Articles - Nutrition

Fats and oils are among the most energy-dense and expensive components in pig diets, yet their digestion and utilization remain complex and often under-optimized.

The grain and oilseed market has taken an unexpected turn in the last 15 days, with volatility and rising prices taking center stage.

There is plenty of evidence that the weight and backfat level of the gilt at first mating is strongly related to her productive life and longevity.

Feed presentation is a complex issue, as it can influence both feed mill performance and animal performance. This article analyzes the main factors related to the presentation of pelleted feed that affect productive performance and welfare during the first days after weaning.

How is vitamin quantity expressed? How are vitamin requirements and safety margins estimated in pigs? Can the stability of vitamin activity be compromised?

Increased productivity has not come without consequences. Sows face greater physiological demands, which translates into a higher metabolic load, increased nutritional requirements, and, in many cases, increased mortality on farms. This phenomenon is of particular concern in Spain.

With the main genetic lines' rapid improvement in terms of prolificacy, feed conversion ratio, and other production parameters, the reference requirements for vitamins and minerals have become outdated.

A stew of grains with an abundance of ingredients, but seasoned with risks that could sour the overall dish.

Reducing costs in pig feed formulation depends not on a single action, but on the strategic integration of multiple factors: precision in formulation, ingredient selection, use of technologies, and efficient management of the nutrition model and purchasing.

After weaning, endogenous hydrochloric acid production is still limited, which raises stomach pH and compromises pepsin activity, affecting protein digestibility and favoring pathogen growth.

This second article from the WelfarePIGnet project describes practices for improving pig access to feed and drinking water, including the costs of implementing them.

Pigs are particularly vulnerable to heat stress due to their limited ability to dissipate body heat and genetic selection for higher productivity, which has reduced their heat tolerance. Improved technical results increase heat production, and today's lines produce 30% more heat than those in the 1980s.

The good domestic crop contrasts with global uncertainty: currency, geopolitics, and funds continue to drive prices in the short and long term.

Implementing precision feeding through the use of electronic feeders improves sow and piglet performance while providing economic, environmental, and animal welfare benefits.

Digestive diseases in pigs that were previously addressed individually, targeting a single pathogen, now form a digestive disease complex that we must confront from various angles.

One of the major challenges during weaning is post-weaning diarrhea, impacting nearly 25% of piglets in European countries. A promising strategy to boost resilience and help piglets navigate the stress of weaning can be, among others, the use of phytogenics.

The study confirms the negative impact of both chronic and acute heat stress on feed intake in lactating sows and validates nutritional and management strategies to mitigate it.

Who talks about inflammation? We all might mention it when we exercise too much – aching joints, stiffness – or is it just we are all getting older…? But we do not really talk about inflammation much. And certainly, when we think about our livestock, we do not really mention it at all. Well…we should.

The market is hyper-reactive, reacting to every piece of news in one direction or another. Let's try to focus on it.

Mammals, such as pigs, have a keen attraction to sweet tastes. They are able to perceive the five basic tastes: umami, sweet, bitter, sour, and salty. Sugars such as sucrose, glucose, and lactose are especially attractive to them. This trait seems to have evolved as a natural mechanism for detecting high-calorie energy sources.

Customs tariffs have major consequences and affect pig farms worldwide.

The use of dietary fiber in sow nutrition is rapidly evolving and is now considered a functional component in nutrition due to its effects on gut functionality, microbiota balance, and the modulation of digestion and metabolism.

Phosphorus is an essential mineral for bone mineralization, energy metabolism, and nucleic acid synthesis. Therefore, strategies to maximize the utilization of phosphorus present in cereals and legumes used in swine nutrition are important, such as the use of phytases. This data sheet describes the structure, types, mechanism of action, and application of phytases.

For pigs to grow and be productive, their nutrition must provide the intake of energy and nutrients necessary for maintenance and production. The most important nutrients are proteins, fats, minerals, and vitamins. Ingested and recycled proteins will be used for tissue growth and repair, enzymatic and hormonal functions, transport of substances, immune responses, water and electrolyte balance, muscle contraction, cell signaling, and pH maintenance.