
Sow ManagementOutline 1. Management of gilts 2. Management of gestating sows 3. Management of lactating sows 4. Management from Weaning to breeding
1.1 Number of gilts needed • Depends on sow culling rate • Usually around 20% first litter sows (18-25) • With 2.5 litters/sow/year: 50% gilts/year • On 600 sow farm: 300 gilts needed per year • If 75% of gilts are used: 400 gilts should be purchased or produced
1.2 Gilts in Isolation • Gilts in Isolation every 10 weeks • Age should be between 3 and 5 month • After 8 weeks: Move gilts to sow unit • Clean isolation between groups
1.3 Why have gilts in isolation • 1. Prevent disease introduction in herd • 2. Prepare gilts to enter farm • Vaccinations • Adaptation • 3. Control of health status • Bleeding
1.4 Feeding strategy for non-bred gilts • Feed ad lib until 70-80 kg • Use normal nursery/grower diet • Feed 75% of ad lib during rest of period • Use lactation diet or similar
1.5 Breeding the Gilts • Move gilts to breeding barn • Boar exposure • Feed ad libitum - add sex mixture • Move around • Spray with cold water 10 min/day • Breed in 2nd or 3rd estrus
2. Gestation Management • 2.1. Feed and feed adjustments • 2.2. Reproductive checks • 2.3. Disease management • 2.4. Daily chores
2.1.1 Feeding gestating gilts and sows • 1: Day 1-21: Implantation • 2: Day 22-90: Body condition • 3: Day 91-112: Fetal growth • 4: Day 113-115: Prepare farrowing
Day Gilts Normal sows Thin sows Fat sows 1-21 1.8 3.0 4.5 1.8 22-90 2.2 2.0 4.5 1.8 91-112 2.8 3.0 3.0 1.8 113-114 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 2.1.2 Feeding curves in gestation(kg/day, 3.0 - 3.2 Mcal/kg) Remember: Adjustments for temp. if lower than 20oC
2.1.3 Feed Adjustments • On a weekly basis, all sows are checked for body condition and moved to different curve if necessary • Use diets that meet the nutritional requirement of gestating sows and gilts • Table 14 in SD – NE Swine Nutrition Guide • If same diet used for gilts and sows, remember that gilts have higher aa requirements than sows.
2.1.4 Importance of right body condition Fat sows and gilts: • Diabetes • Difficulties farrowing their pigs • Reduced feed intake in lactation • Reduced milk yield in lactation • Shorter longevity
2.1.5 Water • Sows should have free access to water 24 h per day • Check water quality • Water from pump better than water from nipples • Give water several times per day
2.2.1 Barn Management • Place sows after day of breeding • Keep breeding groups together • Move sows out if they return to heat • Use color scheme for each group
2.2.2 Reproduction Checkups • Check for heat every day • Concentrate on sows 3, 6,and 9 wks post breeding (same color) • Pregnancy check 4-5 wks post breeding • Ultra sound • Scanning
2.2.3 Efficiency of heat check • Important to spend all the time that is necessary for efficient heat check of gestating sows every day • The closer the average breeding to rebreeding interval is to 21 days, the better a job did you do heat checking gest. sows
2.3. Disease Management • Make sure vaccination program is followed • Many vaccinations 3 wks pre-partum • If diseases in farrowing unit, discuss medication of gestating sows with vet. • Look for urinary tract diseases in gest. unit • Keep high sanitation level in barn
2.4 Daily chores in gestation barn • Feeding • Check that all sows eat their ration • Check heat • Check for urinary tract diseases • Measure urinary pH • Check for other diseases and abnormalities • bad legs or feet
3. Management of lactating sows • 3.1. Feeding • 3.2. Management around parturition • 3.3. Piglet management • 3.4 Daily chores
3.1.1 Objectives of feeding lactating sows • 1. High milk yield • More milk decreases preweaning mortality and increases weaning weight • 2. Prevent BW loss • Low weight loss improves the chances of the sow returning to heat right after weaning
3.1.2 Feeding strategy for lactating sows • Day 1-2: 2 kg per day • Day 3-4: 4 kg per day • Day 5- weaning: Ad Libitum (semi ad.lib) • Check sows 30 min. after feeding: • if feeder completely clean, give more feed next time • if feed left in feeder, give less feed next time • if crumples left in feeder, give same amount next time
3.1.3. How to get high feed intake • Make sure water is available all the time • Include fat in diet (Increases energy) • Barn temperature around 20oC • drip cooling if hot • Feed at least 2 times a day - 3 is better • Don’t let feed sit in feeder
3.1.4 Feed Ingredients for lactating sows • Same as for gestating sows. • Keep fiber levels relatively low • OK to use synthetic AA • Fish meal may be included • Include oil or fat • Don’t change ingredients from gestation to lactation
3.1.5 Nutrients in lactation diets • Table 14 in Swine Nutrition Guide • Nutrient requirement depend on milk yield and daily feed intake • If FI low, more concentrated diets are needed. • Vitamin fortification may need to be improved in high producing sows
3.1.7. Lysine concentration in diet Week 3: 74,1 g/day Conc. if eating 9 kg/day: 0,82 % Conc. If eating 6 kg/day: 1.24 %
3.2.1 Management around parturitionObjectives • Avoid problems during parturition • Decrease number of still born pigs • Make sure live borns get colostrum and warm surrounding • Make sure sow is treated if she gets sick
3.2.2 General Points • Clean and disinfect barn • Low feed intake before and after • Plenty of water • Watch farrowings if possible • Assist sow in farrowing if needed
3.2.3. Inductions of Farrowings • Use prostaglandins or oxytocin • Induce no earlier than d 113 • sows will farrow 24-30 h later • Only induce sows that look ready to farrow • Otherwise too many small piglets
3.3.1. Litter Standardization • Move pigs around 24-48 h post partum • Give all sows 10-12 pigs • Make nurse sows if too many piglets • use older sows weaned at 14 d for this • Move all small pigs into same litter • use 2nd parity sow for these pigs
3.4.1 Daily sow check-ups • Feed sows • Check sows for discharges and diseases • Treat sows that need it • Check temperature, vent., drip cooling etc. • Look for cull sows
3.4.2 Daily pig check-ups • Get all pigs up and running around • Look for bad joints and diarrhea • Treat sick piglets • Remove pigs that are getting behind • Give milk replacer to litters with small pigs • Give creep feed after day 8
4.1 Weaning • Wean sows Wednesdays or Thursdays • Move sows to breeding barn • Give sows direct boar contact • Box sows individually in breeding barn • Turn light on at least 14 h per d
4.2 Feeding • Feed ad libitum w. lactation diet • give sex mixture • Water freely available
4.3 Breeding • Start heat checking d. 5 post weaning • Breed at least twice with 24 h intervals • Use AI or natural breeding • If natural breeding: Hand breed