Swine Nutrition & Management

Swine Nutrition & Management

AnS 320Fall 2006

2

Feeding Pigs -- Major Biological Processes

Maintenance Repair or replacement of body tissues and fluids Voluntary (walking) and involuntary (heart

contractions) activities Generation of body heat for warmth Regulation of immune systems

Growth Production of body tissues (muscle, bone),

organs (mammary glands), fluids (milk), fluid components (red blood cells)

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Factors Affecting Nutrient Requirements of Pigs

Environment Temperature, weather, housing, competition

Breed, sex, and genetic background Health status of the herd Presence of molds, toxins, or inhibitors Availability and absorption of dietary

nutrients

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Factors Affecting Nutrient Requirements of Pigs

Variation of nutrient content and availability in the feed

Level of feed additives or growth promotants

Energy concentration in the diet Level of feeding – limit feeding vs. ad

libitum

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Energy

Mostly supplied by carbohydrates and fats Cereal grains – corn, milo, wheat, barley,

and by-products Fat – 2.25 X energy of cereal grains Most cereal grains and fats are palatable

and digestible Cereal by-products are more variable –

limited use in swine diets

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Cereal Grains

Corn is primary energy source Generally meet the pig’s energy needs Must be supplemented with:

Amino acids (protein) Vitamins Minerals

Must determine adequate energy intake If low-energy feeds are used or external factors limit

feed intake Pigs are limit fed – sows and gilts

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Additional Energy Sources

Milo – equal substitute for corn – primarily used in Southwest

Wheat – excellent feed grain, usually not competitive in price

Barley – less energy and more fiber – improves meat quality???

Oats – more lysine, more fiber High-lysine corn – selected for improved protein

quality

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Fat in Swine Diets

Choice white grease, beef tallow, corn oil, soybean oil

2.25 X metabolizable energy of cereal grains 3 – 5% fat in grow-finish diets will improve

ADG and FE Tends to increase backfat Reduces dust and wear on equipment Potential handling and storage problems Economic decision

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Proteins andAmino Acids

Pig does not have a specific requirement for crude protein

Does have requirements for amino acids Proteins are made up of different combinations of

approximately 20 different amino acids Proteins are broken down into amino acids that

are absorbed into the bloodstream Crude protein usually meets AA requirements –

must check if synthetic amino acids or by-products are used

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Essential Amino Acids

10 essential amino acids Most cereal grains are limiting in lysine, tryptophan,

threonine, and methionine Level determines protein quality – lysine is most

important Limiting amino acid – protein synthesis cannot

proceed beyond level of any essential amino acid Deficiency results in lower ADG, reduced FE,

unthriftiness, and reduced reproductive performance

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Amino Acid Deficiency

Consider amino acids as the staves of a barrel You can fill the barrel (growth rate) only to the

level of the shortest stave

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Rain Barrel Concept

Shortage of an amino acid will limit growth and (or) reproductive performance

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Sources of Amino Acids

Plant sources Soybean meal – primary source in swine diets Cottonseed meal Corn gluten meal

Animal sources Meat and bone meal Tankage Fish meal Spray-dried blood meal – early-weaned pig diets

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Synthetic Amino Acids

Can reduce feed costs and maintain pig performance

Lysine and methionine are most common Synthetic lysine can reduce soybean meal

requirement – must evaluate economics Not used in gestation and lactation diets

Gestation – poorly utilized if not fed ad libitum Lactation – decreases amount of other AA relative to

lysine – reduce litter weaning weights

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Minerals

Role ranges from structural functions to wide variety of regulatory functions

Important for health and well-being of the pig Importance increased with confinement due to

reduced access to soil and forages Macrominerals – major minerals

Calcium, phosphorus, sodium, chlorine, magnesium, potassium

Microminerals – minor or trace minerals Zinc, copper, iron, manganese, iodine, selenium,

chromium

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Minerals to Swine Diets

Should not be added haphazardly “If a little is good, more is better” does not

hold true Some minerals, if added in excess, will

interfere with absorption of other minerals All minerals have a toxic level Impact on environment

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Calcium and Phosphorus

Important in skeletal structure and development Essential for blood clotting, muscle contraction,

energy metabolism Deficiency will result in impaired bone

mineralization, reduced bone growth, and poor growth rate

“Downer Sows” may result if sows are fed diets low in Ca and P – sows remove Ca and P from the bone, decreasing bone strength

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Calcium and Phosphorus

Calcium Most grains are low in calcium Limestone is source of supplemental Ca

Phosphorus Mainly supplied by dicalcium phosphate or

monocalcium phosphate Feeds of animal origin are high in calcium and

available phosphorus P content of cereal grains is mainly phytate

phosphorus – poorly utilized by swine

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Phytate Phosphorus – Unavailable Form of Phosphorus

50 to 70% of P in plant products is unavailable to the pig

Not digested and is excreted in manure Excess phosphorus excretion into the environment

– formulate diets based on available P Phytase – enzyme that increases digestibility of

phytate phosphorus Use to reduce phosphorus excretions Evaluate economics

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Vitamins

Required for normal metabolic function Development of normal tissues Growth and maintenance Some are produced by the pig, some are present

in commonly used feed ingredients, several must be added to swine diets

Natural sources – very few are used today Green leafy plants, grasses, alfalfa Less variety in feed ingredients to supply vitamins Vitamin content of grain and protein sources may be

unavailable or lost during storage

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Important Vitamins

Fat-soluble A, D, E, and K

Water-soluble or B-complex Pantothenic acid Riboflavin Niacin B12

Gestation/Lactation Diets Folic acid, pyridoxine, choline, biotin

Synthetic vitamins added in form of vitamin premix

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Changes in Vitamin/Mineral Nutrition

Increased confinement – no access to growing crops and soil

Increased use of slotted floors – less recycling of feces

Fewer protein sources in diets Reduced daily feed intake in gestation Early weaning of pigs – diet is more critical Availability of nutrients in heat-dried grains and

feed ingredients varies widely

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Water

Most essential and cheapest of all nutrients Water deprivation

Reduces feed consumption, limits growth and feed efficiency, lowers milk production

Physiological functions Temperature regulation Transport of nutrients and wastes Metabolic processes Lubrication Milk production

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Water Requirements

Related to feed intake and body weight 80% of BW at birth 50% of BW in finished market pig

Pigs consume 1.5 to 2X as much water as feed Need is increased with:

High salt intake High temperatures Fever, diarrhea Lactation

Wet feeding or liquid feeding Improved FE and less water wastage in finishing Potential for spoilage and mold problems

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Feed Additives

Animal drugs – antibiotics, dewormers Withdrawal time

Growth-promoting minerals Copper sulfate, zinc oxide

Enzymes – phytase Organic acids – may improve digestibility for

early weaned pigs Probiotics – organisms that stimulate growth of

desirable organisms in the gut Lactobacillus, streptococcus, etc.

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Feed Processing Systems

Complete feed – ready-to-feed product delivered to the farm

Grain and supplement (40% protein) Base mix program – everything except

grain and protein Premix program –

Most precisely designed and cost-effective Macro minerals, trace minerals, and vitamins

added to protein and grain

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Evaluating Economics

Base price of ingredients is important Cheapest diet is not always best Evaluate cost/lb of gain Numerous opportunities to evaluate and

adjust diets

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Impact of Changing Diet Cost by $5/ton

Weight Feed/pig,lb Cents/pig

11-15 5 1.2

15-25 15 3.8

25-50 50 12.5

50-80 69 17.2

80-120 107 26.8

120-160 119 29.8

160-200 132 33.0

200-250 177 44.2

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Lactation

A lactating sow nursing 9 + pigs/litter is estimated to need approximately 17 Mcal of metabolizable

energy and 45 to 50 grams of lysine

per day

KSU Swine Nutrition Guide

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What Factors Affect Feed Intake of Lactating Sows??

Environmental Conditions Particularly HEAT Room temps, geographical area, season

Genetics High-lean lines have reduced appetites

Parity Older parities have more capacity to ingest feed

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Feed intake and nutrient content of diets tend to be inversely related

Sow Feed Intake

Nutrient Contentof Ration

Daily NutrientRequirements

12 lbs12 lbs

1.4 Mcal/lb

0.9 %

17 Mcal ME

50 g lysine=x

KSU, Swine Nutrition Guide

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Feed intake and nutrient content of diets tend to be inversely related

Sow FeedIntake

Nutrient Contentof Ration

Daily NutrientRequirements

12 lbs 8 lbs

2.1 Mcal/lb

1.4%

17 Mcal ME

50 g lysine=x

KSU, Swine Nutrition Guide

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Feed intake and nutrient content of diets tend to be inversely related

Sow FeedIntake

Nutrient Contentof Ration

Daily NutrientRequirements

12 lbs16 lbs

1.1 Mcal/lb

0.7 %

17 Mcal ME

50 g lysine=x

KSU Swine Nutrition Guide

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Effect of Drip and Snout Coolers on Feed Intake

Drip CoolerSnout

OffOff

OffOn

OnOff

OnOn

Feed Intake, lb

7.8 10.6

12.3

12.9

Resp Rate/min

62 72 54 43

McGlone et al., 1988; room temperature maintained at 86° F.

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General Guidelines for Feeding Lactating Sows

Never limit feed sows Estimate feed intake patterns and adjust

diets accordingly Meet the target lysine and energy intakes Record feed intake or chart daily consumption

Consider two or more lactation diets Summer versus winter Gilts versus sows

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General Feeding Recommendations after Farrowing

Option 1. Ad libitum access to feed following farrowing Gets the female to full feed quickly May result in more opportunity for

lactation failure (some farms report this as a problem)

Important to actively get sows up at feeding time

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General Feeding Recommendations after Farrowing

Option 2. Start at 4 to 5 pounds per day on day of farrowing, increase in 2 to 3 pound intervals over the next 3 days Full feed achieved in about 4 to 5 days May result in fewer milk production

problems May result in more total feed intake

during lactation

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Increasing Feed Intake

Cool sows Snout coolers, drip system Intermittent dripping is best

Feed 2 to 3 times per day Get sows up and moving Early mornings and nights when heat stressed

Provide only Fresh Feed Avoid stale feed in feeder and feed supply Clean old feed out thoroughly

Wet Feeding Gruel feeding, be aware of potential for spoilage

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Impact of Water Intake on Milk Production

Sow will drink 5 to 8 gallons of water a day Recommended flow rate of 4

cups per minute Effect of 0.3 cup/min vs 3 cups/min

10 to 15% reduction in Feed Intake over a 21 day lactation

Stray-voltage will severely restrict water intake and impact performance

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Lactation Feeding Levels

Parity ADF (lb/day @21 day) 1 10.0 to 11.0 2 13.0 to 14.0 3 + 14.0 to 16.0

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Early Weaning Technology

Goal -- to control chronic swine diseases by isolating the young pig from its dam at an early age

Pigs are free of many chronic pathogens at birth

Colostral antibodies are important

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Benefits of Early Weaning

Reduce production losses caused by disease

Reduce medication costs Maximize potential for

lean growth Increase pigs/breeding

female/year Reduces need for total

depopulation of herd

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Feeding Behavior

Early weaned pigs try to eat at the feeder simultaneously

Place feed on a feeding board several times a day to provide ample space

Use clean polyethylene boards to prevent transfer of infectious organisms

Implement short feeding times on boards Feed is expensive Higher feed wastage ½ to 1 in. high rim to prevent wastage

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Feeder Design

A variety of manufacturers market nursery feeders

that are properly designed.

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Goals - Nursery Performance

ADG between .80 and .90 lb/day F/G between 1.55 and 1.75 Mortality < 2% Feed costs ~ $7 per pig

$.15 to $.20 per lb of gain

Nutritional Programs for Early Weaned Pigs

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Early-Weaned Pigs

Good nutrition is critical immediately after weaning1) Good nutrition increases average daily gain

through market

2) Good nutrition maximizes lean growth potential

3) Good nutrition decreases the risk of enteric disease

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Protein Sources:

Whey-Protein

Spray-DriedEgg Protein

Spray-DriedPlasma Protein

Fish Meal

Skim MilkFurther Processed

Soy Products

Soybean Meal

Spray-Dried Blood Meal

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Diet Form

Meal diets vs. Pelleted or Crumbled diets Feed wastage is 20%

higher in meal diets Decreased feed efficiency Limited feed intake? Meal diets do not feed

down & out of feeders easily because of bridging

Reduce bridging by limiting added fat to 1%

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Example Feed Budgets Per Pig

13 lbs.9 lbs.6 lbs.Diet

505050Phase 3

151515Phase 2

2----Phase 1

--55Transition

--15SEW

21 d14 d7 d

Weaning Age and Initial Weight

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Recommended dietary lysine levels for high-health-status SEW pigs

Diet Total Dietary Lysine, %

SEW Diet 1.70 to 1.80

Transition Diet 1.50 to 1.60

Phase 1 1.40 to 1.50

Phase 2 1.30 to 1.40

Phase 3 1.15 to 1.30

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Percentage of nursery feed cost per diet phase (%)

13 lbs.9 lbs.6 lbs.Diet

645246Phase 3

272219Phase 2

10NANAPhase 1

NA1614Transition

NA1021SEW

21 d14 d7 d

Weaning Age and Initial Weight

Influence of Segregated Early Weaning on Pig Performance

8.2 12.821.8

37.9

52.1

76.9

8.2 13.4

31.1

52.2

76.9

108.2

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

7 21 35 49 63 77

ControlSEW

Days of Age

lb

Dritz et al. 1996

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Influence of Growth During the First Week Post Weaning on Subsequent Performance

0 7 28 56 156

0

5

10

15

20

Weight Advantage, lb

Tokach et al., 1992 Day Postweaning

< 0 lb/d0 - .33 lb/d.33 - .50 lb/d> .50 lb/d

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Low feed intake in the first week after weaning is associated with increased risk of diarrhea and slow growth

Madec et al., 1998

33.6

18.6

1.10

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

< .31 .31 to .43 .43 to .54

Day 0 to 7 After Weaning ADFI, lb

Odds R

atio

106 Farms

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All-In, All-Out (AIAO) in Finishing

Strict sanitation and biosecurity Follow the rules – remove all pigs from

the facility, including tailenders Increased weight gain (6 – 10%) Decreased days to market (6 – 10 days) Improved feed efficiency (5 – 7%)

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Feed Efficiency

Traditional Measure lb feed/lb live wt gain

Each 0.1 unit improvement in feed efficiency (lb feed:lb live gain) reduces feed cost by $1.00 to $1.50/pig or more

Progressive lb feed/lb lean gain

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Factors Influencing Feed Efficiency

Non-nutritional factors Feed wastage Stress (temperature, crowding) Health status Adequacy of feed preparation (particle

size and form) Nutritional Factors

Nutrient composition of diet Adequacy of diet for genetic type and

production environment

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Feed Wastage, Impact on Feed Utilization

Improper adjustmentPoor designEconomic and Environmental Benefits to proper adjustment

% Feed Loss

Feed Loss/pig (lb)

Cost $/pig Feed @ .06/lb

Cost $/pig Feed @.08/lb)

1 6 $.36 $.48 3 18 $1.08 $1.44 5 30 $1.80 $2.40 7 42 $2.52 $3.36

* 50 to 250 lbs; 3:1 feed/gain; .60% P and 2.4% N in diet

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Feed Wastage, Impact on Feed Utilization

Improper adjustmentPoor design Economic and Environmental Benefits to proper adjustment

% Feed Loss

Feed Loss/pig (lb)

Feed N Waste/pig (lb)

Feed P Waste/pig(lb)

1 6 .14 .04 3 18 .43 .11 5 30 .72 .18 7 42 1.01 .25

* 50 to 250 lbs; 3:1 feed/gain; .60% P and 2.4% N in diet

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Properly Adjusted Feeder

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Impact of Feed Preparation on Feed Efficiency

Pellets 5% FE $10 to $15 /ton

cost Reduced dust

Meal Lower cost/ton On-farm grinding Fewer ulcers

Feed particle size (target 600-800 microns)

size Dry matterFeed/Gain700 86.1 1.74700-1000 84.9 1.82>1000 83.7 1.93

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Feed Intake

Critical for establishing nutrient intake Measuring and monitoring on the farm is

critical Sex effect is large

barrows consume ~10% more than gilts

Genetic lines differ in voluntary intake Seasonal effects can be significant

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How do we feed the G/F pig??

Split sex feedingBarrow Gilt

Feed Intake higher – 10 %ADG higher – 8 to 10 %Feed Efficiency poorer + 2 to 3 %Lean Meat % poorer + 1 to 3 %

Sexes fed to meet intake, growth and lean potential

Barrows -- lower protein (lysine) Gilts -- higher density energy and protein (lysine)

levels

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Phase Feeding Matching nutrient levels to the pig’s needs

Multiple diet formulations during G/F Often geared toward the middle or average

pigs because weight variation exists within groups

Between 3 and 6 diets often used Dependent on the understanding of pigs’

genotype, environment, feed costs, feed processing costs, target ending weight

Liquid diets may facilitate easier changes

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Nutritional Management

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

Cru

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Pro

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%

“Single Phase” Nutritional Program

Underfeed CP

Overfeed CP

50 250Live Weight

15% CP (50 to 250 lb)

Excess N and P excretion

Poor pig performance

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Nutritional Management

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

Cru

de

Pro

tein

%

“Multiple Phase” Nutrition Program designed to meet genetic capacity, health and facilities of

the pig

50 250Live Weight

Minimize overfeedingof essential nutrients

CP and Nutrient Levels changed frequently to closely match pig needs

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Management Considerations

Space requirements Conventional confinement finisher

7.5 to 8 square feet per pig Hoop structures

12 to 15 square feet per pig

Water access Nipple waterers (minimum of 2 per pen)

one for every 8 to 12 pigs Bowl waterers

one bowl for each 8 to 10 pigs

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Management Considerations

Feeder space requirements General rule -- Dry feeders

Space for 15 - 25% of pigs eating simultaneously

1 feeder hole per 4 to 5 pigs

10 to 12 inches of space per feeder hole

Wet/Dry feeders Two holes for each 20 to 25 pigs

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Management Considerations Group Size

Confinement Facilities 20 - 25 pigs/pen standard Significant interest in groups sizes of up to 500 +

Hoop Structures 75 to 200 head per group standard

Thermal comfort zone Temperature range in which animal does not have to expend

additional energy to regulate its body temperature40 - 75 lbs 70 - 85 oF

75 - 150 lbs 60 - 83 oF

150 - 250 lbs 45 - 80 oF

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Wean-to-Finish Concept

Benefits observed in labor and/or pig efficiency Reduced transportation costs

Fewer moves and less labor to move pigs Reduced labor for washing and disinfecting

Fewer nursery rooms to clean Reduced stress of moving and commingling

Improved ADG, better FE Increased facility flexibility

Finisher can be modified easier than a nursery Reduced down-time between groups

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Wean to Finish Facility

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Disadvantages of Wean-to-Finish

Increased facility cost $15 to $20 per head to accommodate young pig Supplemental heat, mats, feeders, etc.

Less efficient space utilization Especially with the small pig

Potential for higher utility costs Supplemental heat early

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Wean-to-Finish Conclusions

Decision is farm situation dependent Must fit production flow Revenue must offset additional cost Health issue alone may be driver for some

operations