Best Feed Formula For Piglets To Boost Their Growth
Piglets, also known as Baby pigs, are young pigs or newly delivered pigs from a pregnant sow. Colostrum is critical to the survival of a piglet (young pig or baby pig), so much so that a piglet who does not receive enough colostrum soon after birth has a very low chance of survival.
This is why it is essential for a piglet to consume at least 250–300 g of colostrum within the first 24 hours of birth in order for it to continue developing. Piglets are born without immune systems that are fully functional or developed. The colostrum from their mother is crucial for immune function because it contains the first antibodies.
The foundation for the animal’s future growth and performance is laid by the quality of the feed, which is a crucial component of piglet rearing. The physiological needs during the weaning period are very specific and call for extremely palatable diets that promote feed intake and, as a result, improve performance. During the first six weeks of life, nutritional needs rapidly change. The starter feed’s quality and selection of ingredients are very important.
In starter feeds, the components must be highly digestible and the nutrient and energy concentration must be high. The ingredients must be devoid of any bacterial, mycotoxin, etc. contamination.
To provide the best support for the animals, it is necessary to use two to three starter feeds, ranging from creep feed to a starter feed for weaned piglets (depending on the system).
The piglet experiences a lot of stress during weaning. The circumstances in which it is performed determine whether it will be successful (comfort, temperature, humidity, availability of water and feed). The amount of feed consumed before weaning will have an impact on how much is consumed after weaning (Lactarine, Carélac, and Mailac).
Two Main Types Of Starter Feeds
- Feed for suckling piglets, also known as creep feeds or pre-starters
- Feed for weaned piglets
1. Creep feed / pre-starter: The piglets can learn to eat solid food if creep feed is provided to them during their first week of life next to the sow. As milk makes up the majority of the diet during the first two weeks of life, feeding intake is very low.
2. Feed for weaned piglets: In nature, sows wean piglets gradually over 12 weeks. In current production systems, piglets are weaned between days 21 and 28 of life. At this age, piglets are rather vulnerable because neither the immune system nor the digestive system is fully developed.
In order to further stabilize the gut, weaner feeds should make use of the following feed additives:
1) Enzymes: Non-starch-polysaccharides (NSP) degrading enzymes reduce viscosity and increase the availability of nutrients in the digesta. Phytase degrades the phytic acid complexes and increases the availability of phosphorus and also other nutrients.
2) Acidifiers or Organic Acids: These aid in lowering the pH level in the stomach. As a result, the amount of bacteria in the digesta is decreased while protein degradation is increased.
3) Probiotics. By increasing the proportion of “good” bacteria and reducing the number of pathogenic bacteria, beneficial bacteria stabilize the gut microbiota..
4) Phytogenic feed additives or botanicals: Consisting of plant-based substances e.g. essential oils, these have a wide range of different functions, from increasing feed intake due to better taste, to increasing protein digestibility and fighting pathogens.
5) Toxin binders: Mycotoxins and endotoxins can have detrimental effects on health and development of piglets. Avoiding these stress factors adds a lot to keeping piglets healthy during this vulnerable phase.