Interactive effects of different energy intake during periods of gestation and housing system on sow performance

Abstract Text: The current study investigated effects of different energy intake during gestation and housing system on sow performance. A total of 207 sows (n = 35 for parity 1; n = 35 for parity 2; n = 32 for parity 3; n=105 for parity > 3) were allotted to 1 of 4 dietary treatments using randomized complete block design blocking by initial body weight (BW), parity and backfat. Sows were housed either in individual stalls (n = 101) or group pens (n = 106) with electronic sow feeder during gestation. The experiment started from the first insemination (d 0 of gestation) throughout gestation and lactation period. All sows were fed the same corn-soybean meal basal diet with the amount of maintenance energy intake (106 × BW^0.75) throughout the gestation period except 4 periods of 7 d dietary treatments imposed on d 28, d 56, d 84 and d 98 of gestation. During these 4 periods, sows were fed 1 of 4 different energy intake: 1) 0.5 × maintenance level (0.5M); 2) 1.0 × maintenance level (1.0M); 3) 1.5 × maintenance level (1.5M); 4) 2.0 × maintenance level (2.0M). Sows fed 1.5M and 2.0M diets had significant (P < 0.01) higher BW and backfat at d 109 of gestation, and post-farrowing backfat at d 0 of lactation compared with sows fed 0.5M and 1.0M diets. Post-farrowing BW of sows fed 2.0M diet was significantly (P = 0.01) greater than sows fed 1.0M diet. Additionally, BW loss from d 109 of gestation to the end of lactation (d 18) was significantly (P < 0.002) greater in sows fed 1.5M (-25.37 kg) and 2.0M (-23.47 kg) diets compared with sows fed 0.5M (-11.72 kg) diet, however, there was no significant difference between sows fed 0.5M and 1.0M (-15.57 kg) diets. Gestation dietary treatments did not affect reproductive performance of sows. Sows housed in individual stalls lost more BW (P= 0.0066, -22.37 vs. -15.69 kg) from d 109 of gestation to the end of lactation (d 18) compared with sows housed in group pens. In conclusion, introduction of different energy intake in short periods during gestation did not affect reproductive performance of sows, but higher energy intake during gestation can lead to more lactation BW loss. Group pen system for gestation sows may have beneficial effect compared with individual stall system in terms of reducing lactation BW loss.

Keywords: Energy intake, housing system, sow performance