How to successfully manage today's high-producing sows

The modern sow produces 20% more piglets per litter compared to two decades ago. This increased productivity comes with its own set of challenges. At Trouw Nutrition we are committed to helping farmers manage the enormous potential of rising productivity while ensuring the focus also remains on high-quality litters and animal welfare. In our experience, best results are achieved when feed, farm and health are carefully managed together.

Reducing the use of antibiotics

As we discover more about how antimicrobial resistance is affecting maternal sows and how it also impacts their offspring, reducing the use of antibiotics becomes not only a health imperative but also crucial for business. Recent findings indicate that oral antibiotic treatment of sows has a negative impact on piglets’ intestinal microbiota composition and morphology, affecting their performance later in life.

At Trouw Nutrition, we designed our Antibiotic Reduction Program to support producers in reducing reliance on antibiotics without compromising on efficiency and productivity.

Find out more about our Antibiotic Reduction Program here

Reproductive performance and lactation

Sow performance is measured by the amount and quality of piglets produced. The efficient use of nutrients to support gestation and produce colostrum and milk is therefore crucial to achieving high performance. Factors such as feed intake capacity, digestive disorders, artificial insemination (AI) management and (heat) stress can all limit production efficiency.

Quality of feed and water intake

As one of the most essential elements of livestock production, water should be carefully managed to increase productivity and improve financial results. Feed management also plays a crucial role in producing a healthy and strong-performing sow. Individual feeding based on parity, condition and stage of gestation/lactation ensures that sows receive the optimal nutrition based on their unique needs.

Controlling Salmonella

The presence of Salmonella infection affects animal performance and health as well as food safety. Although mostly asymptomatic, some serotypes cause disease, usually manifested as septicemia and/or enterocolitis. During their reproduction cycle, sows with Salmonella excrete and transmit it to their piglets, enabling the infection to remain in the drove. To comply with legal and commercial standards, Salmonella control measures should be implemented as early as possible in the production chain. A customised, integrated approach can protect and empower animals against Salmonella colonisation and invasion and help reduce its horizontal and vertical transmission.

Mineral Optimisation

Trace minerals like zinc, copper and manganese play essential roles in all stages of a sow’s reproductive cycle. These minerals support multiple essential functions in sow physiology, including performance, immune response and health. Provided in wrong form and amount could lead to a reduced response to sow and litter health, smaller overall litter size, increased weaning weight for piglets, and potentially increased chance of premature culling. Therefor we encourage swine producers and nutritionists to work together to provide a cost-effective trace mineral source most capable of consistently meeting the needs of the animal.

Good sow management combines good health practices, different optimised diets and a sound breeding management.

Peter Smid – Global Programme Manager Health Feed Additives