Offer smaller piglets a chance at survival with Lianol Basdiar
In the last 15 years, the number of weaned piglets per sow per year has increased considerably. Wageningen University & Research calculated that in 2017, 29.1 piglets per sow were raised, compared to 22.1 piglets in 2002. That is an increase of 30%.
Source article: Boerderij 104-no38 ( 18th of June 2019) - original article here
Author: Bouke Poelsma
Original language: Dutch
Dutch pig producer Gert Altena weans 37 piglets per sow per year.
He explains how he boosts his newborns and how he offers all of them a chance at survival in the farrowing pen. “A few things are crucial in order to have a good start in life” he starts. “As soon as possible the piglets should be dry and warm and they have to receive enough colostrum during the first day”. At Altena’s farm, the heaviest piglets are laid aside for a short time (split-suckling) so their smaller siblings can take their place at the udder. After they receive mothers’ own colostrum, Gert Altena groups all his smallest piglets together with a younger sow with smaller teats. He explains in detail how he proceeds.
"My smallest piglets are placed with sows with smaller teats"
Farm details:
520 Danish sows
16.5 piglets born alive
12.4% mortality pre-weaning
37 weaned piglets per sow per year
"It is crucial that piglets receive their mother's own colostrum on the first day."
“I always try to minimalize the risk of ending up with small piglets. Actually, that process starts immediately when the sows are weaned.” An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, is the mantra of Altena. He ensures his sows are not losing too much bodyweight during lactation. “I measure this by sight, although weighing at weaning would be even better. Younger sows in particular have my attention."
His sows are fed sugar in the breeding stable in order to stimulate a good beginning of the gestation and ultimately to end up with fewer small piglets. The sows in gestation are fed according to a high-low-high feeding schedule. Altena has slightly increased the feed gift because the number of piglets being born is still increasing. “I want to feed the sows sufficiently. The animals must be in optimum condition. That way you reduce the chance at small piglets."
Stimulating milk production with feed.
Now Altena weans 15 piglets per litter. While in recent years his production has grown considerably, he still manages to keep piglet mortality at 12.4%. He constantly strives to optimize his results. Therefore, Altena recently opted for a Tempo boar to wean even more piglets. “It is a less lean boar and I expect fewer sensitive piglets. The first offspring are being born in early July."
Altena does everything he can to save the smallest piglets. "Time and labor are my limiting factors" he acknowledges. According to the sow farmer, it goes without saying that the floor temperature of the farrowing cages must be well over 30 C°.
“It is crucial that the piglets get mother's own colostrum on the first day”, Altena says. "We lay the heavier piglets to the side for a while, so that even the smallest piglets can reach the udder." After 24 hours, he groups the smallest piglets from different litters. They are placed with a sow with small teats, so that they can suckle more easily.
From day 0 till day 4 newborns are fed with Lianol Basdiar. Next they are given milk mixed combined with pre-starter feed until the age of 14 days. “Over the years I have noticed that milk production in sows is decreasing. I want to compensate for this and I want to facilitate the transition around weaning."
If you want more information about Lianol Basdiar please contact us:
T: +31 3 64 86 15 05
info@ardol.nl"