dr. don giesting - feeding options to fit pig health

. © Copyright Cargill, Incorporated 2013. All rights reserved.

Feeding To Fit PigHealth

Don Giesting, Ph.D.

Cargill Incorporated

© Copyright Cargill, Incorporated 2013. All rights reserved.

A short journey

• Pre-weaning – what can we do to wean more, bigger pigs ready to grow after weaning?

• Post-weaning – what can we do to optimize performance of the pigs we have?

– Management– Nutrition

• Future opportunities

2


Raising healthy pigs is a real challenge!

The pig feeding challenge• More and more pigs are born per sow:

– Lower birth weight– More small pigs– More low viability pigs

• More pig have to share colostrum and milk• More pigs are weaned (at young age)

– Lower weaning weights– More small pigs are weaned

• Health challenges– Virus infections suppress immunity (PRRS/Circo)– Bacterial infections reduce performance

3


To prepare pigs for life away from the sow, they need to be able feed themselves.

• Creep Feeding is the practical opportunity we have to prepare pigs before weaning

(This may not be a practical way to deliver the creep feed)

4


Effect of litter size and creep feed on weaning weight

7 8 9 10 11 12 135.0

7.0

9.0

11.0

13.0

15.0

17.0

19.0

21.0 No creep feed

With creep feed

Litter size (no. pigs)

Wean

ing

weig

ht

(lb

s/p

ig)

.

Source: Kavanagh, 1995

The larger the litter, the more critical creep feeding is to weaning weight

5

© Copyright Cargill, Incorporated 2013. All rights reserved.6

0.67 .67-1.1 1.1-1.5 >1.50.05.0

10.015.020.025.030.035.040.045.050.055.0

17.9 18.7 18.7 19.8

6.8 7.1 8.2 8.4

23.4 23.6 23.8 25.1

at Wng 12 d PstWng 33 d PstWng

Prestarter intake before weaning (lbs/pig)

Wei

gh

t (l

bs)

48.149.4 50.7

53.4

The importance of creep feeding on post-weaning performance (4-week weaning)

Source: CAN GIC NL


Effect of varying creep feed duration on pre-weaning and post-weaning performance (Yan et al., 2011, AAJAS)

• 21 day weaning age• Duration of creep feeding: 6, 11 and 16 days• Creep feed

– 24% Lactose– 4% SD Porcine Plasma– 6% Isolated Soy Protein– 10% Fermented SBM

7


Effect of varying creep feed duration on pre-weaning and post-weaning performanceDays creep feeding 16 11 6 0

ADG, lbs/pig

Day 0-21; pre-wng .46 .46 .43 .44

D 21-28; wk 1 post-wng

.50 .46 .43 .43

Diarrhea score, 7d post-wng

4.25b 4.75b 6.20ab 9.80a

Sows

Estrus interval, days 4.50b 4.50b 5.00a 5.30a

Back fat loss, mm 0.23 0.18 0.57 0.38

Epinephrine, pg/ml 14.1b 22.1ab 33.0a 34.2a

Norepinephrine, pg/ml 101b 159ab 171ab 190a

Cortisol, Ug/dl 2.78b 2.84b 4.16a 4.28a

8

Source: Yan et al., 2011


Consider a special creep feed; not standard starter feed

• Piglets enzyme systems are not well developed limiting digestion of most standard starter feed at young age

– Lower protein reduces fermentation in hind gut– Simple or processed carbohydrates including lactose– Limited supplemental fat– Highly palatable

• Good pellet or crumble• No medication:

– Antibiotics may reduce palatability and lower feed intake– Risk of under-dosing increase risk of resistance?

9


Feeding the pig before weaning

• The more feed intake the better– Feed a creep feed designed for this purpose– Start at about 5 days of age – optimal; 10 days at the latest– Supply fresh feed to the animals daily

• Supply water that pigs can readily access• Ideal feeder:

– maximum height of 3 inches– Mat is OK, if feed can be managed to limit waste and provide

access almost continuously– placed where activity is

10

. © Copyright Cargill, Incorporated 2013. All rights reserved.

Post-weaning pig feeding

How do we help pigs recover from weaning?


The importance of healthy gastro-intestinal tract

Picture: CAN research NL

12


After weaning, villus length is reduced substantially

0 7 14 21 2820

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

Time after weaning, d

Vil

lou

s h

eig

ht,

% o

f w

ean

ing

Source: CAN NL Research, Wijtten 2011


High feed intake after weaning results in longer intestinal villi

before weaning491Um

High feed intake

268 g/d)438 Um

Low feed intake

(185 g/d)354 Um

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

feed intake

microm

eter

Source: Verdonk et al. 2007


Newly weaned pigs are in an energy deficient state - energy intake can take 7-21 days to equal that right before weaning


Pigs that consume more creep feed in lactation eat more quickly after weaning

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80

Latency to first feed intake, hours

% N

ot

ea

tin

g a

t ti

me

po

ints

eater

non-fed

non-eater

Source: Bruininx et al., 2002


How many days to feed creep feed post-weaning?

Trial 1:CAN - Spain (weaning age 24 days, 7 kg weaning weight)Change creep feed to prestarter feed:4 days post weaning6 days post weaning8 days post weaning10 days post weaning

Trial 2:CAN - Netherlands. (weaning age 21 days, 6.2 kg weaning weight)Change creep feed to prestarter feed:2 days post weaning4 days post weaning7 days post weaning

17


Trial 1 TAC Spain

Source : CAN TAC Spain

4 Days 6 Days 8 Days 10 Days37.5

38.0

38.5

39.0

39.5

40.0

40.5

38.6

39.9

40.4 40.3

Effect of longer creep feed (phase 1) feeding on weight 25 days post weaning

Days Post Weaning of creep feed before change to prestarter

Wei

gh

t (l

bs)

Optimal benefit ~1 week of Creep Feed after weaning

18


Trial 2 GIC Netherlands

2 Days 4 Days 7 Days24.4

24.6

24.8

25.0

25.2

25.4

25.6

25.8

24.9

25.5

25.7

Effect of longer creep feed (phase 1) feeding on weight 21 days post weaning

Days Post Weaning of creep feed before change to prestarter

Wei

gh

t (l

bs)

Source : CAN GIC NL

Optimal benefit ~ 4-7 days of Creep Feed after weaning

19


First 14 days post-weaning280

212

249

168

100

150

200

250

300

23 hours 8 hours 23 hours 8 hours

Fe

ed

in

tak

e

(g

/d)

100

150

200

250

300

Da

ily

ga

in

(g/d

)

Feed intake Daily gain

Source: Van den Boogaart, 2001

Effect of light on post-weaning performance

Don’t leave pigs in the dark!

20


• Daily intake pattern of pigs vaccinated 1 week before weaning or with weaning at 21 days of age.

0

100

200

300

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Fee

d In

take

, g

/d

Days after weaning

Pigs vaccinated 1 wk before weaning

Pigs vaccinated at weaning

Source: Mavromichalis et al.

Vaccination time can affect feed intake

21


Water intake is a key to post weaning feed intake

• At least 1 nipple waterer per 10 pigs • With more than 1 nipple have them a minimum of 3 feet apart• Have enough output

from the nipples

• Clean water system

22


Effect of sorting pigs going into the nursery

Sorted on weight Not sorted on weight

Weaning wt (lbs) 10.8 10.8

Final weight (lbs) 52.0a 53.1b

Gain, (g/p/d) .91a .93b

Intake, (g/p/d) 1.23a 1.26b

FCR 1.36 1.36

abp<0.01

Source: CAN NA research1760 piglets day 0 to 45 Pst-Wng


Suggestions to enhance early, post-weaning feed intake• Creep feed in suckling period (beginning at 5-10 d of age) more and

earlier intake post-weaning• Keep same feed post-weaning as before weaning

– Relatively higher energy: protein more intake, less diarrhea– Palatable & familiar

• Feeder:– Preferably open feeders to promote group eating – Enough light to see inside the feeder– Plenty of feeder space

• Light is important to encourage finding the feeder and increase imitation and curiosity – keep the lights on

• Sorting probably reduces intake the first few days after weaning

24


<0 0-.33 .33-.5 >.5230

235

240

245

250

255

239

244

250253

Gain (lbs/d) 0-8d post-weaning

Liv

ew

eig

ht

(lb

s)

at

15

6 d

ps

t-w

ng

Source: Tokach et al., 1992

Early post-weaning gain & final weight


• Pigs that eat more are more resistant to disease and have better health through out the growth period

• Improved average gain in the total nursery period• Better uniformity better utilization of the building and less risk of

violating all-in-all-out principles• Better “life-time performance”

Optimizing feed intake of piglets in the first week post weaning pays off!

27


Balancing diets for varying health conditions

• Macro-nutrients…Protein, Carbohydrates & Fats

– Should we adjust sourcing and levels according to stress and health levels?

• Additives…– How might conditions affect which

ones we choose and how much benefit we get?

28


Protein and amino acid nutrition• Protein paradox –

– Requirements for amino acids are high to reach maximum growth– Protein in excess of digestive capability leads to fermentation and

diarrhea; reduced with lower protein diet– Specific amino acid requirements to counteract gut health challenges

vary from those for growth and may not be supplied at adequate levels with a low protein diet balanced to a typical ideal protein ratio• Glutamine & glutamate – increase innate and adaptive immunity

(macrophage and lymphocyte) under challenge; increase gut integrity and cell division; fuel source for gut mucosal cells

• Alanine & glycine – may increase anti-secretory peptide• Threonine – required for mucus proteins and gut repair• Tryptophan – may increase villus/crypt ratio, but may reduce intake

• Optimal protein and amino acid feeding approach and levels may differ depending on health status and stress levels

29


Carbohydrates• Lactose is expensive, but important, especially to challenged pigs

– Energy source for young or challenged pigs– Acts as a prebiotic, as ~30% may be left undigested by the end of the SI– Effects may be partially replaced by other carbohydrates, fermentable

fiber, prebiotics, or some acidifiers, but somewhat health dependent• Fiber effects vary

– “No” fiber diets may alleviate diarrhea, $$$– Fermentable, soluble fibers (psyllium, beet pulp, chicory (inulin), etc.)

may enhance gut health and favor larger, more diverse bacterial populations & high LAB’s, but effects may be limited in high lactose diets

– Insoluble fiber (brans) absorb water, reduce binding of some bad bacteria to reduce diarrhea, but dilute energy in the diet

• “Grain” fibers (especially arabinoxylans) and raw starches– Generally, neutral, but with health challenges or very young pigs may

increase risk of diarrhea – Processing or, potentially, enzyme supplementation may help

30


Fats

• Concentrated energy sources, BUT– One of the first and most predictive indicators of gut damage is

reduction in fat digestibility– Medium chain fats and some unsaturated fats are generally well

utilized, but expensive– Less expensive, more saturated fats are fine for healthy pigs

beyond 4 weeks of age, but may not be with digestive tract challenges

– In creep feeds and immediately post-weaning, if conditions are challenging, it is probably best to limit fat to modest levels (<2% added)

31


Which additives work? Why? When?

© 2006 Cargill Incorporated. All Rights Reserved.

Zinc oxide – very consistent, relatively low cost additive improves performance, especially in stressed & challenged pigs

Acidifiers – reduces diarrhea, improves digestibility, improves gain and FCR; complement or partially replace antibiotics

Probiotics – yeast & bacteria• Competitive exclusion• Metabolites & enzymes• Immune protection• May aid gut repair

Enzymes – diet and sometimes health dependent

Additives can complement each other; or not…depends on MOA’s, levels, health challenges

32


Zinc oxide – an effective and instructive additive• Concerns and regulations in parts of the world limit use, may become

an issue in US; replacement requires understanding of how and why it works

• Recent research is shedding light on zinc oxide– Increase IgA in the gut– Reduce genetic expression of inflammatory cytokines– Increase anti-microbial peptide secretion from bone marrow– Reduce translocation of bacteria to lymphocytes and blocks

cascade leading to mast cell (limit immune system activation)– Prevent barrier leakage of macro-molecules following stress

• Similar measures may help us identify, understand and improve success with other additives

33


Promote ProHacid Advance improves ADG & FCR on top of antibiotics

Control + antibiotic only

antibiotic + Advance

0.60

0.63ADG

b

14 days post-weaning

a,b Means within a row with different superscripts differ significantly (p<0.05).

a

Source : Cargill Application Center, NA, 2012, Antibiotic: Pulmotil, with 235 ppm Cu (from CuSO4) and 3000 ppm Zn (from ZnO)

(26)

Control + antibiotic w/o acids

antibiotic + Advance blend type

1.41

1.35

FCRa

b

Lbs/d

34


Variable challenges – adjusting nutrition

High health, low stress, eating well

• Lower cost diets to reduce production cost; limit lactose and plasma

• Push nutrient levels higher to attain genetic potential

• Allow more plant proteins and starches

• Adjust additive package to maximize efficiency and lower cost of gain

Low health, high stress, eating poorly

• Wean to creep feed• Invest in key nutrient sources –

plasma, lactose• Lower plant proteins and

protein levels to reduce gut damage & diarrhea

• Use combinations of additives to support gut repair, intake, and reduce diarrhea

35


Future opportunities• Better models of gut immunity, microbial status, management effects &

opportunities to improve these• Understanding and providing precursors to better protect the gut

– Barrier function– Healthier commensal bacterial populations– Faster gut repair when damaged – Feeding to enhance immunity, cytokine modulation

• Control of gene expression to limit inflammatory, secretory factors, and gut damaging effects

• Combating oxidative stress and gut damage by nutrition• Better targeted delivery of additives and nutrient precursors to key

areas of the gut

36


All we need to do is sort this out…

37

dr. don giesting - feeding options to fit pig health

Technology

cargill incorporated

special creep feed

creep feed postweaning

prestarter feed

feed intake source

better feed

able feed

um400low feed intake