Studies in sow reproduction 4. The effect of level of feeding in lactation and during the interval from weaning to remating on the subsequent reproductive performance of the early-weaned sow

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Abstract
Summary: Seventy-five enzootic pneumonia-free female pigs (sows) were allocated at random to one of five treatment groups. Four of these groups were weaned following a 10-day lactation period and were fed either 2 or 4 kg per day in lactation and either 2 or 4 kg per day from weaning to remating, such that the patterns of feeding for the four groups in the two periods were: 4 kg, 4 kg (HH); 4 kg, 2 kg (HL); 2 kg, 4 kg (LH) and 2 kg, 2 kg (LL). A fifth treatment group (control) was weaned following a 42-day lactation period and was fed up to 6·3 kg/day, depending on litter size and 2·7 kg/day from weaning to remating. Level of feeding for the four early-weaned groups in both lactation and in the interval from weaning to remating significantly (P < 0·001) affected the weight changes of the sows during these periods. The interval from weaning to oestrus for the early-weaned sows (8·2 days) was significantly (P < 0·001) greater than for the control sows (4·5 days), but this interval was not affected by level of feeding either in lactation or in the remating period for the early-weaned sows. Litter size at the subsequent farrowing for the early-weaned sows (9·3 piglets) was significantly (P < 0·001) less than litter size for the control sows (12·0 piglets). Level of feeding in lactation or in the weaning to remating period had no effect on subsequent litter size of the early-weaned sows.