Performance characteristics of sows fed enriched diet from weaning to service in a commercial flock

Abstract

Fielded data from 40 sows together with obtained data from 1999 to 2005 we analysed to determine the performance of sows fed enriched diet from weaning to a service in a commercialflock. The data were on litter size at birth (LTZVT), litter size at weaning (LTZWN), weaning age (WNAGE) forrowing interval (FRINT), purity (PRTY) and reproductive life (PRODLF).  Mean value of 9.44(no), 6.04(no), 31.874, 453.58d and 3.65yrs were obtained for LTZBT, LTZWN, WNAGE, FRINT and PRODLF respectively. The influence of parity on sow's performance was analyzed while mortality and sows efficiency of production were determined. Anagonistic relationship existed between production and reproduction traite. Mortality amongst piglets increased with weaning age. Over 80% of sows hold PRINT of less than 157 days, farrowed litters greater than 7 and 55% weaned litter size of over 8. Parity had no influence on sow's performancw. Sow efficiency of production indices showed that sows had 2 farrowing/year, a farrowing rate of 84% and small litter index of less than 17%. The findings of this study have indicated that better performance of sows can be achieved by giving enriched diet (flushing) from weaning to a service rather than the practice of flushing only few days to service