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Prairie Swine Centre is an affiliate of the University of Saskatchewan
Prairie Swine Centre is grateful for the assistance of the George Morris Centre in developing the economics portion of Pork Insight.
Financial support for the Enterprise Model Project and Pork Insight has been provided by:
EFFECT OF FLOOR COOLING ON FARROWING SOW AND LITTER PERFORMANCE: FIELD EXPERIMENT UNDER DUTCH CONDITIONS
Posted in: Production by admin on January 1, 2006 | No Comments
Nutritional value of wheat and corn distiller’s dried grain with solubles: Digestibility and digestible contents of energy, amino acids and phosphorus, nutrient excretion and growth performance of grower-finisher pigs
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Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the nutritional value of distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS) samples derived from corn, wheat and a wheat/corn blend (4:1). Specifically, the digestibility and digestible contents of energy, amino acids (AA) and P, N and P excretion, and growth performance were determined in grower-finisher pigs. In exp. 1, 12 ileal cannulated barrows (64.6 ± 6.4 kg) had restricted access (2.6 × maintenance) to
a wheat-control diet or one of three diets containing 40% DDGS sample of corn, wheat or wheat/corn origin that replaced wheat. For energy, apparent total tract digestibility was highest for wheat (85%; P < 0.05) and did not differ among the DDGS samples (77 to 79%; P > 0.10). Total tract digestible energy (DE) was higher for corn DDGS (4292 kcal kg–1 DM; P < 0.05) than wheat/corn DDGS, wheat DDGS and wheat samples (4038, 4019 and 3807). For lysine, apparent ileal digestibility (AID) was highest for wheat (71%; P < 0.05) and did not differ among DDGS samples (59 to 63%; P > 0.10). The AID lysine content was highest for corn DDGS (0.51% DM; P < 0.05), intermediate for wheat/corn DDGS and wheat DDGS (0.45 and 0.42), and lowest for wheat (0.37%). For P, total tract digestibility was lowest for wheat (15%; P < 0.05) and did not differ among DDGS samples (53 to 56%; P > 0.10). Total N excretion was highest for wheat/corn DDGS and wheat DDGS (55 and 58 g d–1; P < 0.05), intermediate for corn DDGS (44) and lowest for wheat (36). Total P excretion did not differ among DDGS (11 g d–1) and was lowest for wheat (8; P < 0.05). In exp. 2, 100 pigs (52.0 ± 3.3 kg) were fed a wheat-pea control diet or one of three diets containing 25% of the three DDGS samples (3.375 Mcal DE kg–1; 2.50 g SID lysine Mcal–1 DE) for 5 wk. Overall, average daily feed intake (ADFI) and daily gain (ADG) were higher for pigs fed the wheat control diet than the DDGS-containing diets (P < 0.05), but feed efficiency did not differ (P > 0.10). In summary, the digestible nutrient content of wheat DDGS is lower than corn DDGS and higher than wheat. Following pre-characterization of digestible nutrient profile, feeding DDGS reduced growth performance indicating that further research is required to improve the nutritional value of DDGS.
Pre-natal Programming of Variation
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To begin this review, the overall production advantages that might result from segregated production management will be briefly considered, and from a number of perspectives may have little to do with any inherent differences in the growth potential in individual pigs, or sub-populations of pigs. However, there appears to be a substantial area of conceptual overlap, in which the advantages of adopting segregated management of sows and their off-spring may be intimately linked to growing evidence for pre-natal programming of post-natal development. The origins of these programming effects may be very different and in the second part of this review we will address this topic from a biological perspective. Finally, we will return to a consideration of segregated management systems that takes full account of recent information on the biology of pre-natal programming effects. As reviewed by Moore (2005), the origins of segregated parity management systems vary, and have initially been directed to improving the management of the gilt and first litter sow. However, this trend has also simultaneously recognized the problems of co-mingling the progeny of different parity sows, and the advantages to be gained from adopting segregated nursery systems for at least the progeny of parity 1 sows, compared to the progeny of higher parity females. Therefore, there is good reason to think that segregated management of these offspring at the nursery level will bring overall improvements to a production system. Collectively, the aspects of segregated parity management may open a Pandora’s box of functional nutrients that will be cost-effective when applied to sows at specific stages in their reproductive life cycle. However, there should be as much focus on the quality, as on the quantity, of pigs produced per sow lifetime. This review hopefully provides the reader with an understanding of the very complex interactions that determine the development of a market pig from conception to consumption. In the new era of epigenetic regulation of pre-natal development, and expanding information on the mechanisms controlling various levels of IUGR, the profound influence that the environment of the sow can have on the phenotypic characteristics of her offspring are becoming evident. Clearly, simple selection of genetically superior sows and terminal line boars will determine the potential to produce a desired genotype in their terminal line off-spring. However, inappropriate management may interact with this genetic potential to produce a very different outcome. In this review, the profound effects of sow maturity, nutritional management, and their interaction have been considered. Observations from controlled experiments and from the analysis of the reproductive and developmental characteristics of existing commercial dam-line sows indicate the diversity of possible interactions. However, these studies start to provide a better understanding of the reported benefits of segregated parity management. Innovative approaches to addressing the problems, as well as the opportunities, presented by pre-natal fetal programming of post-natal performance will likely be the benchmark of the most profitable pork production systems in the next decade.
Ammonia and Mineral Losses on Dutch Organic Farms with Pregnant Sows
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The main objective of this study was to quantify ammonia emissions from organically raised pregnant sows and to compare them with emissions from conventional pig production. A second objective was to quantify the nutrients deposited in the paddock in organic pig grazing systems. Measurements were carried out on three Dutch farms on 1 day in each of two measuring seasons (spring/summer and autumn). Ammonia emissions were measured by the ventilated chamber technique at different locations inside the building and on the paved outside yard. The nutrient loads of N, P and K were calculated according to their content in urine and faeces, average weight of urine and faeces per excretion, and number of urinations and defecations in the paddock. Ammonia emission per m2 did not differ statistically significantly between seasons and between inside and outside the building. Fouling of the floor with urine and faeces had a strong effect on ammonia emission (probability Po0001). Emissions varied greatly between farms. When emissions were calculated per kg per pig place per year, on one farm they far exceeded the Dutch standard for regular pig farming. On the other two farms they slightly exceeded the standard. The main reason seems to be that pregnant sows on organic farms have outside yards, which are an additional source of ammonia emission. The nitrogen and phosphorus loads on the paddock varied greatly between the farms, statistically significant for N ðPo001Þ; not significant for P and significant for K ðPo005Þ: The total amount of nutrients on one of the farms (4075kg ha1 yr1 for N and 113 kg ha1 yr1 for P) far exceeded the permitted levels (170 kg ha1 yr1 for N and 44 kg ha1 yr1 for P)
Benefits of Long-Term Application of Manure
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Repeated applications of manure to agricultural lands can significantly influence the quality of the soil as a medium for plant growth and as an environmental filter or buffer. There are many soil chemical, biological, and physical properties that can be measured as indicators of soil quality and its potential impact on plant production and the environment. The simple soil properties that are measured in field research trials and reported on in this paper can also be employed by producers as tools for monitoring the effects of manure application on their own land base. Additions of manure nutrient to soil at an agronomic rate that matches the crop nutrient requirement and removal over time is expected to have a positive impact on soil and environmental quality. This approach will maintain or improve soil fertility while avoiding nutrient overloading. The benefit of increased soil organic matter is perhaps the most significant factor, as organic matter plays a major role as a long-term storehouse of carbon and nutrients, and promotes microbial activity, soil structure, water relations and chemical buffering. However, salinity impacts and overloading of both functional and non-functional elements can negate these benefits when hog manure is over applied or applied to soils with limitations in drainage and buffering capabilities.
Co-composting solid swine manure with pine sawdust as organic substrate
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