Provision of lucerne in the diet or as a manipulable enrichment material enhances feed efficiency and welfare status for growing-finishing pigs

(c) The Author/sThis research investigated the effects of including lucerne in a diet and as manipulable enrichment material on growing-finishing pig growth performance and behaviour. Forty-eight intact male Duroc × (Large White × Landrace) pigs with an initial live weight (LW) of 26.4 ± 2.32 kg (mean ± SD) were blocked by LW and randomly assigned to two dietary treatments (control vs lucerne), and two manipulable material treatments (without and with lucerne chaff for manipulable material). The barley and soybean meal-based control diet was formulated according to a commercial standard, while the lucerne diet replaced 100 g/kg of the barley and soybean oil in the control diet with lucerne chaff. The diets were formulated to have the same amount of digestible energy and apparent ileal digestible lysine. Manipulable material (lucerne chaff) was provided daily at 100 g/pig. Pigs had ad libitum access to diets via electronic feeders until they reached approximately 90 kg LW, at which time they were slaughtered. There were no interactions between dietary treatment and provision of manipulable material on pig production and behaviour. Feeding the lucerne diet reduced average daily feed intake, LW gain, feed intake per feeder visit, and feeding rate, but increased feed efficiency (P < 0.05). Access to manipulable material did not affect any growth traits, but the number of feeder visits per day was greater and the duration of visits to the feeder was lower in pigs that had access to lucerne chaff (P < 0.001). Compared to the other groups, pigs that consumed the lucerne diet or had access to manipulable material rested for a shorter duration but engaged in more social interactions and exploration behaviour. In conclusion, including 10% lucerne in growing-finishing diets improved feed efficiency and lucerne chaff appears to be an attractive enrichment source to pigs.Publishe

Animal Welfare Compromises Associated with Causes of Death in Neonatal Piglets.

(c) The Author/sThis pilot study aimed to assess the welfare impacts of different causes of pre-weaning deaths in piglets. Piglets that died between 0-7 days after birth (n = 106) were collected from two commercial pig farms and subject to post-mortem examination to confirm their cause of death as well as any contributing factors. Using the Five Domains Model, the most likely affective experiences associated with the pathological findings were carefully inferred to better understand affective experience as it related to known causes of liveborn piglet mortality. The most common causes of liveborn piglet mortality were starvation (23%), crushing (23%) and non-viable (21%). Thirty one piglets had evidence of starvation, but it was only considered the primary cause of death in 15 piglets, as cofactors such as poor viability (n = 13) were also present in many piglets with evidence of starvation. All 15 piglets that were crushed died within 24 h after birth and most had evidence of thoracic and/or abdominal internal bleeding. This study found that common causes of liveborn piglet death were associated with compromises in Domains 1 (Nutrition/hydration), 3 (Health/function), and4 (Behavioural interactions), with the most likely resulting affective states described in Domain 5 (Mental state). This highlights the interaction between physical/functional and situation-related (behavioural) aspects that influence an animals' welfare status.Published onlin

Rumen Development of Artificially-Reared Lambs Exposed to Three Different Rearing Regimens

(c) The Author/sPublishe

Modelling nutrients flow for outdoor pig farms: effect of stochasticity

This paper first briefly describes a nutrient partitioning model for outdoor pig farms. The model uses input parameters that are commonly available on outdoor pig farms. The mechanistic and dynamic model simulates both animal performances and nutrient losses to the environment based on dietary energy, protein, amino acid, and mineral intake, and digestibility. The model outputs are feed wastage, bird losses, faecal and urinary excretion for Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium, Sulphur, Calcium, Magnesium, Sodium as well as Total Volatile Solids. A simulation study was conducted to compare total farm Nitrogen excretions and losses obtained by a deterministic model (one average sow; N=1) or a stochastic model (a population of sows; N= 400, 900 and 1400). For the stochastic model the coefficients of variation (CV) were set to 0%, 10% and 15%. Each combination n x CV was run 10 times. Variation was applied to litter size at birth and weaning, daily feed intake, and maximum protein deposition rate. The number of litters per sow and year was set to 2.0, 2.2 or 2.4 and the number of sows per ha was kept constant at 13.9. The results from the simulation study shows that overall, less of the N entering the farm as feed is lost to the environment when the number of litters per sow and year increases (79.5%, 77.5%, and 75.5% for 2, 2.2 and 2.4, respectively). The total amount of nitrogen lost to the environment was slightly higher with the deterministic than the stochastic models (+ 0.3 to 2.1 kg N /ha).falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsePublishedPublishedPublishedPublishedPublishedPublishedPublishedPublishe

Description of an outdoor pig module for OVERSEER

A model has been developed to provide estimates of nutrient flows within an outdoor pig farm that is consistent with the scope of OVERSEER® Nutrient Budgets (OVERSEER). The primary focus was on nitrogen (N). The model uses standard industry information as inputs to define the number of animals for different classes and their performance. The amount of feed brought in to the farm system and its quality is user defined or based on default values. Feed utilisation (including bird loss) is defined by the feeding method. The outdoor pig unit is divided into management areas (areas for lactating, mating, and growers and finishers, and an acclimatisation area for replacements). Sows use huts, and can be placed in village’s pre or post farrowing, and any pig class can be placed in sheds or barns as a means to reduce excreta deposition on the block. The model includes waste management options for the bedding and excreta from each form of housing. The nutrient flow and excreta deposited in each management area is estimated. For N, leaching losses were highly dependent on the stock density (the amount of feed intake) and the amount of pasture cover. Pasture cover was dependent on management (for example, stock density, placement and movement of troughs and huts, nose ringing) and hence pasture cover for eac

Effect of dietary protein to energy ratio on growth performance of pre-and post-weaned lambs

Milk replacers adjusted for crude protein to metabolizable energy (CP:ME) ratio to match the lambs’ changing requirement during first few weeks post-birth have resulted in higher pre- weaning lamb growth rate compared to commercial milk replacers with a static CP:ME ratio. This study aimed to determine if milk replacer with an adjusted CP:ME ratio to meet the lambs changing CP:ME requirement over time improved lambs growth performance during both the pre- and post-weaning periods. Twenty-seven Romney twin-born ram lambs were assigned to one of two pre-weaning milk feeding treatments: i) a commercial milk replacer (CMR, n = 14; CP:ME 12.28 g/MJ); or ii) a regularly adjusted blend of commercial milk replacer and milk protein concentrate (MB, n = 13; CP:ME starting at 16.6 g/MJ and adjusted down to approximately 13 g/ MJ). All lambs were fed at 2.1 times their maintenance energy requirement. The CP:ME ratio of the MB treatment was adjusted twice-weekly to match the changing CP:ME requirements. All the lambs had ad libitum access to pellets. Lambs were weaned at 22 kg live weight (LW), transferred to a ryegrass and white clover-based pasture and reared approximately to 46 kg LW. The LW during pre- and post-weaning was recorded twice weekly and fortnightly, respectively. In the pre- weaning period, total daily CP intake and daily CP intake from milk were greatest (P 0.05) between treatments. Lambs fed MB had greater total and milk CP:ME intake (P 0.05) between treatments. The ME intake per kilogram LW gain during the pre- weaning did not differ (P > 0.05) between treatments. The CP intake per kilogram LW gain during the pre-weaning was higher (P 0.05) between treatments. There was no correlation (P >0.05) in overall ADG of lambs between pre-and post-weaning periods. The ADG during day one to ten at the start of experiment had a positive and significant effect on the overall post-weaning ADG (r = 0.570, P = 0.007) and ADG in first two weeks (r = 0.470, P = 0.032) of the post- weaning phase. Similar pre-and post-weaning growth rates were observed for lambs in both treatment groups, despite the pre-weaning adjustment of CP:ME to meet lambs requirements. The CMR feeding was cost effective as the pre-weaning feed cost per kilogram live weight gain was lower than that of milk blend feeding. As CMR lambs likely obtaining additional CP from pellet intake during pre-weaning, further research is warranted on the effect of CP:ME ratio of pellets, pellet intake and digestibility on growth performance of lambs reared artificially

Effect of dietary protein to energy ratio of milk replacer on growth and body composition of pre-weaned lambs reared artificially

This study aimed to determine the effect of changing the dietary crude protein to metabolisable energy ratio (CP:ME) of milk replacer on growth and body composition of pre-weaned lambs. Thirty-two Romney twin-born ram lambs were selected with four lambs being slaughtered at 24 h post-partum to estimate initial body composition. The remaining twenty-eight lambs were assigned to one of three nutritional treatments. Treatments consisted of either (i) a commercial milk replacer (CMR, n = 10); (ii) a high protein milk replacer (HPM, n = 9) or (iii) a mix of normal milk replacer and milk protein concentrate (MB, n = 9). All lambs were fed at 2.1 times their maintenance requirement. The CP:ME ratio of MB was adjusted twice-weekly to match the lambs CP and ME requirements for growth and maintenance over time. All lambs were slaughtered at 22 kg live weight (LW). The LW and chemical composition of carcass and viscera plus blood were determined. The combined CP:ME ratio of milk and pellets was greater for the HPM lambs than MB lambs, which was greater (P 0.05). Average daily LW gain was higher (P 0.05) for either parameters. Fat content of the carcass and viscera plus blood was lowest (P 0.05) between CMR and MB. Lambs fed HPM had lower (P 0.05). In conclusion, adjusting the CP:ME ratio of milk replacer to match the lambs’ theoretical requirement improves growth performance of artificially reared lambs. Further studies are required to determine the optimal CP:ME ratio effect of milk replacer, its cost effectiveness and to examine post-weaning growth effects

Validation of a mechanistic dynamic pre-weaned lamb growth and body composition simulation model

Lamb growth and body composition simulation models can provide valuable insights into the assessment of feeding regimens and rearing systems, allowing optimisation of farm profitability without the need for in-vivo trials. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the performance of a published mechanistic dynamic model on the growth and body composition of preweaned lambs using independently published data sets. Data generated from eight treatments, representing three artificial lamb rearing experiments (n = 77 lambs) were used. Initial body composition data were obtained from four lambs at approximately two days of age, with the remaining lambs being provided with defined nutritional treatments until the trial end-point. The body composition of lambs at slaughter was determined in six treatments across two experiments. Feed intake and live weight (LW) of lambs were recorded in all treatments. The LW, average daily gain (ADG) and ash deposition rates of lambs were accurately simulated by the model (paired t-test, P > 0.05). The overall empty body weight (EBW), gutfill, protein and fat deposition rates were overestimated, and water deposition rate was underestimated by the model (paired t-test, P < 0.05). Collectively, these results suggest that the model can be used at the farm level with acceptable accuracy to determine lamb growth. Further improvements in the model are required for protein, fat and water deposition rates, gutfill and EBW to make it more applicable for wider usage