How to Use Piglet Feed Ingredients Rationally
A Brief Discussion on the Rational Use of Piglet Feed Ingredients
The nutrition of piglets is the foundation of the entire growth period. Because the digestive system, gut microecosystem and immune system of piglets are all in a stage of rapid development and maturation, feed nutrition directly affects the establishment of the physiological and ecological environment of the digestive tract, as well as normal growth and development and nutrient utilization. According to these characteristics, piglet feed must promote the early perfection of the piglet's digestion, immunity and microecological functions, ensure that piglets pass through the weaning period smoothly and prevent diarrhea, thereby improving piglet growth and survival rate and laying a good foundation for future growth. Therefore, choosing rational piglet feed plays a very important role in the physiological development and growth of piglets.
1. Rational use of energy raw materials
Energy feeds include grains high in carbohydrates, simple sugars and fats and oils. Piglet diets should maintain a relatively high energy level and a relatively low crude fiber level, generally 14.7-15.5 MJ/kg digestible energy, with crude fiber not exceeding 4%. High-quality corn is the main energy feed for piglets. In practice, some believe that after corn is extruded, the starch in it is gelatinized, improving the availability of the starch. Adding fat to weaned piglet diets can cause atrophy and shedding of jejunal villi, and reduce the secretion and absorption area of small intestinal enzymes, affecting digestion and absorption in the small intestine. Adding fat 2 weeks after weaning has no obvious effect on growth performance, but it is effective after 2 weeks, and a high protein level must be maintained at the same time. Therefore, fat addition should be reduced in weaning transition feed, while about 3% fat and oil can be added to weaned piglet feed. Piglets have a relatively high utilization rate of simple carbohydrates. Whey powder is a good feed raw material for formulating piglet diets; its advantage is providing lactose. Studies show that the suitable addition amount of whey powder in early weaning feed is 10-20%, and it should be appropriately reduced in weaned piglet feed, because the amount of lactase secreted by piglets gradually decreases over time, but a relatively large portion of the lactose in weaned piglet diets can be used for fermentation by lactic acid bacteria, thereby producing more lactic acid and promoting piglet intestinal health. Sucrose has high sweetness and good palatability, and piglets can utilize a certain amount of sucrose.
2. Rational use of protein raw materials
High-quality protein raw materials are quickly degraded into short peptides in the gastrointestinal tract of suckling piglets and rapidly absorbed. Piglets have abundant sources of protein feed, such as fish meal, plasma protein powder, soybean protein, extruded soybean meal, etc. Piglets have a relatively high protein requirement, and easily digestible protein raw materials are required. The demand for protein is essentially the demand for amino acids. The amino acid composition of protein determines protein quality, so attention should be paid to the proportions of various essential amino acids.
3. Rational use of additives
The rational use of additives in feed (flavoring agents, immune enhancers, enzyme preparations, vitamins, trace elements, etc.) plays a very important role in the healthy growth of piglets. Adding a certain proportion of sour flavoring additives to feed can have obvious effects on piglets: increasing feed palatability and improving piglet feed intake; lowering the pH value of the diet, making the gastrointestinal tract acidic; and forming complexes with various essential elements required by the piglet body that can be better absorbed and utilized by the body. Trace elements such as iron, zinc and selenium are essential life elements for piglets. Although their content in the animal body is small, they play a very important role in biochemical processes. As components of enzymes, vitamins and nucleic acids, they maintain the metabolic processes of life and are the main source of trace elements for piglets. In addition, zinc, copper, selenium, vitamin E and biotin are also key to preventing diarrhea in weaned piglets. Adding protease and amylase to feed can make up for insufficient endogenous digestive enzymes and improve the utilization rate of protein and carbohydrates; adding exogenous enzymes such as cellulolytic enzymes and xylanase can improve the digestibility of oligosaccharides in the diet that cannot be decomposed by animals, and can degrade anti-nutritional factors, reduce intestinal viscosity, promote the digestion and absorption of nutrients, and eliminate indigestion.
1. Rational use of energy raw materials
Energy feeds include grains high in carbohydrates, simple sugars and fats and oils. Piglet diets should maintain a relatively high energy level and a relatively low crude fiber level, generally 14.7-15.5 MJ/kg digestible energy, with crude fiber not exceeding 4%. High-quality corn is the main energy feed for piglets. In practice, some believe that after corn is extruded, the starch in it is gelatinized, improving the availability of the starch. Adding fat to weaned piglet diets can cause atrophy and shedding of jejunal villi, and reduce the secretion and absorption area of small intestinal enzymes, affecting digestion and absorption in the small intestine. Adding fat 2 weeks after weaning has no obvious effect on growth performance, but it is effective after 2 weeks, and a high protein level must be maintained at the same time. Therefore, fat addition should be reduced in weaning transition feed, while about 3% fat and oil can be added to weaned piglet feed. Piglets have a relatively high utilization rate of simple carbohydrates. Whey powder is a good feed raw material for formulating piglet diets; its advantage is providing lactose. Studies show that the suitable addition amount of whey powder in early weaning feed is 10-20%, and it should be appropriately reduced in weaned piglet feed, because the amount of lactase secreted by piglets gradually decreases over time, but a relatively large portion of the lactose in weaned piglet diets can be used for fermentation by lactic acid bacteria, thereby producing more lactic acid and promoting piglet intestinal health. Sucrose has high sweetness and good palatability, and piglets can utilize a certain amount of sucrose.
2. Rational use of protein raw materials
High-quality protein raw materials are quickly degraded into short peptides in the gastrointestinal tract of suckling piglets and rapidly absorbed. Piglets have abundant sources of protein feed, such as fish meal, plasma protein powder, soybean protein, extruded soybean meal, etc. Piglets have a relatively high protein requirement, and easily digestible protein raw materials are required. The demand for protein is essentially the demand for amino acids. The amino acid composition of protein determines protein quality, so attention should be paid to the proportions of various essential amino acids.
3. Rational use of additives
The rational use of additives in feed (flavoring agents, immune enhancers, enzyme preparations, vitamins, trace elements, etc.) plays a very important role in the healthy growth of piglets. Adding a certain proportion of sour flavoring additives to feed can have obvious effects on piglets: increasing feed palatability and improving piglet feed intake; lowering the pH value of the diet, making the gastrointestinal tract acidic; and forming complexes with various essential elements required by the piglet body that can be better absorbed and utilized by the body. Trace elements such as iron, zinc and selenium are essential life elements for piglets. Although their content in the animal body is small, they play a very important role in biochemical processes. As components of enzymes, vitamins and nucleic acids, they maintain the metabolic processes of life and are the main source of trace elements for piglets. In addition, zinc, copper, selenium, vitamin E and biotin are also key to preventing diarrhea in weaned piglets. Adding protease and amylase to feed can make up for insufficient endogenous digestive enzymes and improve the utilization rate of protein and carbohydrates; adding exogenous enzymes such as cellulolytic enzymes and xylanase can improve the digestibility of oligosaccharides in the diet that cannot be decomposed by animals, and can degrade anti-nutritional factors, reduce intestinal viscosity, promote the digestion and absorption of nutrients, and eliminate indigestion.