By Geoff Geddes, for Swine Innovation Porc
They say “it’s not how you start in life; it’s how you finish.” Then again, “they” never met a milk-deprived piglet. Fortunately, researchers understand that a strong beginning is essential to piglet development, and milk plays a huge
role in sows starting their litters on the right hoof. No wonder then, that while science targets sow nutrition from a number of angles, maximizing sow milk yield continues to be a major focus of research.
Low cost feeding and management strategies
One of the most exciting aspects of research is that you can often address multiple issues with the same project. A perfect example of this was the study “Increasing sow milk yield and piglet growth via low cost feeding and management strategies.” Because a hungry sow is a cranky sow, hunger can often lead to conflict. To address this, researchers sought the best means of making sows feel full and less hostile, and found it in oat straw.
To view the full article: Recipe for Sow Nutrition: Just Add Milk
