porcus - sappo

8
CS Vet INFORMAtION DAY
One piglet per teat is the ideal
“In every new-born litter, the ideal is
to have one piglet per teat,” said Dr
Andrew Tucker of CS Vet at the farmers’
day.
He said that increasing litter sizes and
decreasing birth weight coupled with
rapidly increased born alive has in most
pig herds resulted in sows that do not
have enough teats for all her piglets.
Therefore, it is imperative to utilise every
teat.
Dr Tucker said some farms manage
Low
protein diets
are cheaper
Low protein diets reduce feed
cost, reduce the amount of excess
dietary amino acids, and create a
balanced amino acid profile when
first-limiting amino acids are sufficiently
supplemented, said Friedel
Meyer of CS Vet at the farmers’
day.
He said a low protein diet also improves
feed conversion efficiency,
while animals produce less ammonia
gas emissions due to lower nitrogen in
manure, which will improve the health
and productivity of pigs.
For every one percent drop in crude
protein, the nitrogen excretion is reduced
by approximately eight percent.
As far as formulating tomorrow’s
diets are concerned, the extent of
reducing protein percentages in rations
will depend on the price of soybeans
and synthetic amino acids.
Availability, price and nutritional value
of alternative protein sources will also
play a role.
Enzymes such as non-starch polysaccharide
(NSP) enzymes and protein
digesting enzymes (proteases) will
become more important when high
fibrous by-products are used in pig
diets.
Meyer said that batches of raw materials
should be analysed regularly for
quality control and formulations have
to be based on analysed values.
to make use of all the sow’s teats, and
outlined the following focus points:
• The gilt’s milk must be stimulated
properly, without burning her out.
• The sow’s condition is very important
to get intakes up. A fat sow has a
decreased appetite, resulting in decreased
weaning weights. However, if
a sow is too thin, it may lead to stand
overs.
• The correct ration is important to fulfil
the sow’s lactation needs, thereby
maximising milk production.
CS Vet’s annual farmers’ day
took place outside
Pretoria in October.
• Count the sow’s functional teats and
pack the piglets accordingly.
• Minimise fostering.
• Don’t size litters.
• The piglet’s body temperature must be
kept up at farrowing. Piglets should be
dry and warm.
• Get the piglet onto the teat as soon as
possible once it is warm.
• Cull poor producers. Look at the
whole picture, and not only at born
alive. Piglets weaned and the condition
of the udder also plays a role.
Mauritz de Villiers, Reon Oosthuizen en dr Albert Schutte (almal van Kanhym)
De Villiers Beukes, Elizma Richter en William Gee (almal van Kanhym)
Tommie Wolwehoek, Arno Spiske (albei van die Midland Groep) en dr Peter
Evans (CS Vet)
Porcus Oktober/November 2012