Effect of extra maternal feed supply in early gestation on sow and piglet performance and production and meat quality of growing/finishing pigs

Abstract

The influence of differentiated extra maternal feed allowance during early gestation on maternal performance and postnatal development of the progeny from gilts and sows was investigated. Four different feed allowances of the same diet (Control [C], +35% [T35], +70% [T70], +100% [T100]) were assigned to 20 crossbred gilts (Swedish Landrace×Swedish Yorkshire), which continued as sows with the same feed allowance the following parity. The progeny was uniformly raised and slaughtered at a live weight of 110 kg. Additional maternal feed allowance resulted in significantly more weaned piglets per sow but not per gilt. Piglet numbers did not increase from T35 to T70/T100. Piglet birth weight did not increase due to maternal feeding. The intra-litter variation in piglet birth weights was similar between the treatments. Independent of the additional feed allowance, all gilts and sows had similar weights after weaning and had good body condition. The growth rate of progeny from sows was negatively related to maternal feed supply; for progeny from gilts, no clear trend of nutritional influence could be observed. Carcass and technological meat quality was not affected by maternal feeding treatment. Birth weight positively affected later growth performance (daily weight gain), carcass quality (lean meat content, back fat, proportion of muscles in ham/loin), whereas technological meat quality was unaffected.

Keywords:

• birth weight
• carcass quality
• feed allowance
• growth rate
• litter size
• maternal nutrition
• postnatal development
• technological meat quality

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank the staff at the Funbo-Lövsta Research Centre for excellent care of the animals. We also thank Ms G. Andersson and Ms U. Schmidt for all assistance at the slaughterhouse and with the meat quality measurements. We give special thanks to Dr. I. Hansson for all support during this study. This work was financially supported by the Swedish Farmers Foundation for Agricultural Research.

Notes

Heyer, A., Andersson, H. K., Lindberg, J. E. and Lundström, K. (Departments of Food Science, and Animal Nutrition and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, S-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden). Effect of extra maternal feed supply in early gestation on sow and piglet performance and production and meat quality of growing/finishing pigs.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

A. Heyer *

Heyer, A., Andersson, H. K., Lindberg, J. E. and Lundström, K. (Departments of Food Science, and Animal Nutrition and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, S-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden). Effect of extra maternal feed supply in early gestation on sow and piglet performance and production and meat quality of growing/finishing pigs.