ISSUE FOCUS FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE February 2025 43 “Adequate nutrition is fundamental for developing a strong immune system in pigs, which is the basis for high performance. By focusing on the appropriate nutrition of the sow, ensuring an adequate intake of high-quality colostrum intake in piglets, and implementing creep feeding strategies, producers can significantly enhance the lifetime health and productivity of their piglets from an early age.” A well-functioning immune system is vital for the survival and performance of animals. It helps piglets cope with challenging periods, such as their first days of life or weaning. Measures can be taken around farrowing to support the piglets during their first days by enhancing the quality and quantity of colostrum and helping them develop their own immune system as fast as possible. ADEQUATE FEEDING OF THE SOW BEFORE AND AROUND FARROWING Feeding of both the sow and the piglet has an important influence on farrowing, the health of the sow, colostrum and milk production, piglets’ development of immunity, and their later performance. A well-functioning immune system is crucial for the piglets to withstand upcoming challenges such as weaning. COLOSTRUM QUALITY CAN BE INFLUENCED BY FEEDING Newborn piglets have no functioning immunity system. They rely entirely on immunoglobulin G (IgG) absorption from colostrum within the first few hours after birth to establish their immunity shield. Adequate colostrum intake can positively affect whole-of-life immunity and, ultimately, growth performance. The contained IgG is essential for providing passive immunity to piglets, protecting them from infections during their early days of life when their immune systems are still developing. There is a positive correlation between the amount of IgG they absorb from colostrum and their performance. This benefit of colostrum intake is independent of birth weight. We have a 3-week window to influence colostrogenesis. However, the fat content of colostrum is determined in the last 48 hours before farrowing. Influencing colostrum quality is generally easier than affecting quantity. Several compounds can serve as immunomodulators, such as MCFAs, yeast extracts, and butyrate. However, by moving IgG to colostrum and milk in late gestation and lactation, the sow compromises her immunity status by depleting her own reserves for about two weeks. FEEDING AT FARROWING Sow body condition has been shown to have BUILDING AND BOOSTING THE IMMUNITY SHIELD OF PIGS Dr. Megan Edwards Animal Nutrition Consultant Integral Nutrition Based on the conference held at EW Nutrition’s Swine Academy in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, October 2024
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