Detailed Explanation of Key Technical Points for Pig Feeding and Management

(1) Common Technical Requirements for Feeding and Management of Pigs

1. Advocate feeding pigs with raw feed

In rural @#@227@#@, feed is often cooked and mixed into a thin mash for feeding. This "clear soup to fill a big belly" method not only wastes feed, fuel and labor, but also results in slow weight gain and high feeding costs. If raw feed is used instead, the above shortcomings can be overcome.

2. Diversify feed types and rationally combine concentrated, green and coarse feed. Pig farming practice has proven that a diet composed of multiple varieties allows nutrients to complement each other, so as to make up for the defects of certain nutritional imbalances caused by a single feed, better meet the needs of pigs, and also improve feed utilization. A rationally combined diet should be nutritionally complete, appropriate in volume, good in palatability, and easy to digest. This must be done by combining them in reasonable proportions. The general ratio of concentrated, green and coarse feed is: at the 20-30 kg stage 1:1-1.5:0.02; at the 35-60 kg stage 1:2-3:0.2-0.4; at the 60-90 kg stage 1:1.5-3.0:0.3.

(2) Feeding and Management of Breeding Sows

1. Feeding and Management of Pregnant Sows

① Physiological Characteristics of Pregnant Sows

Weight gain. A pregnant adult sow can gain 10-20% in body weight. Weight gain is slower in early pregnancy and faster in late pregnancy.

Pregnant sows have a very high utilization rate of nutrients, with feed utilization 9.2-18.1% higher than during the non-pregnant period.

Strong ability to synthesize nutrients. Throughout pregnancy it is 11-14% higher than during the non-pregnant period, and in late pregnancy it is 30-40% higher.

② Feeding and Management of Pregnant Sows

According to the physiological characteristics of pregnant sows, the general requirement for nutrition is to supply a relatively smaller amount in early pregnancy, but with good feed quality; and to supply a larger amount in late pregnancy, also with good quality. Throughout pregnancy, large amounts of green and coarse feed can be used to save concentrated feed. The following feeding methods can be adopted respectively:

The "concentrated at both ends, coarse in the middle" feeding method. This method is suitable for multiparous sows in poor body condition. Because of the greater consumption during lactation, nutrition needs to be strengthened after mating to quickly restore reproductive body condition. This period is about 20-30 days, during which, in addition to feeding high-quality green and coarse feed, some concentrated feed should also be appropriately added. After that, maintain a medium nutritional level until the third month of pregnancy, then appropriately strengthen nutrition again and increase concentrated feed.

The "step by step rising" feeding method. This method is suitable for first-litter sows and sows that conceived during lactation. Generally, in early pregnancy, green and coarse feed is dominant, and as the days of pregnancy increase, the proportion of concentrated feed in the daily ration is gradually increased to meet the needs of the sow's growth and development and her own consumption.

The "coarse first, concentrated later" feeding method. It is suitable for multiparous sows in good body condition. In early pregnancy, no or little concentrated feed may be used, and concentrated feed is added only when the fetuses grow rapidly in late pregnancy.

Pregnant sows must never be fed moldy or spoiled feed, such as sweet potatoes with black spot disease, moldy clumps of bran, oil cakes, and rotten silage. From 3-5 days before farrowing, green and coarse feed should be reduced to avoid pressing the abdominal cavity and causing premature birth.

To avoid paralysis before or after farrowing, sufficient calcium, phosphorus and vitamin D should be supplied, and appropriate exercise should be noted. To prevent mechanical miscarriage, chasing and whipping pregnant sows should be prohibited, and crowding and fighting should be prevented.

2. Feeding and Management of Lactating Sows

① Characteristics of Lactating Sows and Feeding Methods

A lactating sow can produce 200-400 kg of milk throughout the lactation period, containing 36-54 kg of dry matter. Most of the nutrients for synthesizing milk come from feed, and a small part comes from the sow's body weight loss (loss of fat). When a sow is malnourished, she relies on "losing fat" to produce milk for the piglets, so the sow loses a great deal of body weight. If this continues for a long time, it will reduce her lifetime reproductive capacity. Therefore, lactating sows must be well fed and supplied with sufficient high-quality feed.

Lactating sows generally have two feeding methods:

The "concentrated first, coarse later" feeding method. It is suitable for thin and weak lactating sows. The first month is the period of vigorous milk production, and the feeding level is relatively high; about 70% of the concentrated feed for the lactation period can be used in this period. After that, milk production declines, and the piglets can eat feed on their own, so the sow's nutritional level declines accordingly; less concentrated feed and more green and coarse feed can be fed.

The "consistent strengthening" method. It is suitable for first-litter sows or sows bred during lactation, maintaining a relatively high nutritional level throughout the entire lactation period.

② Feeding and Management

In the first few days after farrowing, special attention should be paid to careful feeding; feed with large volume and poor digestibility must not be given. After farrowing, the sow consumes a great deal of energy, tends to sleep, and her gastrointestinal motility slows down, weakening digestive function. On the first day after farrowing, feed easily digestible feed with a mild laxative effect, such as bran soup and an appropriate amount of green feed such as chard. On the 2nd-3rd day, feed until 70-80% full, then gradually increase. Never increase feed too much or too abruptly in the 3-5 days after farrowing, to prevent the sow from indigestion or mastitis, or cause piglet diarrhea due to excessive milk.

Appropriately increase the number of feedings and provide sufficient drinking water. Feed 3-4 times a day, with an additional feeding at night, which helps increase milk production. 80% of pig milk is water, so increasing water intake also plays a great role in increasing milk production. In summer, feed should be thinner, with 1-2 additional water feedings; in winter, feed thicker, with additional warm water.

If the sow's milk supply is insufficient, the cause of the insufficient milk should be identified and effective measures taken according to the problem. If milk deficiency is caused by malnutrition, feed that promotes milk production can be added, such as soybean milk, rice milk, cooked large intestine soup, @#@237@#@, @#@236@#@, etc. If it is due to disease, a veterinarian should be consulted for treatment.