The Citizen, 1995-03-22, Page 23Innovating
Segregated early weaning is one of the over-riding themes
of seminars informing farrow to finish pork producers on the
advantages and disadvantages of three-site operations.
By Janice Becker have been able to expand from 200
Home, Farm &
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THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 22, 1995. PAGE A3.
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + A GRICULTURE '95
3-site operations peak interest in pig business
For those involved in a farrow to
finish business, the increasing talk
of three-site operations in recent
years, may peak interests.
Specialists in the swine industry
from across Ontario spoke to pro-
ducers at a seminar presented by
the Ontario Ministry of Agricul-
ture, Food and Rural Affairs, last
December.
The participants covered the
mechanics of running such an oper-
ation as well as the advantages and
disadvantages of the method.
One of the over-riding themes of
the seminar was the basic ideology
behind segregated early weaning
(SEW).
The purpose of removing piglets
from the sows at the age of 14
days, is to minimize the effect of
health status of the herd of origin
on the performance of pigs when
co-mingled from a variety of
sources, says Doug Wheeler, opera-
tiongmanager for a swine co-op.
Another specialist, Cathy Aker,
says the young pigs are separated
from the most potent source of
infection, the sow.
During testing at the Swine Eval-
uation Centre from 1972 to the pre-
sent, growth rates improved very
little in spite of the improved genet-
ics of the animals, says Ms Aker.
"It was clear that the health issue
was preventing some pigs from
expressing their true genetic poten-
tial for growth."
"Once the centre became interest-
ed in SEW, in 1993, we found a
significant improvement in the
growth rate. The same genetic ani-
mals which had taken 155 to 160
days to reach 100 kg are now
reaching it in 140 days."
Henry and Bill Peters of Thed-
ford, who have been weaning pigs
at 14 days for more than 15 years,
to 600 sows.
The years of experience have
taught them some important factors
to consider when using the SEW
system.
The room temperature is started
at 90 to 92°F and then lowered two
degrees each week.
Target humidity should be 50 per
cent to reduce the risk of strep suis.
The flooring should be plastic
coated and the feeding troughs
should provide enough space for all
animals to feed together.
Management of the weaning unit
is critical to SEW operations, says
Dr. Jane Carpenter, of Cold Springs
Farms Ltd. in Thamesford.
"The fostering of pigs between
litters born on the same day helps
decrease the week's average litter
size per sow and helps'to facilitate
piglet survival and maximize wean-
ing weights," she says.
Two or three nursing sows are
kept for the weekly farrowing
group.
With regards to feeding methods,
the Peterses recommend the pigs be
fed three times per day on a mix-
ture of corn, soymeal and premix.
At the age of seven days, the ani-
mals begin to receive creep feed.
Weaned two times per week,
between the ages of 11 and 15
days, the pigs will weigh nine to 10
lbs.
The herd is moved to the hot
nursery for four to five weeks then
to the grower area at 42 to 48 days.
The regimen used by Ms Aker
calls for four feedings per day for
the first three days, followed by a
decrease to three.
For the first five weeks of
growth, the pigs' diet gradually
goes through five changes, to adjust
to age and growth.
"On the test animals, the average
cost per pig, for feed, is less than
S16 per week over six weeks or 37
cents per day," says Ms Aker.
There are several advantages and
disadvantages to SEW, says Mr.
Wheeler.
The early weaning of animals has
allowed: specialization of manage-
ment and labour procedures; co-
mingling of small groups of piglets
to end up with a large group of the
same health status; increased flow
through farrowing crates, creating
increased efficiency; improved fin-
ishing performance based on feed
conversion and average daily
weight gain; decreased housing and
feed costs; reduced drug usage,-
. labour time and cost at the grower-
finish phase; better control of time
schedules and more flexibility if a
disease outbreak does occur.
The high health status of a large
group can also be used as a market-
ing tool for the producer.
The increased flow of animals
through the system requires the
need for good record keeping, as
well.
"Age segregated weaning offers
potential and realized disease con-
trol and production efficiency
increases over three site or single
site systems," says Dr. Mike Wil-
son of Cobbity Farm, Fergus.
A three week crate turnaround
instead of a four week turnaround
means that 130 sows can use the
same number of crates that 100
sows did in a three to four week
weaning:system.
Farrow-to-finish operators can
switch to a farrow-to-weaner sys-
tem, thereby doubling the size
without additional buildings, he
says.
As well as advantages to SEW,
there is a downside.
"Discipline is required," says Dr.
Wilson,
"If piglets older than 21 days are
introduCed to a younger group,
infection can spread through the
entire herd."
Other problems to be managed,
says Mr. Wheeler, -include
increased housing and rearing costs
because of the excellence of facili-
ties required, increased drug costs
at the early weaning stage over
conventional weaner procedures,
cleanliness if the same labour is
used for different sites, perfor-
mance improvements sufficient
enough to cover increased rearing
costs, excellent records for farrow-
ing phase to prevent cross-fostering
backwards resulting in late
removal, due to special feeds
increased inventory and cost and
extra transportation is required.
As well as the production consid-
eration for SEW, the financial and
business organization of the opera-
tion is very important.
Many of these concerns can be
dealt with through the local banker.
Overall, Ms Aker sums up her
experiences with SEW by saying,
—"The. program has been a very posi-
tive step which has allowed the
pigs to express their true genetic
potential and has reduced the varia-
tion between pigs, much of which
was undoubtedly (hie to health dif-
ferences."
PERFORMANCE OF S.E.W. PIGS
Age range '" 14-21 days
Number of replicas 5
Number of pigs 750
Average starting weight 5.35 kg
Average ending weight 24:2 kg
A.D.G. 397 gm
Average daily feed
consumption 675 gm
FIG 1.69
Mortalities .8%
Medication cost per pig $1.92
GROWER-FINISHER COMPARISON
S.E.W. Conventional
Numbers of pigs 750 1855
Number of Replicas 5 6
A.D.G. 760 gm. 690 gm.
FIG 2.84 3.12
Carcass wt. 86.4 kg 85.1 kg
Est. Lean yd. 50.8 50.7
Index 108.2 107.5
(Doug Wheeler, Operations Manager
Qualify Swine Co-op, Shedden)
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