When pigs are weaned at 35 days of age, creep feeding is so successful that it is often advisable to discontinue offering the initial feed after one week and replace it with a less dense/complex diet to prevent pigs from scouring from overfeeding. Therefore, with later weaning ages, as currently practiced throughout Europe, creep feeding must be a common feature in all piglet feeding programs. Based on research and experience, it can be said that creep feeding can be associated with as much as an extra kilogram body weight as weaning age approaches 28 days of age. In this case, pigs not only become rapidly accustomed to consuming dry feed, but they are also weaned markedly heavier. In contrast, when pigs are weaned at approximately 25 days of age, creep feed intake approaches the limit of 500 grams of pigs, bypassing the danger of delayed hypersensitivity reaction. In contrast, when weaning weights must be boosted, it is strongly advised to offer them a milk replacer. Thus, for very early-weaned pigs, it is best not to offer any creep feed at all. This usually manifests itself in the form of profuse diarrhea after weaning when pigs start consuming larger quantities of feed while any protective effect of mother’s milk is removed. ![]() But there is one big problem following such limited and early exposure to dry feed, in that the gastrointestinal system might be prematurely triggered to a delayed hypersensitivity reaction if the feed contains any source of soybeans. Thus, the only benefit that can be claimed is that pigs at least realize pellets or dry meal as a form of nourishment. When pigs are weaned at 15-18 days of age, creep feed intake is rarely over 100 grams per pig. For piglets to fully benefit from creep feeding, they must have sufficient time to consume about 500 grams of feed before weaning. The first such condition is the weaning age of the piglets. ![]() Here are three pointers to make creep feeding work. Simply put, it does! But there are certain conditions that must be met for this feed management tool to work properly. View all of the articles in the digital edition of this magazine.Įven though creep feeding is an old theme, I am quite often asked (especially when producers switch weaning age) whether it pays off. This article appears in the July/August issue of Pig International.
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