MANAGEMENT
PIH-111
pork industry handbook
PURDUE UNIVERSITY COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SERVICE • WEST LAFAYETTE, INDIANA
Management and Nutrition of the Newly Weaned Pig
Authors
Frank Aherne, University of Alberta
Maynard G. Hogberg, Michigan State University
E. T. Komegay, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Gerald C. Shurson, University of Minnesota
Reviewers
Michael and Susan Brocksmith, Vincennes, Indiana
Gilbert R. Hollis, University of Illinois
James E. Pettigrew, University of Minnesota
In general, earlier weaning can result in increasing the number of pigs weaned per sow per year and may allow for heavier pigs at 8 weeks of age. Because of this potential and our increased knowledge of the nutritional and environmental needs of the young pig, weaning between 2 and 4 weeks of age has now become the normal practice in many herds, with most herds weaning at about 24 days of age.

Successful weaning starts before weaning with: 1. A sound breeding and feeding program with the gestating sow to ensure large, healthy pigs at birth. There is a highly positive relationship between birth weight and weight at weaning. 2. Good baby pig and sow management during lactation to ensure heavy and healthy pigs at weaning.

Creep Feeding
The percentage of the suckling pig’s daily nutrient requirements coming from sow milk or creep feed changes with stage of lactation. At 3 weeks, only about 5% of the pig’s nutrient requirements are being met by creep feed intake, whereas at 5 weeks of age, creep feed may supply one-third of the pig’s nutrient requirements.

Even though there doesn’t appear to be an advantage in creep feeding pigs weaned at 3 weeks, there may be an advantage in offering a creep feed to those pigs weaned later than 3 weeks of age starting as early as 10 days of age.

The creep feed is intended to allow the pig to maintain optimum growth rate after the sow’s milk yield starts to decline at 3 to 4 weeks after farrowing. For pigs weaned after 21 days of age, creep feed also may stimulate earlier develop-
ment of the digestive system, induce digestive enzyme secretions, stimulate hydrochloric acid (HC1) secretion in the stomach and in many other ways prepare the pig for weaning to a dry, cereal grain, vegetable protein-based diet. There is some evidence that use of a palatable, digestible creep feed with fast growing pigs weaned at 24 to 28 days of age will significantly improve weight at weaning and improve feed intake and growth rate in the first two weeks after weaning.

If a creep feeding program is to be successful, feed should be fresh (changed frequently) and the diet must be highly digestible and palatable. Because most of the suckling pig’s amino acid requirements are met by milk proteins, a creep feed may be formulated to contain only 15% to 16% protein. Ingredients commonly used to meet these requirements are dried whey, dried skim milk, fish meal and dehulled rolled oats.

Before weaning, a suckling pig will consume approximately 0.55 lb of milk dry matter per day, allowing a growth rate of 0.70 lb per day. After weaning, feed intake can fall to about 0.2 lb per day and then increase by about 0.1 lb per day, but will generally not reach the preweaning level of nutrient intake until 8 to 10 days after weaning.
Post Weaning
The performance of the pig after weaning is determined by age and weight at weaning, genetic potential for growth, quality of management and environment, nutritional program and disease status. Management and environment are more often the limiting factors to producing good feeder pigs than are
Cooperative Extension Work in Agriculture and Home Economics, State of Indiana, Purdue University and U.S. Department of Agriculture Cooperating. H.A. Wadsworth, Director, West Lafayette, IN. Issued in furtherance of the Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914. It is the policy of the Cooperative Extension Service of Purdue University that all persons shall have equal opportunity and access to our programs and facilities.