FARM VISIT ▶▶▶
sows and 9% for the lactating sows. Svensmark says, “The most remarkable changes in the pig house are the improved feed intake of the lactating sows as well as the litter homoge- neity. I am convinced that our sows have been giving more milk since the feed was changed.” According to Poulsen, the pre-treatment of the protein com- ponents is essential. He says, “We profit from the positive ef- fects of feed fermentation on the gut flora, without having to expend a lot of effort in management and technology.” The figures from the sow management system confirm both of the swine experts’ observations. Currently 32.7 piglets/sow are being weaned, and pre-weaning mortality has dropped to 14%. Poulsen is satisfied, saying, “Together with the instal- lation of the milk cup system we could increase the average weaning weight after 28 days by 1.4kg, to 6.5kg.” With these figures, the additional cost of the protein compo- nent of about € 30/sow/year is economically feasible.
No zinc oxide and antibiotics In grower pigs, the farm has been using fermented products for six years. Poulsen uses the dry fermented protein EP100i based on pure rapeseed meal, that, just like the solution for sows, contains 34% crude protein and 5% lactic acid. Because of the limited proportion of antinutrient factors, the feed
additive is highly digestible. That is why Poulsen aims for a ra- tion of roughly 15% with the grower pigs, a percentage that drops gradually to about 8% as the grower phase progresses. In addition, it is clear that there is hardly any weight differ- ence between the groups, and the animals appear healthy. For pig producers, that is a huge advantage, not only when the breeding pigs are ready to be marketed. Since 2017 the Danish pork processor Danish Crown has banned the use of antibiotics during the breeding phase in the context of its programme to raise pigs without antibiotics (In Danish: “ Opdrættet uden antibiotika” – OUA). In addition, the compa- ny has already indicated that grower pigs should not rely on the usage of zinc oxide. For not using antibiotics and zinc oxide, Poulsen receives a premium of € 0.20 and € 0.05 respectively on top of the grower price. He says, “These limitations should not come at the expense of animal health. And with us, that is not the case, as can be seen in the mortality rate of 1.2% in the grower phase.” Should the usage of antibiotics be unavoidable with the odd individual animal, then that animal is marketed separately.
This article was first published in Germany’s agricultural trade journal SUS. It was translated and republished with the kind ap- proval of SUS.
▶PIG PROGRESS | Volume 36, No. 9, 2020
It is clear that there is hardly any weight dif- ference between the groups, and the animals ap- pear healthy.
www.pigprogress.net/ worldofpigs
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PHOTO: DORTHEASMINDE
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