In 2009, this similar internet web page revealed a sequence of 3 articles through which J. Barceló defined the most efficient age to wean piglets in his opinion. In the primary of those articles, he mentioned:
If we had requested this query to veterinarians, specialised technicians, and swine manufacturers a couple of years in the past, the immense majority would virtually unquestionably have spoke back that the most efficient age for weaning is at 3 weeks. Alternatively, there are steady adjustments in swine manufacturing and its evolution questions this previous trust with admire to the weaning age. On this article I will be able to take a look at to give an explanation for why in lots of manufacturing techniques the weaning age is being put again to twenty-eight days so as to reach the target of manufacturing no less than 200 kg of weaned weight in keeping with productive sow and yr.”
Lets write the similar factor nowadays and it will nonetheless be related. The typical age at weaning has no longer but reached 28 days in Spain.
Determine 1. Evolution of age at weaning in Spain. Supply: Grup de Gestió Porcina UdL.
Since 2017, mortality within the post-weaning section (6-20 kg) has no longer stopped expanding, achieving a report top in 2022 of 8.4% consistent with SIP knowledge. Given this state of affairs, it will appear that one of the vital first measures to use can be to have extra mature piglets at weaning that would higher face up to the strain of weaning and next housing prerequisites. Alternatively, we nonetheless don’t seem to be weaning at 28 days Why?
Indubitably, the explanations for retaining the common age at weaning beneath 28 days have no longer been the similar for all manufacturers, however I will be able to attempt to provide those that, in my view, are the principle ones:
- The usage of extremely prolific genetics forces us to make use of nurse sows so as to have a better nursing capability. This ends up in pre-weaning piglets at ages below 28 days or even 21 days, which has an affect at the reasonable weaning age, no longer permitting the piglets to achieve 28 days, regardless of having the essential farrowing puts to be had. However, what’s worse is this reasonable age is related to a top usual deviation (nice variation in age) since now we have piglets which are weaned very early and others a lot later.
- Proceeding to wean piglets below 28 days, allowing for the limitations on the usage of antibiotics within the feed, has no longer brought about main issues, as zinc oxide used to be nonetheless provide within the first diets and exerted its protecting impact till just lately.
- The mixing device has been the engine of our pig business and we will have to be thankful for it, however it should be known that the pursuits of the other actors don’t seem to be at all times the similar. The built-in pig manufacturer is paid at the foundation of the selection of piglets weaned and, due to this fact, this quantity continues to weigh closely in selections. Delaying weaning way expanding the selection of farrowing room puts or lowering the selection of sows, and each selections result in a renegotiation of the combination contracts, which we attempt to keep away from.
Since mid-2022 the usage of zinc oxide in diets has been banned right through Europe, the usage of antibiotics has been limited and this restriction will building up, because the intake goal imposed via the Eu Union for 2030 implies lowering the 2021 intake via roughly 40%.
Determine 2. Present growth in opposition to the EU Farm to Fork technique goal of lowering overall antimicrobial gross sales for farm and aquaculture animals via 50% via 2030 in 27 EU Member States. Supply: twelfth ESVAC file.
The direct result of those adjustments is that mortality larger so much in 2022, doubling the odds that had been same old till 2017. It’s true that the arriving of extremely pathogenic PRRS lines has left its mark, however even within the spaces of Spain the place those lines had no longer but arrived (northeast and southeast areas), mortalities additionally larger with admire to 2021.
Desk 1. NE: Northeast zone, SE: South and East zones, NC: North Central zone. Information from: IX Jornada SIP. January 26, 2023.
| Nursery mortality | Completing mortallity | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 2022 | Variation 2020-22 | Variation 2015-19 | 2020 | 2022 | Variation 2020-22 | Variation 2015-19 | ||
| NE | 5.2% | 8.6% | +3.4% | NE | 4.2% | 6.0% | +1.8% | ||
| SE | 5.3% | 6.4% | +1.1% | SE | 4.2% | 4.6% | +0.8% | ||
| NC | 4.3% | 6.7% | +2.4% | NC | 4.3% | 6.7% | +0.3% | ||
| ES | 5.1% | 8.3% | +3.2% | +1.9% | ES | 4.2% | 5.7% | +1.5% | +0.3% |
In abstract, we can not use zinc oxide in post-weaning diets and there aren’t any merchandise in the marketplace to switch it with the similar efficacy; the usage of antibiotics in feed is increasingly more tricky and when it’s utilized in consuming water it does no longer yield the similar effects; genetics stay bettering generating better litters once a year which reduces weaning weights; and, closing however no longer least, the extremely pathogenic lines of PRRS are right here to stick.
In contrast background, what has modified is the inducement to wean older piglets. J. Barceló’s function of weaning 200 kg of piglets in keeping with sow in keeping with yr issues little if the ones kilograms of piglets are by no means advertised. The inducement for weaning older piglets is now to keep an eye on losses and, due to this fact, to make sure that what’s produced is bought.
Some may assume that the standard of the piglet at weaning isn’t so vital in lowering mortalities, however the knowledge now we have display the other.
- Piglets weaned at 28 days or older have ate up a lot more cast nutrition previous to weaning. The perfect consumption happens between 25 and 28 days.
Determine 3. Pre-starter consumption. Supply: Brunix, et al. 2002.
- Pre-weaning feed consumption reduces the length of post-weaning anorexia, which is the principle cause for post-weaning diarrhea.
Determine 4. Impact of creep-feed intake on person feed consumption traits and function of group-housed weaned pigs. Supply: Brunix, et al 2002.
- Ages of 28 days or extra at weaning make sure upper piglet weights. Heavier piglets face up to issues higher, lowering losses no longer most effective throughout the post-weaning section but additionally throughout the completing section.
Determine 5. % mortality from weaning to 138 d post-weaning. Supply: A. Vidal, 2015.
- Piglets that know the way to devour earlier than weaning develop higher as soon as they’re weaned.
Determine 6. Day-to-day weight acquire and weight consistent with whether they ate pre-starter feed earlier than weaning (0-28 d). Supply: Sulabo et al. 2014.
- Piglets that develop neatly right away after weaning are higher ready to resist different pathologies, together with PRRS.
Determine 7. Dating between low day-to-day weight acquire throughout the primary week post-weaning and mortality in two PRRS-positive farms. Supply: Lawrence, B. et al. 2006.
- The will for antibiotics is diminished when issues are diminished.
Some Eu manufacturers see weaning age because the approach to the issues brought about via the withdrawal of zinc oxide and the aid in the usage of antibiotics, which is main them to wean past 28 days. The verdict will have to now not be primarily based most effective on financial phrases as J. Barceló defined in his sequence of articles, however with regards to survival. If issues don’t trade, and from what we see, it does no longer appear that they will trade, via 2023 we can once more lose, on reasonable, 15% of weaned piglets. Will the shopper needless to say 15% of weaned pigs are misplaced because of mortality? Is it sustainable to lose 15% of pigs?
We’re overdue in achieving what used to be already being proposed via J. Barceló in 2009: prolong the age at weaning, a minimum of, till 28 days on reasonable.