Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-q99xh Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-28T04:31:55.270Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Effects of management options on creep feeding by piglets

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

M. C. Appleby ,
E. A. Pajor  and
D. Fraser
M. C. Appleby
Affiliation:
Institute of Ecology and Resource Management, University of Edinburgh, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JG
E. A. Pajor
Affiliation:
Animal Research Centre, Agriculture Canada, Ottawa K1A 0C6, Canada Department of Biology, McGill University, Montreal H3A 1B1, Canada
D. Fraser
Affiliation:
Animal Research Centre, Agriculture Canada, Ottawa K1A 0C6, Canada
Get access

Abstract

Effects of creep food presentation on feeding behaviour and intake were studied with eight litters of eight to 10 Yorkshire × Landrace piglets in the 3rd and 4th weeks after birth, before weaning at 4 weeks of age. In each week, four treatments were applied, each for 24 h: a single two-space feeder unchanged from the previous day; a clean feeder with fresh food supplied at 09.00 h; a clean feeder with fresh food supplied at three times during the day; and three feeders (six feeding spaces) providing increased access to food throughout the day. There were no significant differences between the first three treatments in time spent at the feeder (recorded by video over 24 h) or food intake of piglets. However, the fourth treatment increased average intake in week 3 to 2·1 times the average of the other treatments, and in week four to 1·4 times. In week 3, most piglets spent more time at the feeder when access was increased, while in week 4 the effect was restricted to piglets which ate very little. This suggested that imitative learning was important in the initiation of feeding. Analysis of both litter means and within-Utter variation showed that piglets which ate more solid food before weaning gained more weight in the 2 weeks after weaning. However, this correlation was confounded by correlations of both measures with birth weight and other variables. Causal links between creep feeding and post-weaning weight gain remain to be demonstrated.

Keywords

behaviourcreep feedingfood intakegrowthpiglets
Type
Papers
Information
Animal Production , Volume 53 , Issue 3 , December 1991 , pp. 361 - 366
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1991

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Aherne, F. X., Danielsen, V. and Nielsen, H. E. 1982. The effects of creep feeding on pre- and post-weaning pig performance. Ada Agricultura Scandinavica 32:155–160.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Aumaitre, A. 1972. Development of enzyme activity in the digestive tract of the suckling pig: nutritional significance and implications for weaning. World Review of Animal Production 8: (3), 54–68.Google Scholar
Cranwell, P. D., Noakes, D. E. and Hill, K. J. 1976. Gastric secretion and fermentation in the suckling pig. British Journal of Nutrition 36: 71–86.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Csermely, D. and Wood-Gush, D. G. M. 1981. Artificial stimulation of ingestive behaviour in early-weaned piglets. Biology of Behaviour 6:159–165.Google Scholar
English, P. R., Fowler, V. R., Baxter, S. and Smith, B. 1988. The growing and finishing pig: improving efficiency. Farming Press, Ipswich.Google Scholar
English, P. R., Robb, C. M. and Dias, M. F. M. 1980. Evaluation of creep feeding using a highly-digestible diet for litters weaned at 4 weeks of age. Animal Production 30: 496.Google Scholar
English, P. R., Smith, W. J. and MacLean, A. 1977. The sow — improving her efficiency. Farming Press, Ipswich.Google Scholar
Hampson, D. J., Fu, Z. F. and Smith, W. C. 1988. Pre- weaning supplementary feed and porcine post-weaning diarrhoea. Research in Veterinary Science 44: 309–314.Google Scholar
Miller, B. G., Newby, T. J., Stokes, C. R. and Bourne, F. J. 1984a. Influence of diet on postweaning malabsorption and diarrhoea in the pig. Research in Veterinary Science 36: 187–193.Google Scholar
Miller, B. G., Newby, T. J., Stokes, C. R., Hampson, D. J., Brown, P. J. and Bourne, F. J. 1984b. The importance of dietary antigen in the cause of postweaning diarrhoea in pigs. American Journal of Veterinary Research 45:1730–1733.Google ScholarPubMed
Pajor, E. A., Fraser, D. and Kramer, D. L. 1991. Individual variation in the consumption of solid food by suckling pigs and its relationship to post-weaning performance. Applied Animal Behaviour Science (abstr.).Google Scholar
Sloat, D. A., Mahan, D. C. and Roehrig, K. L. 1985. Effect of pig weaning weight on postweaning body composition and digestive enzyme development. Nutrition Reports International 31: 627–634.Google Scholar
Veterinary Infectious Disease Organization, Swine Technical Group. 1986. Farrowing barn design and management. VTDO, Saskatoon.Google Scholar