The influence of additional fat in the diet of sows before and after parturition on piglet viability and performance |
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| Authors: | DH Holness KT Mandisodza |
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| Institution: | Pig Industry Board, Box HG 297, Highlands, Harare Zimbabwe |
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| Abstract: | Two hundred and six mature sows were used to evaluate the effect of adding a total of 3 kg of fat to sow diets for an average of eight days before and seven days after parturition on piglet viability and performance.The addition of fat to the diet of sows had no effect on the percentage of piglets born alive, individual piglet birth weight, weight of the piglet at three weeks of age or the weaning to service interval in the sows. However, there was a significant increase in piglet survival (3.4%) between treated and control sows. Birth weight had a marked effect on piglet survival but there was no indication of a greater effect of added fat in the sows' diet on the survival of smaller piglets. A number of piglets were cross-fostered but fostering had no effect on piglet mortality. A comparison of the mortality of piglets born from sows receiving added fat and reared on controls and vice versa indicated that the major benefits of additional fat in the sow diet were effected in utero rather than via an increase in the quality of the sows' milk. |
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