The impact of bump feeding on sow reproductive performance, milk yield, piglet birth weight, and farrowing behavior

Advancements in genetics have led to an increase in the number of offspring per litter, causing a decline in birth weights due to intrauterine nutrient competition. The extended duration of farrowing, often associated with larger litters, is crucial for fetal growth and development, impacting swine enterprises' profitability. A recent investigation has introduced a feeding technology designed for the late gestation period in sows, aiming to enhance reproductive performance, farrowing behavior, and the growth of piglets during the lactation period. This study investigated the effects of increased feeding allowance during the late gestation period on the reproductive performance and farrowing behavior of primiparous and multiparous sows. A total of 28 sows (Landrace × Yorkshire) were used in this experiment and fed 2.50 kg/d or 3.50 kg/d from 84 days of gestation until farrowing. Farrowing behavior was monitored using a DeepEyes^TM M3SEN camera. The data were analyzed using the 2 × 2 factorial within Statistical Analysis System (SAS, 2011, Version 9.3) software.

The results indicated that regardless of the parity number, sows fed a high diet exhibited a numerical increase in the total number of born piglets and a significant increase in milk yield and piglet birthweight. Backfat thickness loss was significantly higher in sows with a 2.50 kg feeding allowance, and the total number of piglets born, live births, and litter size were numerically higher in sows fed 3.50 kg per day. Moreover, stillborn piglets, mortality rate, and re-estrus days were numerically lower in sows with a high feeding allowance. The diet and parity did not individually affect the average duration of farrowing and farrowing intervals. However, the duration of postural changes in sows after farrowing was significantly reduced. The principal component analysis revealed 81.40% and 80.70% differences upon partial least-squares discriminant analysis.

Therefore, increasing feeding allowance during the late gestation period, regardless of parity, could positively influence sows' reproductive performance and piglets' growth performance during the lactation phase.

Ampode KMB, Mun HS, Lagua EB, Chem V, Park HR, Kim YH, Yang CJ. Bump Feeding Improves Sow Reproductive Performance, Milk Yield, Piglet Birth Weight, and Farrowing Behavior.  Animals. 2023; 13(19): 3148. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13193148