Effect of Gestation Diets and Creep Feeding on Livability and Weight Gains of Suckling Pigs

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Abstract
Data on farrowing and weaning performance as affected by level of crude protein and antibiotic supplement in the gestation diet of sows and by certain creep feeding practices have been presented. The experiment included results on 313 litters farrowed in seven farrowing seasons from 1952 through 1955. The survival rate of baby pigs to 56 days of age, expressed as a percentage of initial litter size, was significantly (P<.02) higher from sows receiving the higher (20% or 17.5%) level of crude protein in gestation diets than from sows receiving the control diet at 15% protein. An apparent improvement in survival rate attributed to antibiotic-vitamin B12 supplementation of swine gestation diets in 1952 was not obtained in subsequent farrowing seasons. The relation of stress factors to antibiotic response was discussed briefly. Ad lib access to a pelleted starter diet containing chlortetracycline and vitamin B12 from 14 days of age increased the 56-day weights of suckling pigs by a highly significant (P<.01) amount in 3 of 4 farrowing seasons. A comparison between the above supplemented starter diet and the same formulation without chlortetracycline-B12 concentrate showed a highly significant (P<.01) difference in favor of the supplemented diet in the first farrowing season but not in the other two seasons. Copyright © . .

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