High feeding in late gestation subtly improves litter characteristics at birth and day 3 post-partum

摘要

Pre-natal nutrition can affect fetal growth, viability at birth and both survival and growth during the immediate post-natal period (Campos et al, 2012). However, it remains controversial whether increasing feed intake during the last three to four weeks of gestation improves, or does not affect, piglet and litter characteristics at birth. This study determined the effects of feeding level during the last four weeks of gestation and litter size gestated on piglet characteristics at birth and day three post-partum.