Sows in top condition during lactation

摘要

Pig producers need sows to rear healthy and fast-growing piglets. A sow's biggest challenge is to do that without losing too much body protein reserves, so that she returns to service quickly. Therefore, feed intake and nutrient use need to be optimised. The digestibility of sow diets is affected by their capacity to digest non-starch polysaccharides (NSPs). As anti-nutrients, they reduce digestibility of the diet by nutrient entrapment, changes in diet viscosity and fermentation in the high gut. Carbohydrase addition is virtually standard in broiler diets and common in growing pig diets. Nutritionists, however, do not always value its effect in adult animals like sows. However, their use is justified since sow feed is usually highly fibrous and feed intake often limited.