Better Pork - August 2016

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Better pork August 2016 31
FEATURE
really did reduce sow weight loss.
The Futterkamp researchers went on
to test the polyunsaturated supple-
ment with the same sows during a
second suckling period with even
more impressive results. After a sec-
ond farrowing, average sow weight
loss in trials turns out to be just half
that of sows on a conventional lacta-
tion diet.
One reason for the linoleic-fed
sows losing less weight can be seen in
the analysis of the milk they pro-
duce. This has lower milk fat levels.
While this doesn’t appear to affect
piglet weight gain significantly, the
reduction in milk fat output means
the sows need less dietary energy
and can therefore retain more body
condition during suckling.
This, at least, is one conclusion
from the Futterkamp trials where
more than 200 sows were split into
control and trial groups, with the
latter having 0.5 per cent of soy oil
in their rations substituted by conju-
gated linoleic oil.
At first farrowing, there was
a slight difference in weight loss
between the two suckling groups: an
average 15.6 kg loss between farrow-
ing and weaning for the linoleic sows
and 18.7 kg for control. However,
the second time around in the far-
rowing barn with the same sows
showed a much more significant
difference. The average linoleic sow
lost only 12.5 kg bodyweight while
control sows weighed 21.9 kg less at
weaning.
Fat content in the respective milks
between day eight after farrowing
and day 14 was recorded as 68.8 g/
litre for the linoleic trial sows and
75.8 g/l for the control group
members. BP
A cure for condition loss at suckling?
Milking ration containing Soy oil 0.5% conjugated linoleic oil
Total farrowings involved 172 178
Average born alive/litter 15.9 16.3
Average birth weight (kg) 1.3 1.3
Weaned per litter 12.6 12.6
Average weaning weight 7.7 7.6
Daily liveweight gain per piglet (g) 244 238
Sow weight loss during first suckling (kg) 18.7 15.6
Sow weight loss during second suckling 21.9 12.5
Sources: Futterkamp Agricultural Research Centre and College; Schleswig Holstein Chamber of Agriculture.
First tests with a small portion
of this omega-6 oil in lactation
rations really did reduce sow
weight loss.