Page 11 of articles about gestation

Linseed meal during early pregnancy increases litter size in pigs

10-Jan-2011
To determine how feeding linseed meal (LSM) during gestation influences litter size, placental weight, and piglet growth, sows (n = 30) received a phytoestrogen-free Control diet throughout gestation; 12.5% LSM diet throughout gestation (LSM114); or 12.5% LSM diet from day 1 to day 15 of gestation and control diet until parturition (LSM15).

In search of the ideal batch (1/2)

During the last 10 years we have been trying to optimize the different Batch Management systems (BM), searching for the most effective system. We had come to the conclusion that each one of the different traditional BM options had their pros and cons, and neither is better or worse than the other. Electing the best system depends on the necessities and the calibration of space on each particular farm. However, we have recently “discovered” a new BM option that opens the door to new possibilities.

Trouble-shooting herd fertility problems

Let us assume that the expected farrowing rate and live-born litter sizes are 90% and 12.5, respectively, but that current performance is 82% and 11.3, respectively. This means that too many sows are bred but failing to farrow and those that farrow are having fewer pigs.

Threonine requirement of sows in early, mid- and late gestation

08-Sep-2010
Current NRC (1998) recommendations for amino acids (AA) do not account for different requirements in early vs late gestation due to changes in metabolism; recovery of body tissue from previous lactation, and fetal, gut and mammary growth in late gestation. These increases in gut and mammary tissue and gut mucin suggest that there is a higher requirement for threonine (THR) in late gestation.