Page 5 of articles about feed in Articles

We need to know, at all moments, which amount of feed are the sows eating, so we will weigh the feed at least once per week.

Growth models can be a useful tool for decision making, allowing us to consider, simultaneously, multiple variables and showing us trends when facing different alternatives.

The aim is to avoid dehydration during the first days after weaning to improve feed intake.

Feed efficiency as it is measured by the feed conversion ratio (FCR) is basically an engineering concept. There are a lot of misconceptions about feed efficiency and even more surrounding the economics associated with it.

The use of two different feeds for the sows in the farrowing quarters is not always easy at a logistical level.

Given the complexity of the problem caused by mycotoxins in pig production, we must come up with a preventive strategy in order to attain a contamination level that is as low as possible.

This is done by moving from single most likely value to ranges of possible outcomes with an assigned probability

The hoppers and the feeders will condition our ability for attaining maximum feed consumption.

Use of sows' ear tags for identifying each of the liquid feed valves with their corresponding number.

If the animals fast for some 12 hours before their loading onto the lorry we will reduce the compound feed consumption and we will improve the conditions of the transport to the abattoir. Nevertheless, adding up the transport and the waiting time at the abattoir we should not exceed 24 hours of fasting in total.

Albeit having similar determinants, the conversion index of the best (25%) and of the least efficient producers (25%) can differ in 0.42 points.

This case describes an acute outbreak of gastric ulcers in pigs of 30-40 kg live weight that affected 38 farms throughout a year and that presented mortalities from a 5% up to a 40% depending on the severity of the cases.

Interventions can only reduce but not eradicate Salmonella from the herd. This emphasises the importance of trying to avoid introduction especially Salmonella Typhimurium or Salmonella Derby.

This chapter is intended as a roadmap for the development of a Salmonella control program for factories, a program whose aim should be to minimize Salmonella contamination, of any and all serotypes.

Some tips to reduce feed costs on pig farms.

Feed is one of the risk factors in the epidemiology of salmonellosis and therefore, control of pathogens in the feed should continue to be considered an essential component of any control program for swine salmonellosis.