Articles - Nutrition

With the restrictions on antimicrobial use as a preventive measure, a new era is born in the design of pre-weaning and grower diets. The transition to this new scenario must be approached in a comprehensive way.

Biological alterations in immune and intestinal systems occur immediately after weaning that affect subsequent pig growth and health.

Pelleting and extrusion can potentially increase energy and nutrient digestibility of swine diets and their effects are affected by the diet composition.

Pigs exposed to heat stress increase their body temperature and reduce the size of their intestinal villi, thus increasing the loss of endogenous AAs and reducing the abundance of AA transporters in the intestine, as well as apparent and standardized ileal digestibility of AAs.

There is a widespread trend throughout Europe to decrease the protein levels in feeds, together with an adequate supplementation of industrial amino acids.

Predicting the functional effect of fibre ingredients when fed to early weaning piglets is advisable in order to control the gut health.

Understand the role nutrition can play in gut health and animal performance is essential to enjoying good performance as we move away from antibiotic growth promoters and heavy metals.

The handling disadvantages derived from the addition of an extra feed are outweighed by the improvement in production and decrease in the number of farrowing problems.

Energy intake based on body condition differs greatly from the energy adult sows require. Moreover, the NRC clearly overestimates the sows' maintenance requirements.

At autopsy, haemorrhagic enterocolitis with mucosal oedema, enlarged spleen and haemorrhagic mesentery were observed.

The addition of alternative ingredients to the ration will depend mainly on how their variation in nutritional composition compares to soybeans and on their price, which will determine their inclusion rate and their actual inclusion.

Neonatal mineral and vitamin supplementation have a huge impact on bone development and body composition via the regulation of mesenchymal stem cells and satellite cell programing.

The evolution of genetics in modern sows requires nutritionists to evolve their diets and feeding programs accordingly. Nutritionist need to consider not only the role of nutrition on metabolism but also on hormone regulation and subsequent reproduction.

The immunomodulatory effect —particularly anti-inflammatory— of phytogenic products added to the diet seems to play a crucial role in addressing intestinal clinical pictures in pigs.

Adding organic iron in piglets drinking water during lactation may be an alternative to parenteral administration of inorganic iron.

Variability of feed ingredients is analysed, as well as its consequences on consumption and lean tissue growth in fattening pigs.

A gilt who has compromised limb health on entry to the breeding herd is more vulnerable to early removal as a result of lameness and more vulnerable to the negative production affects associated with it.

The transmission of PEDV through the feed supply chain is an example of a complex disease transmission pathway that triggered swine feed industry stakeholders to collaborate in understanding and addressing the risk factors.

Due to their higher energy, phosphorus and amino acids content when compared to corn, wheat and barley, DDGS are presented as a nutritional and cheap alternative feed in the animals diet.

A good diet is not enough to prevent post-weaning diarrhoea in the youngest, lightest animals, since they do not eat as much as they should.

The article suggests various environmental and feed program changes and assesses their effect on pig performance and feed cost.

The aim of the main nutritional strategies is to ensure a beneficial effect on the digestive flora of piglets and their intestinal health after weaning, thus reducing the risk of colibacillosis.

This article describes a new syndrome in pigs that causes external and internal birth defects, especially in the liver and heart.

The use of proven phytases in swine, is recognized to be an extremely useful tool for nutritionists not only in formulating more affordable feed without altering animal performance, but even improving it.