NUTRITION ▶▶▶
Welfare: Enabler of animal performance
High welfare standards are a prerequisite of good performance in all livestock production systems. Risk assessment and specific nutrition can help reduce stress levels in young piglets.
BY ROSALIE VAN EMOUS, SENIOR TECHNOLOGY LEAD SUSTAINABILITY, CARGILL H
A combination of good feeding, health, housing and manage- ment will pro- mote high wel- fare standards.
igh welfare standards for piglets can be achieved with good feeding, health, housing and man- agement. For example, this means access to food and water, ease of movement, appropriate room
temperature, absence of pain and good human-to-animal interactions. Yet factors affecting welfare in piglets are highly complex and multifaceted. As piglets progress through weaning, they face new challenges in these areas that can create stress and trigger welfare-related problems. Tail biting can be a particular issue in weaned piglets. Many factors may be the cause, such as poor nutrition, lack of access to feed, poor nutrient balance, high pen density, poor ventila- tion or health problems. A lack of enrichment materials to keep piglets occupied, and to let them express their exploratory behaviour, will also increase the risk of tail biting.
Tail biting can have an immediate impact on the animal’s wel- fare and can have longer term effects on health due to infec- tion and abscesses. Extra veterinary services, labour, reduced performance and, in extreme cases, carcass disposal expenses are just some of the costs encountered. Costs per victim of tail biting have been estimated at € 19. Good welfare starts early in life. Adoption should be carried out at the right age, between 12 hours and two days of age. Also, mixing litters between two weeks old and a week before wean- ing can create positive socialising that will facilitate mixing of piglets post-weaning. A positive experience with humans, with minimum stress, will also keep piglets more content. Promoting improved welfare in weaned piglets starts with a clear understanding of the risk factors. Any weak links must be identified and improved.
Risk Assessment Tool Multiple factors are likely to be involved. Cargill has used its welfare studies and research results to develop a Risk Assessment Tool (RAT) that is now used on farms to identify the main triggers of abnormal pig behaviour. There are 29 risk factors included, with each weighted towards the age and stage of the pig. In the weaned piglet, higher risk factors that carry more weighting are health, enrichment materials, stocking density and human visits. Results from this risk assessment can be used to implement a management and nutritional plan specific to the farm and to the group of animals. That is all part of Cargill’s Welfare Plus programme. Research and literature reviews support the link between nutrition and behaviour. Nutrition has been shown to play an important role in supporting efficient and more welfare- friendly pig production. Well-known examples are tryptophan and magnesium. In addition, combinations of micronutrients present in plants with specific properties can help animals cope better with stress and anxiety and lead to a calmer en- vironment. Some plants contain micronutrients with antioxi- dant capacity shown to help manage oxidative stress in pigs. Those micronutrients, which work in a complementary way, also have anti-inflammatory properties and various other effects linked to welfare. The use of these plant micronutri- ents in feed can reduce behavioural issues, improve piglet performance and decrease vet and labour costs.
38 ▶ PIG PROGRESS | Volume 37, No. 7, 2021
PHOTO: BART NIJS
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44
