Feeding sows with high fibre diet around farrowing and early lactation: impact on intestinal activity, energy balance related parameters and litter performance

The effects of fibre in diets for periparturient sows are poorly documented. Three weeks before farrowing, 41 sows (LACT) were fed a diet containing 3.8% crude fibre. Other 40 sows (FIBRE) received a diet containing 7% crude fibre. We estimated the intestinal activity of the sows with a daily qualitative evaluation of their faeces. The FIBRE group had a qualitative faeces score value of 2.1 ± 1.3 and the LACT group had a value of 1.2 ± 1.1 (P < 0.001). Individual daily water consumption was higher in the FIBRE group than in the LACT group (P < 0.001). Piglet weight gain at day 5 was higher in the FIBRE group (P < 0.05). The energy balance related parameters did not differ between the treatments.Concluding, diets containing more fibre can be successfully used around farrowing reducing prolonged constipation of sows with no negative effect on their energy balance related parameters.     

浅谈金露梅的播种育苗技术

通过苗圃育苗,金露梅的播种育苗技术具有苗木长势好、简便易操作和生产成本低等优点。     

Aggressive behaviour of sows at mixing and maternal behaviour are heritable and genetically correlated traits

This study was designed to estimate genetic variation in aggressive behaviour of sows at mixing, and in maternal ability for the same sows. The study included 835 sows observed for number of mild or severe aggressions performed (F_A1, F_A2), or received (F_R1, F_R2) during 30 min after grouping. Maternal ability was recorded as sows' response to vocalisation from their piglets when these were handled. Maternal behaviour was studied in 1076 sows as a body reaction (MBR) to their piglets being handled after farrowing. Genetic covariances were estimated using a multi-trait animal model, assuming traits to be normally distributed. The heritabilities of performed aggression traits were intermediate (h² F_A1=0.17, h² F_A2=0.24), but lower for received aggression (h² F_R1=0.06, h² F_R2=0.04), and heritability of maternal behaviour was also low (h²=0.08). Although estimates of genetic correlations had large standard errors, they indicate that less aggressive sows were stronger responding mothers (r_g=−0.3). We conclude that performed aggression in sows is a heritable trait, and selection against aggression is possible without offsetting maternal behaviour.     

做好猪场产床局部生物安全工作的重要性和改进措施

产房生物安全是猪场内部生物安全的重要组成部分,产房内部生物安全的核心在于重视并做好产床局部生物安全。降低人员和物资进出产床的频率,可有效提高产床的生物安全水平,减少病原微生物进入产床以及在产床扩散的情况。严格控制和减少物资与人员进出产床的次数,可有效控制和降低传染病在产房的暴发。     

A 25?years experience of group-housed sows–reproduction in animal welfare-friendly systems

Since January 1 2013, group housing of sows has been compulsory within the European Union (EU) in all pig holdings with more than ten sows. Sows and gilts need to be kept in groups from 4 weeks after service to 1 week before the expected time of farrowing (Article 3(4) of Directive 2008/120/EC on the protection of pigs). The legislation regarding group housing was adopted already in 2001 and a long transitional period was allowed to give member states and producers enough time for adaptation. Even so, group housing of sows still seems to be uncommon in the EU, and is also uncommon in commercial pig farming systems in the rest of the world. In this review we share our experience of the Swedish 25 years of animal welfare legislation stipulating that sows must be loose-housed which de facto means group housed. The two most important concerns related to reproductive function among group-housed sows are the occurrence of lactational oestrus when sows are group-housed during lactation, and the stress that is associated with group housing during mating and gestation. Field and clinical observations in non-lactating, group-housed sows in Sweden suggest that by making basic facts known about the pig reproductive physiology related to mating, we might achieve application of efficient batch-wise breeding without pharmacological interventions. Group housing of lactating sows has some production disadvantages and somewhat lower productivity would likely have to be expected. Recordings of behavioural indicators in different housing systems suggest a lower welfare level in stalled animals compared with group-housed ones. However, there are no consistent effects on the reproductive performance associated with different housing systems. Experimental studies suggest that the most sensitive period, regarding disturbance of reproductive functions by external stressors, is the time around oestrus. We conclude that by keeping sows according to the pig welfare-friendly Directive 2008/120/EC, it is possible to combine group-housing of sows with good reproductive performance and productivity. However, substantially increased research and development is needed to optimize these systems.     

妊娠期长短对大约克母猪繁殖性能的影响

对江西省某种猪场 2 0 0 0年 814窝大约克母猪随机抽取 2 0 0窝 ,应用了DPS数据处理系统软件 ,按妊娠期≤ 112d、113～ 115d、116～ 118d、≥ 119d分析大约克母猪的总产仔数、活产仔数、初生个体重、初生窝重、断奶个体数和断奶窝重等性状。结果表明 :随着妊娠期的延长总产仔数、活产仔数逐渐减少 (P >0 .0 5 ) ;初生个体重、初生窝重、断奶个体数、断奶个体重、断奶窝重呈增长的趋势。经相关分析 ,妊娠期与总产仔数、活产仔数呈弱的负相关 ,与初生窝重、断奶窝重、断奶个体数呈弱的正相关。     

饲料禁抗后母猪营养与管理要点

2020年我国养猪业面临非洲猪瘟威胁下的饲料全面禁抗,这对养殖场是个严峻的双重挑战。母猪是猪场的核心,其健康度与繁殖性能影响到整个猪场的生产水平和盈利能力。文章从母猪动态营养配方、日粮原料选择、饲喂策略及生产管理手段升级等方面进行阐述,以期为提升整个猪群健康度和繁殖成绩提供参考。     

Dietary supplementation of Bacillus subtilis PB6 improves sow reproductive performance and reduces piglet birth intervals

We investigated the effects of dietary supplementation with Bacillus subtilis PB6 (B. subtilis PB6) during late gestation and lactation on sow reproductive performance, antioxidant indices, and gut microbiota. A total of 32 healthy Landrace × Yorkshire sows on d 90 of gestation were randomly assigned to 2 groups, with 16 replicates per group, receiving basal diet (CON) or the basal diet + 0.2% B. subtilis PB6, containing 4.0 × 10⁸ CFU/kg of feed (BS). The litter sizes (total born) and numbers of piglets born alive were larger in the BS group (P < 0.01), whereas the weights of piglets born alive and the piglet birth intervals were lower in the BS group (P < 0.05). Although the litter weights and piglet bodyweights (after cross-fostering) were lower after BS treatment (P < 0.05), the litter sizes, litter weights, lactation survival rate, and litter weight gains at weaning were higher in BS group (P < 0.05). The concentrations of malondialdehyde (MDA) in the sow sera at parturition were lower in the BS group (P < 0.01). The serum total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) at parturition and the serum catalase (CAT) concentrations on d 21 of lactation were higher in the BS group (P < 0.05). Dietary supplementation with B. subtilis PB6 (P < 0.05) reduced the serum endotoxin concentrations in the sows and the serum cortisol concentrations of the piglets at d 14 of lactation. The α-diversity indices of microbial were higher in the CON group (P < 0.05). At the phylum level, B. subtilis PB6 supplementation increased the relative abundances of Gemmatimonadete and Acidobacteria (both P < 0.01) and reduced those of Proteobacteria, and Actinobacteria (both P < 0.05). At the genus level, B. subtilis PB6 supplementation increased the relative abundance of Ruminococcaceae_UCG-013 cc (P < 0.05) and reduced that of Streptococcus (P < 0.05). This study demonstrated that adding 4.0 × 10⁸ CFU/kg B. subtilis PB6 to sows’ feed during late gestation and lactation could shorten piglet birth intervals, enhance the growth performance of suckling piglets, and improve the gut health of sows during late gestation.     

Live yeast supplementation during late gestation and lactation affects reproductive performance,colostrum and milk composition,blood biochemical and immunological parameters of sows

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary live yeast (LY) supplementation during late gestation and lactation on reproductive performance, colostrum and milk composition, blood biochemical and immunological parameters of sows. A total of 40 multiparous sows were randomly fed either the control (CON) diet or the CON diet supplemented with LY at 1 g/kg from d 90 of gestation to weaning. Results showed that the number of stillborn piglets and low BW piglets were significantly decreased in the LY-supplemented sows compared with sows in the CON group (P < 0.05). Moreover, the concentrations of protein, lactose and solids-not-fat were increased in the colostrum of LY-supplemented sows (P < 0.05). Interestingly, the plasma activities of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (γ-GGT) at d 1 of lactation and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) at weaning day were decreased by feeding LY diet (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, sows fed LY diet had higher plasma concentration of immunoglobulin G compared with sows fed CON diet at d 1 of lactation (P < 0.05). In conclusion, LY supplementation in maternal diets decreased the number of stillborn piglets and low BW piglets, improved colostrum quality and health status of sows.     

浅谈母猪批次化管理在猪场生产实践中的应用

随着我国畜牧养殖业的快速发展,越来越多的养殖从业者注重科学化的管理,通过不断升级改良育种,对饲养的各个环节进行探索,实现高效化的养殖过程。特别是在规模化养殖企业逐渐规范化的今天,越来越多的养殖场向着生产批次化的管理方式转变,这不仅仅可以有效提升生产效率,更能帮助养殖场做好节约劳动成本及高效管理的工作。文章将对母猪批次化管理猪场生产实践的内容进行分析,旨在为行业同仁提供有效的参考性建议。