PSI-2 - Effect of Gruel Feeding and Oral Dextrose on the Survivability of Pigs After Weaning

Abstract: Two experiments were conducted using 3,087 (Exp. 1) and 988 (Exp. 2) pigs to determine the effect of gruel feeding (Exp. 1) and oral glucose (Exp. 2) on pig survivability after weaning. Upon arrival to the nursery, the smallest 10% of pigs were selected and randomly placed in designated pens with 61 to 108 pigs/pen. Pens of small pigs were assigned to 1 of 2 treatments in a completely randomized design. Treatment consisted of gruel feeding two or four times/day for 14-d post-placement. At each gruel feeding, approximately 1.13 kg of solid feed was added to a round Rotecna bowl (Rotecna S.A., Agramunt, Spain) located at the front of the pen. Water was added at a decreasing rate over time. From d 0 to 5, 6 to 10, and 11 to 14 the ratio of water to feed was 3:1, 1:1, and 1:3, respectively. In Exp. 2, every other pig removed from general population or pens of small pigs for welfare considerations received a single 10 mL oral dose of a 50% dextrose solution and were placed in sick/fallback pens. All removed pigs were tagged and blood glucose measured prior to and 30 min after entering sick/fallback pens. Overall, gruel feeding small pigs two or four times/day for 14-d post-placement did not influence (P>0.10) mortality from weaning to the end of gruel feeding (3.78 vs 4.25%, respectively). Likewise, dextrose administration did not influence (P>0.10) pig mortality after removal to approximately day 38 after weaning (21.4 vs 23.4% respectively), even though blood glucose increased (P< 0.001) in those administered dextrose (11.4 vs 19.1 mg/dL). In summary, gruel feeding four times/day or providing sick/fallback pigs glucose supplementation does not improve survivability of pigs after weaning. More research is needed using alternative protocols to understand the value of gruel feeding on pig survival post-weaning.