0
Creep feeding can improve growth and performance of piglets before and after weaning, especially if sow milk supply is reduced for any reason, although their creep feed intake is low. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of increasing creep feed variety using different sequential flavours on intake, growth and health of piglets in two housing systems with different degrees of complexity and freedom for the sow. Thirty-six sows (Large White × Landrace) were used in a 2 × 2 factorial design; at 5 days before farrowing, the sows were randomly allocated to one of two housing treatments: (a) Farrowing crate, or (b) PigSAFE loose farrowing pen (Piglet and Sow Alternative Farrowing Environment). The litters were allocated on day 10 of lactation to either a (I) standard commercial creep feed or (II) diverse novel creep feed, with the same base creep feed as (I) with addition of one of 5 different flavouring agents given sequentially on different days, as follows: Apricot flavour, Red fruit flavour, Toffee flavour, Apple flavour and Butterscotch flavour.
Housing system had no effect on the performance of piglets in the lactation and post-weaning periods. Feeding 5 different flavoured creeps (Toffee, Apricot, Butterscotch, Apple and Red fruit) in a daily sequential order increased the hourly frequency of visits to the creep feeder on day 18 of life (P = 0.004), and increased the piglets’ feed intake over days 15–22 of lactation (P = 0.01), and day 22 to weaning at 28d (P = 0.03). When controlling for day of presentation, butterscotch flavoured creep promoted a higher intake than red fruit creep (P = 0.004), with other flavours intermediate. The prior experience of flavour diversity significantly increased weight gain in the first 2 weeks after weaning on a standardised feeding regime for both treatments (P = 0.03).
In conclusion, sequential feeding of different flavoured creep feeds to piglets during lactation increased their solid food intake prior to weaning and increased weight gain during the first two weeks after weaning. Finally, there was no effect of lactation housing system on the quantity of creep consumed.
Adeleye, O.O., Guy, J.H. and Edwards, S.A. 2014. Exploratory behaviour and performance of piglets fed novel flavoured creep in two housing systems. Animal Feed Science and Technology, 191; 91–97. DOI: 10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2014.02.001