Effects of dietary creep feeding on performance, blood characteristics and behaviour in sows and piglets

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary creep feeding on performance, blood characteristic and behaviour in sows and piglets. In total, data were obtained from 30 sows (Landrace × Yorkshire) and their litters. Sows were randomly assigned with 1, 2 or 3+ parities to 1 of 3 creep feeding treatment groups. Dietary treatments included 1) CON (no creep feeding), 2) TRT1 [creep feed (DE 4,000kcal/kg) from 5d of age until weaning (21d)], and 3) TRT2 [high energy creep feed (DE 5,000kcal/kg) from 5d of age until weaning (21d)]. The behaviour of sows (nursery, eating, standing) and piglets (sucking, sleeping, fighting) in each treatments was observed throughout this experiments. Each piglet was weighted and bled on 5, 10, 15 and 21 d after birth to evaluate the ADG and IgG concentration of piglet. In addition, all sows were also bled on the lactation and weaning day to evaluate, epinephrine, norepinephrine and cortisol concentration, rectal temperature of each sows was also measured at the same time.

In herein study, dietary TRT1 and TRT2 significantly decreased the epinephrine, norepinephrine and cortisol concentration compared with the control group (P < 0.05). Higher piglet IgG concentration was observed in the TRT1 and TRT2 group compared with the control (P < 0.05). Dietary TRT1 and TRT2 led a lower diarrhoea score of piglets than those of the control treatment (P < 0.1). A higher piglet ADG was detected in the TRT2 (P < 0.1) compared with the CON treatment. No significant difference was observed on the rectal temperature of sows, the behaviour of the piglet and sows among treatments.

In conclusion, creep feeding can increase the immunity of piglet and decrease the diarrhoea score of piglets. A higher energy creep feeding can significantly increase the growth performance of piglet compared with the those without creep feeding, while the creep feeding with lower energy show intermediate.