Back-fat loss tied to sow performance: This Quebec producer is convinced computerized feeders are helping him evaluate the health of his sows, resulting in more piglets

摘要

A QUEBEC producer uses computerized feeders on his farrowing crates to optimize the feed intake of his lactating sows. It's helped raise his production to just over 28 pigs per sow per year at Aldo Farm Inc. at St. Lambert, south of Quebec City, he says. "There's a significant relationship between the production of your sows and the loss of body condition," Alain Lefebvre explains. "There's an increase of 0.7 piglets in the following litter for each additional kilogram of feed consumed each during lactation."