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M A Nagai, E K Buttrey, 140 Effects of Post-Weaning Mat-Feeding Frequency on Piglet Health and Performance., Journal of Animal Science, Volume 96, Issue suppl_1, March 2018, Page 75, https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/sky027.140
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Abstract
The objective of the current study was to evaluate effects of the frequency of mat-feeding on piglet performance and health. Mat-feeding is a management strategy commonly used in the swine industry in an attempt to mitigate the negative effects of weaning stressors on piglet performance and health. Commercial piglets sired by PIC®337 (n = 1,737; BW = 6.5 ± 0.1 kg) were sorted by sex and assigned to 1 of 62 pens. Pens were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 treatment groups based on daily frequency of mat-feeding 3.2 kg of prestarter feed (0, 1, 2, or 3 times daily for 7 d post-weaning; CON, MAT1, MAT2, MAT3, respectively). With the exception of mat-feeding, all animal husbandry and management practices were equal across experimental treatments and followed PQA Plus® guidelines. Collection of performance data and health data continued for 6 wk post-weaning. Body weight and estimated feed consumption were collected weekly for each pen. Health was evaluated based on the number of piglets removed from a pen for examination and/or administration of pharmaceuticals. Data were analyzed using MIXED MODEL and GLIMMIX procedures of SAS. From d 0 to 7 piglets in the CON treatment consumed less feed and were more efficient (P ≤ 0.01) than all other treatments when prestarter feed was included in the analysis. However, when prestarter feed was removed from the analysis, feed consumption and efficiency were equal across all treatments (P ≥ 0.46). From d 32 to 38, average daily gain tended to differ among treatments (0.82, 0.82, 0.76, 0.78 ± 0.02 kg, P = 0.07; CON, MAT1, MAT2, MAT3, respectively). Throughout the remainder of the study, performance was not affected by treatment (P ≥ 0.39). Estimated feed consumption, feed efficiency and health were similar among all treatments (P ≥ 0.18). In the current study, mat-feeding did not improve piglet performance and health as compared to no mat-feeding.
