Variability in feed intake the first days following weaning impacts gastrointestinal tract development, feeding patterns, and growth performance in nursery pigs.

ABSTRACT: The present study investigated the effects of voluntary feed intake (FI) the first days after weaning on gastrointestinal development and protein fermentation the first week after weaning and growth performance and feeding patterns during the nursery phase. A total of 144 mixed-sex weaned pigs (24 ± 2 d old; 7.2 ± 0.8 kg body weight [BW]) were allocated to 12 pens with 12 pigs/pen. Each pen was equipped with an electronic feeding station for monitoring individual FI during a 40-d study. Pigs were classified based on their cumulative FI over the initial 3 d after weaning (FId1-3) being above or below their pen median FId1-3 (high = 919 ± 244 g or low = 507 ± 222 g FId1-3). Similarly, weaning BW classes (BW0; high = 7.72 ± 0.59 kg or low = 6.62 ± 0.88 kg BW) were created to study interaction

SUBMITTER: Faba L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10799316 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature