Organic acids can influence pig performance beyond the nursery stage, with benefits that carry over into fattening and contribute to the overall success of a pig farming operation. By investing in optimal nutrition, health management, and environmental conditions during the nursery phase, producers can enhance the performance of pigs during their transition to the fattening phase. The resulting carryover effects can lead to better growth rates, feed efficiency, and overall profitability in pig production systems.
Researcher Product Validation
Trouw Nutrition, Brazil
Global Product Manager
Trouw Nutrition, The Netherlands
Managing conditions that are within a swine farmer’s control can contribute to efficient and profitable operations. While factors such as market prices and commodity costs are outside producers’ control, supporting the growth and developmental needs of piglets during the critical nursery phase can lead to improvements that carry over across the production cycle, ultimately boosting swine farm efficiency, environment and economics.
Below, we address why the nursery and fattening phases are critically important production stages and discuss some best practices for supporting pigs in each phase. We also look at research that demonstrates how supplying a specific blend of organic acids during nursery can carry over into improved performance parameters and an improved return on investment (ROI).
NURSERY PIGLETS: THE EARLY STAGE OF GROWTH
The nursery phase begins once piglets are weaned, usually around 3 to 4 weeks of age, and continues until they are about 8 to 10 weeks old. During this phase, piglets are particularly vulnerable to enteric issues as their diet shifts from sow’s milk to solid feed. This transition period can be stressful for piglets, and improper weaning practices can lead to digestive issues, adversely affecting growth and even contributing to mortality issues.
Special attention to diet and water during the nursery phase can help ensure that nursery piglets grow strong and healthy. The starter diet is designed to be easily digestible to promote growth. As adequate water intake is essential, it is important for piglets to have easy access to clean, fresh water.
FATTENING PIGS: GROWING FOR MARKET
As pigs reach the fattening phase, usually around 10 weeks old, their growth shifts toward muscle and fat development in preparation for slaughter. During this phase, the focus is on maximising feed efficiency and growth rate and supporting overall pig health.
The fattening pigs’ diet is designed to promote fast and efficient growth while ensuring proper fat deposition and muscle development. Maximising feed efficiency is crucial during this stage. The goal is for pigs to gain weight at the fastest possible rate while minimising feed costs.
COST OF PRODUCTION AND MARKET ECONOMICS
Management of both nursery piglets and fattening pigs directly affects a farm’s profitability. The nursery phase demands higher input costs due to specialised diets, health treatments, and environmental controls. However, the fattening phase typically generates higher returns due to the improved weight and market value of the pigs. Pig prices in both the nursery and fattening stages are influenced by market demand for pork, feed prices, and regional factors.
CARRYOVER EFFECTS FROM THE NURSERY TO SUPPORT FATTENING PIGS
The term “carryover effects” refers to the influence that one phase of an animal’s life has on its performance in later phases. Optimising the health, nutrition, and management of nursery piglets can have long-lasting effects on their performance as they transition into the fattening phase. Interventions during the nursery stage can pay off with improvements in growth, feed efficiency, and overall health. Good health and performance in the nursery phase can lead to strong growth rates and improved feed efficiency during the fattening phase. Best practices to implement during the nursery phase include:
• Optimise management conditions: When nursery piglets are properly managed and raised in optimal conditions, they are often better prepared for the fattening phase. This can help set pigs up for better feed conversion rates during the fattening period, meaning the pigs need less feed to gain weight.
• Supply adequate nutrition to support carryover effects: Nutrition supplied during the nursery stage promotes proper growth and development. The type and quality of feed provided in early life stages can have carryover effects on the pigs’ later feed intake and efficiency. For example, using certain feed additives early in life could lead to improved feed conversion during the fattening phase. Pigs with a strong nursery phase tend to continue growing efficiently as they move into the fattening phase. This efficiency translates to higher average daily gains (ADG) and overall improved weight gain during fattening.
• Monitor health, minimise stress: Monitor nursery pigs’ health closely and take actions to minimise stress during weaning and other critical transition periods.
By paying careful attention to the practices above, farmers can improve positive carryover effects and improve the overall efficiency and profitability of fattening pigs.
THE CARRYOVER EFFECT AND THE FATTENING PHASE
Research shows that a specific blend of organic acids can contribute to a carryover effect from the nursery phase to the fattening phase. Selko Water Acidifier (SWA) is a product portfolio based on blends of free and buffered organic acids. SWA acidifies the water and supports digestion (due to support for stomach acidification: pepsin works better in acidic conditions). SWA also helps maintain a stable intestinal microbiota. All of these actions help sustain pig health and performance.
Given that SWA is well known to support the improved performance of nursery and fattening pigs when supplied at distinct phases of pig production, researchers sought to assess its carryover effects. Specifically, researchers sought to determine whether nursery piglets’ improved performance would carry over into the fattening phase (Table 1). Furthermore, researchers wanted to determine if the improved performance of nursery piglets receiving SWA only during the nursery phase would carry over to the fattening phase.
A 122-day trial was conducted by Trouw Nutrition in Brazil using 200 weaned piglets with an initial body weight (BW) of 7.7 kg (28 d age). The trial consisted of two groups: control and SWA, and two phases: nursery (treatment – 28 to 62 d age) and fattening (carryover effect, no treatment – 64 to 150 d age).
During nursery phase, SWA improved ADG (+5.9 %, +25 g/d), average daily feed intake (ADFI) (+4.0 %, +24 g/d) [p < 0.05], final bodyweight (BW) (+2.9 %, +660 g, p = 0.09), and feed conversion ratio (FCR) (-0.6 %, -0.9 points, p > 0.1) compared to animals in the control group. This positive effect carried over to the fattening phase: higher final BW (+2.0 %, +2.01 kg) and reduced FCR (-4.4 %, -11.2 points) compared to the control group (p > 0.1). The carryover effect on weight gain (nursery to fattening) was +1.35 kg (Table 1).
CALCULATING ROI
When considering the ROI for nutritional approaches in fattening pigs, there are several factors to consider. The financial success of a pig fattening operation depends on balancing the cost of production and the income generated from selling the pigs (global pork price trends, including seasonal variations and market conditions, will directly affect the revenue from selling the fattened pigs). The more efficient the FCR, the better the ROI. If pigs are able to gain weight with less feed, this directly impacts profitability.
Based on local feed, product, and livestock prices, the application of SWA resulted in a benefit of €0.69 (ROI of 8.96) per piglet during the nursery phase, and a benefit of €12.29 per pig during the fattening phase (ROI of 12.29, same benefit as no investment in the treatment group during this phase) compared to the control group (Table 2).
CONCLUSION
Supporting pigs through the nursery and fattening stages is essential for the overall success of a pig farming operation. By investing in optimal nutrition, health management, and environmental conditions during the nursery phase, producers can enhance the performance of pigs during their transition to the fattening phase. The resulting carryover effects can lead to better growth rates, feed efficiency, and overall profitability in pig production systems.
