestation period. The results obtained revealed a higher growth rate and feed intake in those piglets whose mothers had been feed the flavoured feed during gestation, thus showing the transplacentary passage of the flavour. It did not matter whether the flavour was present in the feed for the piglets or only in the environment. Apparently, the existence of a “familiar” flavour contributed to reducing stress in the piglets, which resulted in higher intakes (Oostindjer et al., 2010).

Perinatal flavour imprinting can reduce stress at weaning and improve the performance of newly weaned piglets.

Levels and intensity of light The data from numerous studies clearly show that piglets do not eat at night (Fig. 19), although they do it frequently during the lactation period. This suggests that these episodes of night suckling are initiated by the sow, as piglets have a day-night rhythm. Piglets mainly eat and drink between 8:00 am and 5:00 pm, but their intake can be stimulated if their access to feed and water is facilitated during the first two or three days by leaving the lights of the unit on, so they can see and imitate their penmates. This will also benefit the individuals that are lower in the hierarchy. They are often disoriented and have trouble finding the feeding and drinking troughs. Bruininx and collaborators, in a study conducted in 2002, obtained a 32 % improvement in the feed intake and a 49 % increase in the average daily gain of piglets with a 23-hour photoperiod against an 8-hour photoperiod (fig. 17).

Leaving the lights on during the first week post weaning stimulates feed intake. If the piglets can see, they will be able to learn and imitate.

Presentation brochure Emilio Magallón Botaya (Coordinator)

Husbandry and management practices. Weaning

Husbandry and management practices at weaning

piglets