'Weaning the Pig: Concepts and Consequences' is a new book,written by acknowledged experts from around the world, that addresses the major issues surrounding the weaning process, both for piglets and the breeding herd, in modern-day pig production.
The post-weaned pig presents many challenges to the manager, stockperson and nutritionist, and as such is a critical phase in the overall production system. Numerous challenges are also faced by the sow, which is required to be rebred as soon as possible after weaning.
This book draws together summaries of research dealing with both piglets and the sow, and is a unique book in this regard. Accordingly, the material presented covers in detail the following areas associated with the weaning process: growth of the weaned pig, nutritional management in preparation for weaning, behavioural changes and adaptations around weaning, voluntary feed intake, digestive physiology, modulation of small intestinal integrity, the intestinal microflora and diarrhoeal diseases after weaning, intestinal immunity, nutritional requirements and intestinal requirements of the weaned pig, environmental and housing issues after weaning, saving and rearing supernumery and underprivileged piglets, and productivity and longevity of the weaned sow.
Ideal reference for all professions associated with the pig industry, and is invaluable as a text for students at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
Contents:
SECTION ONE: Introduction
SECTION TWO: Growth of the weaned pig
- 2.1 Introduction
- 2.2 The potential growth of weaned pigs
- 2.3 Description of growth
- 2.4 The growth check at weaning
- 2.5 Bodyweight at weaning - its importance for post-weaning growth
- 2.6 Can weaning weight be increased by supplementary feeding?
- 2.7 Do pigs stimulated to reach higher weaning weights grow faster to slaughter?
- 2.8 Do pigs exhibit compensatory growth?
- 2.9 The importance of weight gain in the first week after weaning
- 2.10 Minimising the growth check at weaning
- 2.11 Does minimising the growth check have long-term benefits?
- 2.12 Conclusions
- References
SECTION THREE: Nutritional management of the pig in preparation for weaning
- 3.1 Introduction
- 3.2 The importance of weaning weight to subsequent growth
- 3.3 Nutrient intake before weaning
- 3.3.1 Supplying creep food in lactation
- 3.3.2 Dry creep feed intake
- 3.3.3 Liquid diets to enhance feed intake
- 3.3.4 The effects of gender on nutrient intake of neonatal pigs
- 3.4 The composition of diets offered during lactation
- 3.4.1 Dietary formulation of creep diets
- 3.4.2 Use of flavours in creep/starter diets
- 3.4.3 Presentation of the creep diet
- 3.5 Water for suckling pigs
- 3.6 Conclusions
SECTION FOUR: Behavioural changes and adaptations associated with weaning
- 4.1 Introduction
- 4.2 Neuroendocrine consequences of weaning
- 4.3 The critical role of food
- 4.4 Behaviour
- 4.5 Conclusion
- References
SECTION FIVE: Metabolic and endocrine changes around weaning
- 5.1 Introduction
- 5.2 The post-weaning check
- 5.3 Effect of weaning on metabolism
- 5.3.1 Lipid and carbohydrate metabolism
- 5.3.2 Protein metabolism
- 5.4 Hormonal status
- 5.4.1 Somatotropin and insulin-like growth factor-I
- 5.4.2 Insulin
- 5.4.3 Hypothalamic-pituitary axis
- 5.5 Conclusions
- References
SECTION SIX: Factors affecting the voluntary feed intake of the weaned pig
- 6.1 Introduction
- 6.2 Feeding behaviour of piglets kept under ‘natural’ or ‘semi-natural’ conditions
- 6.3 Commercial weaning practice - an event rather than a process
- 6.4 Pre-weaning feed and water intake
- 6.5 Relationship between pre-weaning food consumption and post-weaning growth
- 6.6 Feeding behaviour of the post-weaned pig
- 6.7 Feed and water intake of weaned pigs
- 6.8 The significance of maintaining continuity of food intake after weaning
- 6.9 The interaction between water and feed intake post weaning
- 6.10 Liquid feeding post-weaning
- 6.11 Conclusions
- References
SECTION SEVEN: Digestive physiology of the weaned pig
- 7.1 Introduction
- 7.2 Strategies for adaptation to enteral nutrition in the neonatal pig
- 7.2.1 Preparation
- 7.2.2 Implementation I
- 7.2.3 Perspective 1
- 7.3 The weaned pig
- 7.3.1 Commercial weaning
- 7.3.2 Gastrointestinal, pancreatic and hepatic response
- 7.3.3 Small intestine morphological response
- 7.3.4 Small intestine carbohydrase and transporter response
- 7.3.5 Amino acid transport
- 7.3.6 Perspective 2
- 7.4 Regulation of post-weaning adaptation
- 7.4.1 Milk withdrawal
- 7.4.2 Weaning stress
- 7.4.3 Direct dietary effects
- 7.4.4 Indirect dietary effects
- 7.4.5 Perspective 3
- References
SECTION EIGHT: Diet-mediated modulation of small intestinal integrity in weaned piglets
- 8.1 Introduction
- 8.2 Small intestinal integrity
- 8.2.1 Small intestinal morphology
- 8.2.2 Mucus production
- 8.2.3 Transepithelial permeability
- 8.2.4 Inflammation
- 8.2.5 Brush border enzyme activity
- 8.2.6 Animal performance
- 8.3 Modulation of small intestinal integrity by luminal nutrition
- 8.3.1 Modulation by route of administration
- 8.3.2 Modulation by level of energy intake
- 8.3.3 Modulation by dietary components
- 8.4 Concluding remarks
- References
SECTION NINE: Interactions between the intestinal microflora, diet and diarrhoea and their influences on piglet health in the immediate post-weaning period
- 9.1 Changes in intestinal microflora at weaning
- 9.2 Major enteric diseases at weaning
- 9.3 Post-weaning colibacillosis (PWC)
- 9.4 Factors predisposing to post-weaning colibacillosis at weaning
- 9.4.1 The role of the small intestine
- 9.4.2 The role of the large intestine
- 9.4.3 The specific role of diet
- 9.4.4 The specific role of dietary non-starch polysaccharides in PWC
- 9.5 Conclusions
- Acknowledgements
- References
SECTION TEN: Aspects of intestinal immunity in the pig around weaning
- 10.1 Introduction
- 10.2 Overview of immune systems
- 10.2.1 Active immunity
- 10.2.2 Passive immunity
- 10.3 The intestinal immune system
- 10.3.1 Intestinal inflammation
- 10.3.2 Oral tolerance
- 10.3.3 Development of intestinal immunity
- 10.4 The effect of weaning on the intestinal immune system
- 10.4.1 Overview of the weaning process
- 10.4.2 Alteration of intestinal morphology
- 10.4.3 Activation of the intestinal immune system
- 10.5 Conclusion
- References
SECTION ELEVEN: Nutritional requirements of the weaned pig
- Summary
- 11.1 Introduction
- 11.2 Importance of pig weight and age
- 11.3 Basis of nutrient specifications for weaner pigs
- 11.3.1 Ingredient selection based on digestive capacity
- 11.4 Nutrient requirements of the weaned pig
- 11.4.1 Energy
- 11.4.2 Amino acids
- 11.4.3 Other approaches to determining a requirement estimate
- 11.4.4 Vitamins
- 11.4.5 Minerals
- 11.4.6 Post-weaning diarrhea and zinc oxide.
- 11.4.7 Organic trace minerals
- 11.5 Selection of ingredients for the weaned pig
- 11.5.1 Energy sources
- 11.5.2 Protein sources
- 11.5.3 Non-nutritive Feed additives (eg., antibiotics, enzymes,organic acids, etc.)
- 11.6 Example of phase feeding program for early weaned pigs
- 11.6.1 SEW diet - weaning to 5 kg
- 11.6.2 Transition diet - 5 to 7 kg
- 11.6.3 Phase 2 - 7 to 11 kg
- 11.6.4 Phase 3 - 11.5 to 23 kg
- 11.7 Importance of management in the success of the nutritional program
- 11.7.1 Management to encourage feed intake
- 11.7.2 Adjust feeders frequently to minimize feed wastage
- References
SECTION TWELVE: Intestinal nutrient requirements in weanling pigs
- 12.1 Introduction
- 12.2 Changes in gut physiology during weaning
- 12.2.1 Acute phase
- 12.2.2 Adaptive phase
- 12.3 Intestinal nutrient utilization in young pigs
- 12.3.1 Physiological and cellular basis of gut metabolism
- 12.3.2 Major oxidative fuels
- 12.3.3 Essential amino acid utilization
- 12.3.4 Interactions between nutrition and enteric health and function
- 12.4 Summary and perspectives
- Acknowledgments
- References
SECTION THIRTEEN: Environmental requirements and housing of the weaned pig
- 13.1 Introduction
- 13.2 Environmental requirements of the weaned pig
- 13.2.1 Events related to weaning that affect thermal requirements
- 13.2.2 Ambient temperature
- 13.2.3 Relative humidity and ventilation
- 13.2.4 Lighting
- 13.2.5 Effects of non-optimal climate on performance
- 13.3 Pen structure
- 13.3.1 Flooring materials
- 13.3.2 Feeders and waterers
- 13.3.3 Stocking densities
- 13.3.4 Group size
- 13.4 Housing as a cause of poor health of weaned pigs
- 13.4.1 Evidence that housing conditions predispose pigs to digestive disorders
- 13.4.2 Impact of non-optimal indoor climate on the pig’s health status
- 13.4.3 Multifactorial nature of post-weaning disorders: risk factors associated with housing and management
- 13.4.4 Integrating the risk factors to improve health
- 13.5 Conclusion
- References
SECTION FOURTEEN: Saving and rearing underprivileged and supernumerary piglets and improving their health at weaning
- 14.1 Introduction
- 14.2 What are underprivileged and supernumeraries?
- 14.3 Reasons accounting for variation in birthweight and weaning weight
- 14.3.1 Variation in birth weight
- 14.3.2 Variation in weaning weight
- 14.4 Differences between underprivileged and “normal” piglets
- 14.5.2 Cross fostering
- 14.5.3 Split weaning
- 14.5.4 Feeding strategy
- 14.6 Growth potential of underprivileged piglets
- 14.7 Supernumerary piglets
- 14.7.1 Weaning at day 1-3
- 14.7.2 Fostering onto a nurse sow
- 14.7.3 Weaning at one week of age
- 14.8 Management to improve the health of piglets
- 14.8.1 All-in / All-out management system
- 14.8.2 Segregation
- 14.9 Conclusion: the need for research
SECTION FIFTEEN: Productivity and longevity of weaned sows
- 15.1 Introduction
- 15.2 Reproductive causes of culling
- 15.3 Consequences of lactation and weaning on the reproductive axis
- 15.3.1 Postpartum inhibition
- 15.3.2 Removal of the inhibition of the hypothalamic-pituitaryovarian axis at weaning
- 15.4 Variation in reproductive performance: extent and sources of variation
- 15.4.1 Components of fertility and prolificacy
- 15.4.2 Influence of nutritional factors
- 15.4.3 Influence of lactational characteristics
- 15.4.4 Influence of the physical and social environment
- 15.4.5 Relationships between WEI, litter size and farrowing rate
- 15.5 Conclusion
References
Conclusions
List of authors
Index