392 - Young Scholar Award Talk: Strategies to Maintain Nutrient Intake, Reduce Weight Loss, and Improve Livability in Newly Weaned Pigs

Abstract: Low feed consumption immediately after weaning disrupts nutrient intake and results in what is commonly known as a post-weaning growth check. While most pigs recover from this initial reduction in feed intake (FI), some pigs fail to successfully transition, leading to morbidity and mortality. Several pre- and post-weaning strategies have been suggested to improve post-weaning FI; however, as nursery pig mortality continues to increase across the industry there is need to optimize current intervention and management practices. Hence, we conducted 10 different experiments using 17,290 pigs. The first series of experiments evaluated the effect of mat, gruel, or creep feeding on nursery pig growth performance, morbidity, and mortality. Different sensory attractants offered pre- and post-weaning on the FI and body weight loss of nursery pigs after weaning were also assessed. Lastly, research evaluating the metabolic status of pigs when removed from general population pens was conducted which then expanded to research comparing sire lines with different growth curves to better understand the stress response of pigs post-weaning and the impacts on intestinal permeability, FI, and lifetime performance. Implementation of these strategies had limited effects on nursery pig growth performance; however, did show we can successfully reduce the percentage of pigs that lose weight after weaning, which may influence lifetime growth and removal rates. Specifically, creep and mat feeding can be used to reduce morbidity and mortality in the nursery. Nonetheless, attempts to maintain FI has minimal effects compared to genetic selection. Late maturing lines significantly reduced early nursery FI and growth compared with early maturing genotypes. In summary, nursery pig research needs to look beyond growth performance and focus on the behavior and health by nutrition interaction of pigs after weaning in order to continue identifying strategies to maintain continuity of nutrient intake and improve livability.