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Effect of a precision feeding strategy applied to groups of pigs in a commercial setting
The objective of this study was to validate the effect of a precision, i.e. multiphase, feeding strategy applied to groups of pigs segregated by sex and by weight in a commercial setting. Thus, 24 groups of 42 pigs (24.2 ± 2.9 kg) were used in this experiment according to a randomized complete block design with a factorial treatment structure. Pigs were initially divided by weight group (small, medium small, medium large and large pigs) and then combined with room location to form a 6 level blocking factor, each block containing four double pens. Treatments were randomly assigned to double pens according to a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement with two feeding treatments (four-phase feeding program (4P) and multiphase group feeding program (MPG)) and two sexes (female and barrow). For MPG treatment, growth curves (as a function of growing-finishing days) were established for each sex within each weight group based on previous performances on the farm. Two feeding programs, one for each sex, defined the evolution of lysine concentration as function of weight. For each group of pigs (i.e. combination of weight group and sex), the desired lysine concentration was obtained by blending two feeds in different proportions. When compared to the 4P treatment, the MPG treatment significantly reduced lysine intake by 18% (P < 0.001). There was also no difference observed in terms of ADFI and feed efficiency between the two feeding treatments. Regarding ADG, MPG pigs tended to have a higher ADG (949 and 934 g/d; P = 0.097). Only one interaction between the feeding treatment and the sex was observed and it was regarding lysine concentration (P < 0,001). Thus, MPG females had a higher lysine concentration in their feed when compared to barrows being given the same treatment (+0.17 g/kg; P < 0.05). As for the 4P treatment, there was no difference in lysine concentration between the feed given to the two sexes. For the effects of sex, females had a lower ADFI (-0.26 kg), ADG (-77 g) and fat depth (-2 mm) when compare to castrated males (P < 0.05). With reference to feed costs, when calculated with Quebec's 2013 feed prices, the multiphase strategy reduced feed costs by 3.80$/pig. The results of this study show that the multiphase feeding strategy, which had no effect on growth performances, could reduce nitrogen and lysine intake as well as reduce feed costs for swine producers.
Keywords: Precision feeding, feeding cost, pig