Effects of intermittent suckling on the performance and digestive efficiency of iberian piglets weaned at 35 days of age.

摘要

During two consecutive replicates Iberian sows (n=20) were subjected either to a conventional lactation (C) or intermittent suckling (IS). Piglets in the C treatment had free access to the dam. Piglets on IS treatment were separated from the sow during 6 h on days 29 and 30, 8 h on days 31 and 32, and 10 h on days 33 and 34. Litters on both treatments were weaned at 35 days of age and offered a starter diet until day 60 of age. The apparent digestibility (ApD) of nutrients and gross energy (GE) of the post-weaning diet was measured using Cr₂O₃ as external indigestible marker. Litters on IS tended to increase solid feed intake during the milk restriction (125+or-12 vs. 70+or-19 g piglet-1 day-1; P=0.08). Feed intake was improved by IS during the second week post-weaning (676+or-17 vs. 497+or-12 g piglet-1 day-1, P<0.01), but differences were totally offset after the 7th week of age. Differences in average growth rate of litters on C and IS treatments did not attain statistical significance during the period of restriction and in the first week post-weaning. Litters on IS showed increased growth rate during the second week post-weaning (422+or-31 vs. 289+or-33 g piglet-1 day-1; P=0.01), but slower daily gains from the 3rd week post-weaning to 60 day of age than litters on C treatment (371+or-14 vs. 432+or-15 g piglet-1 day-1; P<0.05). Nevertheless, neither at weaning nor at 60 days of age average body weight of piglets differed between treatments (7.71+or-0.31 vs. 7.94+or-0.30 kg for C and IS, at 35 days of age, 15.62+or-0.65 vs. 16.20+or-0.62 kg, at day 60). The apparent digestibility of nutrients of the starter diet offered after weaning remained unaffected by the treatment, except for a trend for higher ApD of GE for the piglets on IS treatment (P=0.08). ApD for CP and GE was 78.1+or-0.6 and 78.8+or-0.3%, respectively. No significant differences in the proportions of total viscera and gastrointestinal tract to empty body weight (EBW) were observed between C and IS piglets at weaning and 60 d of age. In conclusion, the increase in feed intake observed prior and early after weaning as a consequence of intermittent suckling during the last week of 35 d lactation had no effect on nutrient digestibility measured at two weeks after weaning and failed on improving Iberian piglet performance.