Effects of Energy Restriction during Gilt Development on Parity 1 Progeny Growth Performance

There are many factors (pre- and postnatal) that affect piglet health and growth performance including environmental, nutritional, and genetic effects. Ongoing sow reproductive longevity research at the University of Nebraska has generated data over 14 batches monitoring females up to parity 4. Gilts included in this work have been developed under different nutritional management strategies including energy restriction and it has been determined that energy restriction increases sow longevity. The objective of this work was to determine if nutritional management (e.g., energy restriction) during gilt development (120 to 240 d of age) effects parity 1 progeny growth performance (Batches 5 through 13; n = 733 gilts). Gilts included in the analysis were fed either a control diet (balanced according to the NRC, 2008) or energy restricted diet (20% energy restricted accomplished via the addition of soy hulls). At 240 d of age gilts were bred and fed a common diet. At d 109 of gestation, sows were transferred to farrowing crates and backfat (BF) and BW were recorded. After farrowing, individual piglet birth weights and d 21 piglet weaning weights were recorded. Gilts fed a restricted energy diet tended (P < 0.09) to farrow piglets with greater birth weight (1.26 vs. 1.28 kg for control and restricted, respectively) and weaned heavier pigs (P < 0.05; 5.20 vs. 5.34 kg for control and restricted, respectively) compared to unrestricted control animals. This preliminary research indicates that energy restriction during gilt development may have a positive effect on progeny growth performance resulting in greater birth weights and weaning weights.