Raising gilts and sows: Part 3

The first month after mating is a critical time during production. Stress or incorrect nutrition at this stage may lead to the deaths of embryos.

The sow or gilt should be mated twice, 12 to 18 hours apart, and the second service date recorded, say Graeme Taylor and Greg Roese, livestock officers at The Pig Site (thepigsite.com).

They add that during the interval, she should be returned to a pen or stall on her own. If she has to be returned to a group of sows, this should only be done after she has gone off heat. Check the sow 18 to 23 days after mating to check for any signs of a return to oestrus.

FEEDING REGIMEN

Sows 

The feeding programme will not only affect the sow’s performance in that particular pregnancy; it will affect her future performance as a breeder, say Taylor and Roese.

The feeding rate is determined by body weight, sow condition, stage of pregnancy, housing and temperature.

Gilts

Even though the gilt is still growing, she should not be fed too much in the first month of pregnancy, as this can increase embryo mortality.

For most gilts, a rate of 1,8kg to 2,3kg feed/day will achieve the desired backfat reading of 25mm by farrowing time and a 15kg body weight increase after weaning.

The rate should be increased by 1kg to 1,5kg during the last two weeks of gestation.

“At no stage, however, should the gilt be overfed,” say Taylor and Roese. This is wasteful, and leads to difficulties at farrowing time and significant weight loss during lactation.

When it comes to second and third litters, give the sow an energy-dense diet during lactation. A lactating sow ration should provide at least 100MJ DE (digestible energy), 700g crude protein and 50g lysine a day. If a special lactating-sow ration is not available, feed a grower ration.