Feeding of sows with organic diets containing peas or faba beans during gestation and lactation

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Summary

The objective of this study was to examine the influence of pea and faba beans in the organic feeding of gilts and sows and phasing the lactation and gestation feeding on pregnant and lactating sows. The lactation feeding was phased by giving the sows more protein (rape seed expeller) at the last half of lactation (from 3 weeks lactation to weaning). The feeding of gestation was phased by replacing a part of the gestation feed with lactation feed at the last third of gestation.
Experiment was carried out with 84 sows. The experiment was focused on sow feeding during lactation (n=74 sows) as only a small number of the sows (n=23) had results from the gestation period. MTT’s sow unit was closed at the end of 2013. The results from the gestation period have been calculated and reported but the data was too small to draw conclusions.The sows were devided to three experimental groups: control (19.7% peas on lactation diet), experimental group 1 (19.7% pea and rapeseed expeller 3.4% after 21st day of lactation) and experimental group 2 (16.4% faba beans and rapeseed expeller 3.6% after 21st day of lactation). The diets contained also organic barley, wheat, oats and concentrate. The sows of different parity were located in the treatment groups: 1st parity, 2nd to 6th parity and 7th parity onwards.
Live weight and condition changes, fat measurements and the piglets weight development was studied using 100% organic diets. Milk samples were taken from a total of 24 sows. Samples were analyzed for dry matter, lactose, protein and fat concentrations.
The daily net energy intake of the sows was similar during the 21 days of lactation but from day 22 to weaning the NE intake was higher in the experimental groups 1 and 2 (103.8 MJ and 100.3 MJ/d) than in the control group (96.5 MJ/d). During lactation the sows lost 11.6 kg, 15.6 kg and 13.6 kg body weight in control group and the experimental groups 1 and 2 respectively. Total loss of body weight from farrowing to weaning, back and side fat changes (109th day of farrowing to weaning) were not affected by dietary treatment. The litter weight at weaning tended to be higher in the experimental groups 1 and 2 (161.2 kg and 154.6 kg) than in the control group (147.8 kg). In conclusion, the performance and production results of the sows with high daily energy intake were similar in diets containing peas and faba beans. The supply of additional protein feed had no effect on sow performance but tended to increase litter weight at weaning.

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• Feeding of sows with organic diets containing peas or faba beans during gestation and lactation. (deposited 02 Mar 2015 07:56)
  • Feeding of sows with organic diets containing peas or faba beans during gestation and lactation. (deposited 05 Mar 2015 14:34) [Currently Displayed]