Effects of Full vs Restricted Feeding of the Sow Immediately Postpartum on Lactation Performance

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Abstract
Two trials involving 78 sows were conducted to determine the effects of gradually increasing the feeding level (restricted-fed) of the sow during the first week of lactation (0, .9, 1.8, 2.7, 3.6, 4.5, 5.4 and 6.3 kg/sow/day on days 0 through 7, respectively) vs allowing the sow to consume feed ad libitum immediately postpartum (ad libitum-fed) on sow and pig performance during a 21-day lactation. A 15% protein fortified corn-soybean meal-meat meal diet containing 10% beet pulp and 5% alfalfa meal was fed with all sows allowed to consume the diet ad libitum the last 2 weeks of lactation. Number of pigs weaned per litter, pig survival and average pig weights were not (P>.05) affected by treatment. The ad libitum-fed sows consumed more (P<.01) feed during the first 5 days postpartum (33.6 vs 13.9 kg) and over the entire 21-day lactation period (122.7 vs 110.1 kg). The ad libitum-fed sows lost 1.3, .6 and .4 kg of body weight compared with 3.6, .2 and .2 kg for the restricted-fed sows during weeks 1, 2 and 3 lactation, respectively. Increased pig birth weights were associated with higher (P<.01) rates of survival and greater pig weights at weaning. However, the weaning weights and survival rates of the small (1.5 kg) pigs at birth were similar for the two treatment groups. Copyright © 1979. American Society of Animal Science . Copyright 1979 by American Society of Animal Science.

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