Established and supported under the Australian

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Improving herd feed conversion efficiency

• Pork CRC Program 2
• Program manager Prof. Frank Dunshea

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Innovative products and strategies for the
measurement of feed intake

• Pork CRC Program 2 -Sub program 2a
• Sub program manager Dr Bruce Mullan

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Background

• Improving FCR a major focus of the Pork CRC
• Need to be able to measure feed intake of pigs in
  groups, and as individuals in groups
• A knowledge of feed intake helps
• Design and fine-tune feeding strategies
• Act as an early-warning system

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Objectives

• Continuous daily measurement of feed intake and
  feed wastage of pigs in groups
• Novel methods for measurement of individual feed
  intake of pigs in groups
• Prediction of animal performance through the
  commercial application of precision farming
  techniques

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Project areas

• Practical and continuous measurement of feed
  intake and weight of pigs in groups (Banhazi)
• Measurement of feed intake of individual pigs in
  groups (McCauley)
• Prediction of feed intake by individual pigs
  using markers (van Barneveld)
• Feedlogic feed system
• CHM Group
• WA Department of Agriculture and Food

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Development of a high frequency pig ID system
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Practical and frequent measurement of feed intake
and pig weight

• Thomas Banhazi

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Feed disappearance

• Feed delivered to individual feeders will be
  measured using solid flow measurement
  techniques
• Based on strain gauge technology and additional
  signal processing

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Measurement of feed delivery
Preliminary sensor design
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Preliminary experiments
Force impulse measured vs. feed supplied
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Problems and opportunities

• Demonstrated that the position of the sensor has
  a major impact on measurement precision
• Need to consider effect of different types of
  feed, humidity, different feed preparation, dust
  etc.
• Opportunity for feed delivery control has been
  identified

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Image analysis to measure LW
Processing of images
Relationship between weigh vs. neck-to-tail
distance in pixels
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Next phase

• New camera systems will be evaluated
• Large number of pigs will be included in the
  study
• Attempts will be made to evaluate the effects of
  different age and potentially breed

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Feedlogic

• Integrated feed dispensing and management system
  developed in the US
• Can deliver and blend multiple diets to specific
  feeders
• Records feed disappearance in real-time
• Target is grower-finisher pigs, but could be used
  in a breeding herd

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Feedlogic Objectives

• Evaluate the impact of blend feeding on
  performance and profitability
• Potential to be used for step-up programs with
  Paylean, delivery of in feed-medication,
  strategic use of high fat diets
• Examine relationship between feed disappearance,
  other measures of feed intake and pig performance

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Key features of the sub-program

• Close linkages between each project
• Techniques will be of value to other programs
  within the CRC
• Focus is clearly on commercial application
• Will ultimately serve as an early warning system
  upon which to take corrective action.

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Innovative products and strategies for
manipulation of feed intake and FCR
(Nutrition/gastrointestinal function)

• Pork CRC Program 2 -Sub program 2b
• Sub program manager Assoc. Prof. John Pluske

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Outcomes

• Enhanced efficiency of production of finisher
  pigs
• Increased understanding of factors (e.g.
  nutritional, gastrointestinal, behavioural) that
  influence post-weaning performance, specifically
  feed intake
• Manipulation (endocrine, nutritional) of growth
  and physiology of the young pig
• Commercial application of compensatory growth

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Key deliverables

• Amelioration of the post-weaning growth check and
  the promotion of gut development through,
• Increased understanding of risk factors
• Stimulation of feed intake
• Manipulation of physiology
• Enhanced efficiency of growth and feed conversion
  in all pig phases

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Current projects

• 2B-101
• Strategic use of fat and fibre to improve
  efficiency of finisher pigs
• QAF Meat Industries

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Current projects

• 2B-102
• Manipulation of growth and physiology of the
  young pig
• Murdoch University, DAFWA, DPI Werribee,
  University of Sydney

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2B-102 Growth and physiology of young pigs

• Objectives
• Nutritional tools (e.g. medium-chain
  triglycerides) and strategies to manipulate
  growth and development of the young pig
• Identification of molecules (e.g. from colostrum,
  oxytocin) that stimulate feed intake and
  gastrointestinal tract growth and development

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Medium Chain Triglycerides Post-weaning
Development (oils aint oils) David
Miller Murdoch University
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• Medium chain triglycerides (MCT)
• C6 - C12
• Directly oxidised in the liver
• Reported benefits (anecdotal clinical
  research)
• premature-infant formulas (humans),
• neonatal survival (pigs)
• neonatal growth development (pigs)
• immune function / anti-bacterial
• Post-translational bio-activation of ghrelin

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Holst Schwartz (2004)

• cellular anti-apoptotic proliferation
• immune function (gastro protective)

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• Proof of Concept
• 5 MCT in milk diet of 22d weaned pigs (5 days)
  (n8)

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Current projects

• 2B-103
• Strategies to enhance the performance of pigs
  immediately after weaning
• QAF Meat Industries, Murdoch University, DAFWA

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Strategies to enhance the performance of pigs
immediately after weaning

• Dr Rebecca Morrison
• QAF Meat Industries
• Principal Investigator

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Introduction

• Reduced feed intake of pigs 7-10 days post weaning

• 4 of pigs die post weaning

• Problems when pigs eventually begin to eat
• Digestive system overloaded
• Damage to gastrointestinal epithelium
• Nutrient malabsorption throughout life

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• Experiment 1
• Identification of the risk factors associated
  with pigs which do not eat or have reduced feed
  intake post weaning

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Materials and methods

• 1300 individual pigs
• Sow parity
• Sow feed intake during lactation
• Sow liveweight/P2
• Piglet birth weight and weaning weight
• Deaths and medical treatment
• Gender
• Exact age at weaning
• Feeding behaviour-24hrs post weaning
• Live weight 4 and 14 days post weaning, 70 , 119
  and approx. 161 days of age (slaughter)
• P2 at slaughter

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• Intensive measurements (160 piglets)

• Time to first suckling about
• Birth order/presentation

• Piglet immunoglobulin (IgG) conc.
• Sow colostrum IgG conc.-ind.teat
• Piglet position in teat order (day 5 and 21)
• Viability score post birth
• Body temperature

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Outcome Best Practice guide for producing
weaner pigs

• Identifying those pigs at risk
• Management strategies to ensure that production
  is improved in high risk pigs

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Current projects

• 2B-104
• Protein restriction and subsequent growth
• DPI Werribee

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Compensatory Growth/ Catch Up Growth

• Definition
• The greater than normal growth following a period
  of nutritional restriction (Ryan 1990)

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Compensatory Growth Pigs

• Compensatory growth responses have been shown in
  pigs
• Improved efficiency during re-alimentation
• Potential to reduce the fat content of the carcass

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Compensatory Growth Pigs

• Is some of the variability due to fetal
  programming?
• Birth weight
• Muscle fibre number

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Compensatory Growth Pigs

• Influence of birth weight on compensation
• 96 individually housed female pigs
• 2 x 2 factorial
• Birth weight (high or low)
• Protein restriction (restriction or no
  restriction from 4 to 7 weeks of age
• Feed offered ad libitum from weaning through to
  slaughter at 22 weeks of age

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Weight at 130 days of age
P 0.774
140
P 0.040
120
100
80
Weight (kg)
60
40
20
0
Light Normal
Light Restricted
Heavy Normal
Heavy
Restricted
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Body composition 130 days of age
Effect of restriction P0.032
0.3
0.2
Ratio fat tissue lean tissue
0.1
0
Light Normal
Light Restricted
Heavy Normal
Heavy
Restricted
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Implications

• Do not restrict low birth weight pigs
• Restricting heavy born pigs may reduce cost of
  production

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New projects

• Evaluation of glycerin (glycerol) from biodiesel
  production in pigs
• Development of semi-moist extruded creep feeds to
  promote GI tract development, feed intake and
  subsequent weaning weights

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Investigating the inclusion of fat in the diet of
grower and finishing pigs

• Ms Gabbrielle Brooke (PhD candidate)
• Supervisors Dr Roger Campbell, Prof Frank
  Dunshea, Dr John Pluske, Prof David Pethick and
  A/P Gordon Howarth

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Hypotheses

• Better feed conversion will be achieved by
  improved growth due to fat supplying greater net
  energy to fuel muscle growth
• There are carryover effects of fat when it is
  removed from the diet (what are they? How big are
  they? What caused them?)
• Dietary fat will induce an altered metabolic
  state
• Dietary fat will not change carcass quality

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Objectives

• Demonstrate that supplementing the diet of
  grower/finisher pigs with fat will increase
  growth performance and relate changes to energy
  intake and diet energy efficiency of the pig
• Demonstrate that increasing supplemental fat
  increases the energy efficiency of the pig beyond
  the incremental increase in dietary energy content

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• Provide recommendations for the optimum level of
  fat in diets for grower/finisher pigs
• Investigate the effects of adding fat to the
  pigs diets during one stage of development on
  subsequent and overall performance and carcass
  traits
• To consider the pathways involved in the
  metabolism of triacylglycerols and fatty acids

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LIPIDS

• Largely Hydrocarbon
• Do not dissolve in water (hydrophobic)
• From diet and/or endogenous biosynthesis
• Stored in adipose tissue

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Triglycerides (neutral fats)

• Three fatty acids and a glycerol
• Bodys most abundant lipid
• Functions
• Energy reservoir
• Insulation
• Cushioning

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Fatty Acids

• Carbon chain with a carboxylic acid functional
  group
• Unsaturated
• One or more double bonds in the backbone
• Saturated
• All single bonds in the backbone

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• Fatty acids determine the nature of the
  triglyceride
• Saturated are solid fats in animals
• Unsaturated are liquid oils in plants

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Benefits of Fat Supplementation to Pig Feed

• Increased energy (2.25 to 3.8 times value of
  carbohydrates)
• Dust control and improvement of health
• Improved palatability (increased gain and
  efficiency)
• Improved lubrication of grinding/mixing equipment

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Proposed Strategy

• Live weights
• Average Daily Gain (ADG)
• Average Daily Intake (ADI)
• Feed Conversion Efficiency (FCR)
• Blood Samples
• Carcass Measurements

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Analyses (blood)

• NEFAs are released into the circulation as a
  direct result of fat breakdown
• High fat diets increase ketone bodies
• High fat diets increase insulin

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Analyses (carcass)

• Fat feeding pre-slaughter reduces glycogen
• DXA measurements on ½ carcasses (belly fat, loin
  intramuscular fat, total carcass fat)

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Project Deliverables

• Potential to offer nutritionists and feed
  manufacturers nutritional technology to
  manipulate intake, ADG, FCR and carcass
  characteristics
• The results of this experiment could also be
  applied and tested in weaner pigs to promote feed
  intake

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Whats next?

• Effects of n-3 fatty acids (pig
  health/performance, meat value, reproduction)
• Supplying sections of pig, small and large
  intestine for cell culture and stem cell work
  (Jane Fauser).
• Understand the effect of fat on rate of
  passage/nutrient availability (in vitro/cannula
  work)

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Nutritional Supplementation for Improvement of
Intestinal function and Porcine Health
Subprogram 2b Commenced July 2006

• Jane Fauser Ph.D Candidate
• The University of Adelaide
• Faculty of Sciences, School of Agriculture, Food
  and Wine
• Pork CRC
• Supervisors A/P Gordon Howarth
• Dr Roger Campbell
• A/P Ross Butler
• Dr Adrian Cummins

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Project Overview

• PhD Overview The effect of Nutritional
  supplements on intestinal function
• Evaluate the effects of fatty acids and
  pro/prebiotics in vitro
• On colon cancer/rat intestinal and porcine cells
• Development of in vitro porcine enterocyte cell
  culture model
• Determine effect of modulation
• Redox state
• Antioxidant properties
• Apoptotic effects
• Gene expression
• Intestinal stem cell characterisation
• Nutritional solutions for the control or and/or
  reduction of disease and mortality in pigs

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Aims for Pork CRC

• Hypothesis Fatty Acids and/or Pre /Probiotics
  may modulate porcine disease states, reducing
  reliance on antimicrobials thus increasing
  productivity
• 1) Development of Porcine enterocyte cell culture
  model in vitro
• 1) Porcine Cell culture- Establish model
• 1.1) Use in vitro model to run high thorough put
  assays
• Reducing use of research animals/costs/time
• Increasing of supplements tested

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Aims for Pork CRC

• 2) Nutritional Solutions for Disease States
• 2.1)Probiotics and Prebiotics or
  both-Synbiotics
• E.coli Nissle (Schroeder et al., 2006)
• Galactooligsaccaride (Tzorzis et al., 2006)
• 2.2)Fatty acids Supplement or by product
• of Pre/probiotics
• Butyrate ? Absorption in SBS (Welters et al.,
  1996)
• Use in vitro model to assess effect of
  nutritional adjuncts on disease states i.e.
  infective enteritis, induced by chemotherapeutic
  drugs
• Cellular damage/modulation assessed by apoptosis,
  redox state (Glucose flux/antioxidant status),
  molecular mechanism

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Methodology

• 1) Development of Porcine enterocyte cell culture
  model in vitro
• Continuous cell line (Berschneider et al., 1996)
• Intestinal cells grow in tissue culture for
  finite period-months/years
• Short phase cell line
• Cells grow-hours/days

(Dr Smyle, Adelaide University)
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Methodology

• 2) Nutritional solutions for disease states
• Probiotics- Lactobacillus species
• Prebiotics- Non digestible
  Carbohydrate
• Effects screened by
• Apoptosis-Flow cytometry-AnnexinV
• Cell viability-Flow and viable cell counts
• Redox state-Measure ? the anti-oxidant glutathi
  one
• Gene micro array, iRNA, mRNA qPCR

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Methodology

• 2) Nutritional solutions for disease states
• Fatty Acids
• Induce in vitro cell damage by methotrexate
  and/or 5-Fluorouracil
• Apply fatty acids and pro/prebiotics to remediate
  damage
• Fatty acids
• Butyrate C-4
• Lauric C-12
• CLA C-18
• DHA C-22 (?-3)

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Expectations

• Development of an in vitro cell culture assay
  system
• Elucidate the mechanisms of Nutritional
  Supplements
• Biochemically or Molecular
• Reduction of intestinal disease and use of
  antimicrobials reducing mortality and increasing
  productivity

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Alternative therapies, products or strategies to
improve pig production efficiency and reduce
mortality of all growth phases

• Pork CRC Program 2 -Sub program 2c
• Sub program manager Dr Bill Hall

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Haemophilus parasuis Controlled exposure

• Conny Turni
• Animal Research Institute, DPIF, Yeerongpilly,
  QLD Australia

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Glässers disease - Haemophilus parasuis

• Problem
• Production loss due to mortality and unthrifty
  pigs

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Glässers disease - Haemophilus parasuis

• Glässers disease associated with
• polyserositis
• polyarthritis
• meningitis

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Glässers disease - Haemophilus parasuis

• hard to isolate Haemophilus parasuis
• need to serotype due to killed vaccines being
  serovar specific
• long time between discovery of problem and
  vaccination program

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Immunity

• Natural immunity important
• Maternal antibodies protect the piglet from
  systemic infection
• Maternal antibodies do not infer with
  colonization of H. parasuis
• Piglets colonized with virulent strain of herd
  while under maternal protection develop their own
  immunity
• These piglets become carriers

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• Not all piglets get colonized while under
  maternal protection
• Colonization depends on weaning age and on the
  sow
• Colonized weaned pigs are source of infection to
  naïve pigs

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Protection

• Commercial and autogenous vaccines are made of
  killed H. parasuis strains
• These vaccines give no cross-protection to other
  serovars bar the serovar present in the vaccine.
• There is evidence that live strains colonizing
  pigs give cross-protection.

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• It is proposed that intranasal inoculation
  induces mucosal antibodies to a spectrum of
  antigens, including common antigens, which result
  in cross-protection.
• Concept of cross-protection by live organism is
  observed by many other bacteria species

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Controlled exposure

• Studies in America have come up with an
  alternative to vaccination and this is controlled
  exposure.
• Controlled exposure is the concept of exposing 5
  day old piglets to the virulent strains of the
  herd while under the protection of maternal
  antibodies
• All serovars present on the farms are used for
  exposure in America.

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Taking the concept further

• This project is taking the concept of controlled
  exposure further by using only one of the
  serovars present on the farm.

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Preliminary Experiment

• We have started our preliminary experiment to
  test the safety of this controlled exposure
  method on a farm in Queensland that had a problem
  with serovar 4.
• We exposed 29 piglets with serovar 4 (pathogenic
  serovar) from the farm at 6 days of age. The
  control group consisted of 25 piglets, two of
  which died due to diarrhea.
• We have taken nasal swabs at weekly intervals to
  establish colonisation.

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Results

• None of the exposed animals had any sign of
  Glässers disease.
• Exposed pigs only positive (nasal cavity) at 51
  days post challenge. Literature reports recovery
  of the strains 48 days past challenge.

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• We are still evaluating results from the control
  group.

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Nasal swabbing

• One of the remarkable observation is the ease at
  which we are picking up non-pathogenic and
  pathogenic serovars from the nasal cavity.

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• To obtain a picture of the serovars on the farms
  associated with the project we have collected
  nasal swabs
• The idea is to swab the nasal cavity of piglets
  at weaning age from old sows (most likely to
  infect piglets)
• We normally swab about 4-5 pigs per sow.

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Nasal swabbing - serovars

• On a farm with an outbreak of Glässers disease
• Identified serovar 6, 9, 5, 10, 12 and NT by
  nasal swabbing piglets from old sows as well as
  sick pigs.
• On a multi-farm piggery we isolated 3 to 4
  serovars per farm.

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Dont get them all

• Not necessary all serovars are picked up by
  swabbing the nasal cavity of pigs from old sows.

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• One of the pathogenic serovars on the multi-farm
  piggery that was isolated from a sick pig from
  internal organs was not detected. However, this
  was a very difficult to grow strain.
• On another farm serovar 4 isolated from sick pigs
  was not discovered. Here only a non-pathogenic
  strain was discovered. Sampled 52 pigs from 10
  sows.

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Nasal swabbing - disease

• Another important observation was that pathogenic
  strains can be recovered from sick pigs by
  swabbing the nasal cavity.

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• During the preliminary experiment a sick pig (not
  associated with the trial) was swabbed and the
  disease causing strain on the farm was isolated
  (same genetic profile and serovar)
• On the farm with the outbreak, sick pigs
  (anorexic or coughing) were swabbed and
  pathogenic serovars isolated.

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Protection by non pathogenic serovars?

• Another interesting observation is that on farms
  that have problem with one serovar or never had a
  problem the timing of it not being a problem any
  more or never having been a problem according to
  the farmer and the easy detection of
  non-pathogenic H. parasuis strain seem to
  coincide.

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ERICS PCR

• Due to the large amount of positive samples not
  all positives could be serotyped. An ERICS PCR
  was employed to sift through the samples.
• Especially useful for the preliminary trial where
  a non-pathogenic serovar colonised the nasal
  cavity of all the pigs.

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L
4
NT
L
4
NT
L
L
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Consistency in results

• The ERIC PCR produced the same profile every time
  it was run for the serovars 4 and NT of this
  particular farm.

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Where from here

• The serovar profile of the farms have been
  established and the controlled exposure trials
  are ready to start next year.
• Survival studies are underway to help produce the
  inoculums at large amounts and deliver them
  viable all throughout Australia.

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Way forward to control Glässers disease

• So next year we will have the controlled exposure
  method set up on one farm in Queensland and on a
  multi-farm piggery in South Australia.
• Negotiations with a vaccine producer are underway
  to take on the production of live autogenous
  inoculums.

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Thanks to
Pat Blackall and Matthew Pike To the Piggeries
that have given their cooperation To the funding
body
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Management strategies to aid in the control of
proliferative enteropathy (ileitis)

• Alison Collins
• NSW Department of Primary Industries

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PE appears as poor growth, poor FCE, diarrhoea
and variation in production in pigs 6-20 weeks of
age
Caused by obligately intracellular bacterium,
Lawsonia intracellularis, which resides in
proliferating crypt cells of ileum
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Control of PE

• Antibiotics
• Vaccination with live avirulent L.intracellularis
  vaccine

and/or Reduce spread of infection within the herd
Aim Determine the effect of cleaning,
disinfectants and temperature on the survival and
transmission of L. intracellularis in ecosheds
and conventional housing.
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Transmission and survival of L.intracellularis
Excretion of Lawsonia in faeces and transmission
to naïve pigs
External vectors for transmission of Lawsonia
Carrier pigs?

• Sow to piglet transfer?

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Survival of Lawsonia in conventional housing
Naïve pigs challenged with Lawsonia Infection
monitored by PCR
Contamination of piggery with Lawsonia, shed from
pigs over a 2 week period
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Survival of Lawsonia in conventional housing
Pen left dirty and empty for 2 weeks
Pigs removed from all 4 pens.
Pen left dirty and empty for 2 weeks
Daily max and min temperatures recorded Av. Min
9C Av. Max 18C
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Survival of Lawsonia in conventional housing
Pigs removed from all 4 pens.
Power hosed pen, disinfected with Virkon S and
left to dry 3 days
Pen left dirty and empty for 2 weeks
Power hosed pen, disinfected with Virkon S and
left to dry 3 days
Average daily max and min temperatures recorded
Pen left dirty and empty for 2 weeks
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Survival of Lawsonia in conventional housing
Cleaned pens
Dirty pens
Naïve pigs introduced into dirty and clean pens
Monitored weekly for Lawsonia infection by PCR
and serology over 8 weeks
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Results
Cleaned pens
Dirty pens
8/10 pigs in dirty pens seropositive to Lawsonia,
and 2/10 PCR positive
0/10 pigs in clean pens seropositive to Lawsonia
and 0/10 PCR positive
Take home message Lawsonia survival gt 2 weeks
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Step 2 Survival of L.intracellularis in ecosheds
(Straw on concrete floors)

• Investigate a range of cleaning and disinfection
  procedures between batches of pigs in ecosheds
• Identify management strategies to reduce survival
  of L.intracellularis and transmission to naïve
  pigs

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Are we the problem?
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Alternative therapies, products or strategies to
improve pig production efficiency and reduce
mortality of all growth phases

• Pork CRC Program 2 -Sub program 2c
• Sub program manager Rob Smits

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2D-104-0506

• Management strategies to maximise sow longevity
  and lifetime performance

Participants QAF, CHM and SARDI
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Background

• Sow replacement rates in commercial herds
  excessive (gt70, target 40)
• Average sow lifetime production is 30-35 pigs
  live born, potentially should be 60-70 if most
  sows last for 6 parities
• Modern lines - too lean for longevity?
• - not managed accordingly ?
• Low protein mass/protein loss in lactation
  negatively related fertility

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Experiment 1 Establishing predictive equations
for body composition

• 60 unmated gilts and weaned sows
• Dataset completed on body composition (total body
  fat, protein and water)
• Statistical analysis will establish predictive
  equations for body fat and body protein based on
• - live weight
• - backfat P2 and other fat measures (eg. over
  leg)
• - parity (for those who cant weigh sows)
• - body size (girth and height measures)

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Fat content reasonably predicted by measuring fat
thickness
Protein content needs to be predicted by measures
other than fat thickness
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Carcass fat variable
Proportion of protein relatively constant
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Experiment 2 part 1 increasing 1st litter
protein reserves
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Hypothesis Increasing body protein reserves in
pregnant gilts in proportion to mature size
increases retention

• 3,500 gilts to be allocated to either
• Control (11.0 kg Body protein 56 kg gest wt
  gain)
• High Protein (12.6 kg Body protein 72 kg gest wt
  gain)

• High Protein treatment fed higher levels 155 g
  CP/kg diet vs lower levels 125 g CP/kg diet

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Results to date

• 690 gilts allocated between two treatments so
  far
• Mating weight 160 kg, 16 mm P2, 20 mm over leg
• Controls - 49/345 removed to date in gestation
• High Protein - 46/344 removed to date

• At 110 days, 129 pregnant gilts so far
• Controls - 66.8 kg weight gain 4 mm P2
• High Protein 75.6 kg weight gain 3 mm P2

Data suggests that body protein reserves have
been increased with the strategy
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Timeline
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Management strategies to improve the growth
performance of gilt progeny

• Yvette Miller3 Alison Collins2, Rob Smits1 and
  Trish Holyoake3
• 1QAF Meat Industries, Corowa 2DPI, NSW
  3University of Sydney, Camden

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Why investigate the role of gilt progeny?

• They contribute a significant proportion of the
  pig population
• High herd replacement rates (65 in Australia)1
• Depopulation/repopulation for disease eradication
  reasons.
• Start-up herds.
• Dam parity as a risk factor for nursery
  mortality2

1. Cleary, G. et al. (2002) 2. Deen, J. (2002)
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Study 1 Nursery performance on bedding

• Deaths higher among gilt progeny (18) than sow
  progeny (4) plt0.01
• More gilt progeny treated with antibiotics (21)
  than sow progeny (3.5) plt0.001
• Gilt progeny weighed 800g less at weaning
  1.65kg less at 8 wks than sow progeny (pgt0.05)

Holyoake, P. (2006)
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Study 2 Mortalities and antibiotic treatments of
gilt and sow progeny for each vaccine type
Superscripts Plt0.05
Holyoake, P. (2006)
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Sow parity is an important risk factor for
nursery pig performance. This may be due to
differences in birth weight pathogen
load and/or immune status of piglets.
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Hypothesis 1 Testing the weight theory by
implementing supplemental milk

• The impact that supplemental milk prior to
  weaning has on
• pre-weaning growth performance of piglets
• subsequent reproductive performance of their
  dams
• post-weaning growth performance
• Parity differences
• Milk yield differences
• Seasonal differences

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Experimental Design

• Commercial farrow-finish farm in NSW
• 2x2 factorial design (sows/gilts with/without
  supplemental milk)
• Summer winter replicates
• Per season 40 dams/treatment their progeny
• 1600 piglets pre-weaning
• 780 piglets post-weaning
• Piglets followed through to 10 weeks old
• 10 piglets/litter

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Measurements

• Pre-weaning
• Milk disappearance/litter/day cost
• Weights birth, 21d, weaning (26d)
• Mortalities and treatments
• Post-weaning (4-10 weeks)
• Weights weaner to grower movement
• Feed conversion efficiency
• Mortalities and treatments
• Sows
• Weight and P2 (backfat) at entry and exit
• ADI over lactation

132
Milk delivery system
133
Sow summer
232ml/pig/day
Gilt summer
216mL/pig/day
137mL/pig/day
Sow winter
53mL/pig/day
Gilt winter
mL/pig/day is the average daily piglet
consumption of supplemental milk these are real
values not predicted means. Adjusted for average
piglet weight post-fostering (plt0.001)
134
Mean weights of gilt and sow progeny, with or
without supplemental milk
These are model based means adjusted for
birthweight (1.6kg) Different letters in a
column indicate significance (plt0.05)
135
Mean weights of Gilt and Sow progeny, with or
without supplemental milk
These are model based means adjusted for
birthweight (1.6kg) Different letters in a
column indicate significance (plt0.05)
136
Summary

• Gilt progeny weighed less than sow progeny
• This was independent of birthweight
• Supplemental milk equalized weaning weights but
  sow progeny still grew faster after weaning
• Gilt progeny drank less than sow progeny

137
Hypothesis 2 Testing the pathogen load theory
using Lawsonia intracellularis (LI) as the model
138
Hypothesis 2 Testing the pathogen load theory
using Lawsonia intracellularis (LI) as the model

• the impact that infection with LI has on the
  health and growth performance of pigs.
• the role that parity plays as a risk factor for
  LI infection of progeny.
• the role that maternally-derived immunity has on
  LI infection of progeny
• the source of LI infection of progeny (the dam or
  from environmental sources

139
Acknowledgements
140
Supplementation of sow feed with omega-3 fatty
acids to improve performance and health of piglets

• CRC project 2D-102-0506

141
Defining fats

• Animals unable to synthesis polyunsaturated fatty
  acids C18 and higher
• n-6 linoleic acid and arachidonic acid
• n-3 fats
• 183 ?-linolenic acid ALA
• 205 eicosapentaenoic acid EPA
• 226 docoshexaenoic acid DHA
• Longer chain n-3 fatty acids (EPA 205) and (DHA
  226) are found strictly in marine sources

142
Significance in human nutrition

• Ideal ratios of n-6n-3 fats
• Somewhere between 4 - 101 of n-6n-3
• Diets may be between 10 and 301
• Best means of altering ratio is through
  consumption of long chain n-3 fats
• N-3 and n-6 fats involved in inflammatory and
  immune response, as well as prostaglandin
  synthesis

143
n-3 fats in pig production

• Majority of work conducted in sows to improve
  fertility
• Improve subsequent litter size by 0.7 to 1 pig
  per litter
• Improved embryo survival
• Pork CRC project 2D-106-0506 currently
  investigates fertility responses

144
n-3 fats in pig production

• Effect on piglet health not quantified
• Dietary EPA and DHA is transferred from sow to
  milk
• n-3 transfer from sow milk to piglets
• Other research has used much higher levels of n-3
  oils

145
Experiment aims

• Short term feeding in late gestation
• transfer EPA DHA to piglets in utero
• Effect on piglet mortality, health, viability and
  growth
• Effect on post weaning health and growth
  performance
• Improved immune function in pigs fed n-3

146
Experimental Treatments

• Sows - 72 per treatment
• nil n-3 supplementation
• n-3 during late gestation and lactation
• n-3 during lactation
• Diets un-medicated with antibiotics
• Weaned Piglets
• Plus/minus n-3 within sow treatment groups
• Diets medicated with antibiotics

147
Measurements

• Sows
• Born and born alive
• ADI
• Days to remating
• Conception rate
• Subsequent farrow rate and BA

148
Measurements

• Piglets
• Birth and wean weight
• Scour score
• Mortality
• Post vaccination performance
• Weaner
• Post wean performance
• Growth rate, intake and efficiency

149
Measurements

• Blood milk (sub sample)
• Piglet birth n-6 n-3
• Mycoplasma titres and white blood cell counts
• Milk n-6 n-3
• Milk IgG

150
Sow Treatments
151
Experimental Treatments
152
Health experimental treatments
153
Work to be completed

• Weaner data set to be completed
• Samples to be submitted for laboratory analysis
• Milk samples
• Piglet serum
• Weaner pig mycoplasma titres

154
Program 2 Improving herd feed conversion
efficiency

• Charles Rikard-Bell
• Investigate the mechanisms and effects of
  ractopamine (RAC) on fat and lean tissue
  deposition in finisher pigs.

155
INTRODUCTION

• Ractopamine (the active ingredient in Paylean) is
  a recently approved technology for increased rate
  of weight gain, feed efficiency and carcass
  leanness in pigs.
• One of a class of compounds called
  phenethanolamines (adrenaline-like compounds)
  which act on beta receptors in a variety of
  tissues.

156
Proposed Studies

• Tissue deposition, dosage rates, different sexes.
  (current)
• Nutrient requirements
• Heavy pigs
• light pigs.
• Combinations
• RAC / pST
• RAC / Betaine
• Different genotypes

157
Current Study

• Rate of Tissue deposition, dosage rates,
• different sexes.

158
Objectives

• To determine
• The rate of tissue deposition for different RAC
  HCl feeding programs.
• Whether boars and immunocastrates respond to RAC
  HCl by increasing lean, decreasing fat deposition
  and back fat depth because of a greater number of
  receptors.

159
Location

• Research Piggery
• Dept. of Primary Industry, Victoria
• Werribee, Victoria
• Specialised testing station with 124 individual
  stalls ideal for FCR and growth rate studies.
• Access to DXA

160
Management and Housing

• Housing

1. Individual pens 2/3 concrete and 1/3 plastic
   slats (area m²??)
2. Single spaced feeder ad-libitum feed,
3. Bite drinker ad-libitum town water.
4. Lighting flourescent 0700 to 1900
5. Heating thermoregulated gas boiler unit
6. Ventilation variable speed fans, shutters.
7. Basal diet 40ppm Tylan

161
Study Design

• 3 x 5 factorial
• 3 sexes (boars, ICs, and gilts)
• 5 treatment regimes
• 8 pigs per treatment.
• 120 LW/LR crossbreds

162
Diets and Measurements

• Diets
• Basal Diet
• containing 0.58 g of available lysine/MJ of DE
• 13.4 MJ/Kg
• Treatment Diets
• Basal Diet Treatment
• Measurements
• P2 Ultra-sonic Day 0, 14, 28
• DXA analysis Day -1, 15, 29
• Feed Weigh back Day 14, 28
• Live Weight Day 0, 14 and 28
• Carcass weight and P2

163
Treatment Regime
Day 0
Day 14
Day 28
0 ppm RAC
Control
5 ppm RAC
Regime 1
5 ppm RAC
10 ppm RAC
Regime 2
5 ppm RAC
5 ppm RAC
Regime 3
pST
10 ppm RAC
Regime 4
164
Gilts Change in P2 over Controls
165
IC Change in P2 over Controls
166
Boars Change in P2 over Controls
167
Gilts Feed Consumed all Treatments
168
IC Feed Consumed all Treatments
169
Boars Feed Consumed all Treatments
170

• Trends indicate that RAC diets and combinations
  may
• Boars and Immunocastrates
• Reduced change in P2
• Reduced feed intake
• Gilts
• No effect on Feed intake
• Slight increase in change in P2

171
Advanced reproductive and genetic technologies

• Pork CRC Program 2 -Sub program 2e
• Sub program manager Assoc. Prof. Mark Nottle

172
Sub program 2e Advanced Reproductive And
Genetic Technologies Mark Nottle University of
Adelaide
173

• Projects
• Hormonal method for synchronising time of
  ovulation
• Selection methods for reproductive
  performance,
• sow longevity
• Genetic marker for increased litter size
• Nutritional method for increasing litter size

174
Use of Gonadotrophin Releasing Hormone ( GnRH)
to synchronise the time of ovulation Oleary
and Nottle. University of Adelaide Objective 2
x AI plus heat detection replaced with single AI
NO heat detection Using GnRH analogue
175
How does GnRH work? Hypothalamus
Gonadotrophin Releasing Hormone
(GnRH) Pituitary Luteinising
Hormone (LH) Ovary Time of
Ovulation
176

• Pilot Study
• Deslorelin ( analogue 8 x more potent than GnRH)
  plus SAIB ( slow release vehicle)
• Deslorelin
• Gonadorelin (commercially available not as
  potent)
• SAIB (Control)

177
LH profiles
14
Deslorelin Deslorelin/SAIB GnRH SAIB alone
12
10
8
LH (ng/ml)
6
4
2
0
-40
-20
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
Time (h)
178

• What next ?
• Second pilot study to determine dose of
• Deslorelin (Gonadorelin)
• Then small scale commercial trial
• 2 x AI mating plus heat detection
• 2 x AI mating plus heat detection plus GnRH
• 1 x AI mating plus heat detection plus GnRH
• 1 x AI mating NO heat detection plus GnRH

179

• Development of a selection marker for placental
  efficiency
• Owens and Roberts. University of Adelaide
• QAF
• Objective
• To develop a marker which can be used to select
  for placental efficiency

180
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181

• Placental efficiency
• Ratio of piglet to placental weight
• Measured by weighing piglet and placenta.
• Impractical
• Objective
• To develop a biochemical, molecular or genetic
  marker which can be used to select for placental
  efficiency

182
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183

• IGF2
• Only copy inherited from father is functional
  (imprinted)
• Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) Guanine (G)
  or Alanine (A) base substitution
• Boars with the high IGF2 variant (A) have more
  muscle with boars with the low IGF2 (G) variant.
  
• Daughter sows with low IGF2 (G) have more backfat
  than high IGF2 (A) sows. Increased longevity?

184

• Hypotheses
• That the frequency of the high IGF2 (A/A) variant
  in Australian boars will be low.
• Boars which are homozygous for the high IGF2 (A)
  variant will produce larger litters and heavier
  piglets those sired by boars which are G variants
• A daughters of these boars will have increased
  culling rates compared with G daughters
• Objectives
• SNP typing of boars
• Retrospective data analysis of QAF nucleus and
  maternal herds
• Other factors

185
Effect of dietary arginine during gestation on
litter size Owens and Roberts, University of
Adelaide, APF, QAF Nutreco Objective
Commercial strategy for feeding arginine to
increase litter size
186
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187
Economic Return

• Gilts
• Between 1.2 and 2.11 liveborn
• Sows 2-3
• Between 0.70 and 0.93 liveborn

188
Commercial viability

• Efficacy and targets critical
• Gilts?
• Sows parity?
• Cost of supplementation critical
• Product?
• Dose?
• Length of treatment?

189

1. Test the effect of maternal dietary arginine
   supplementation throughout gestation (d16 to
   114), production system and parity (1 3)
   onFarrowing rateTotal litter sizeNumbers born
   alive and stillbornLitter weight and piglet
   birth weightWeaning number and weightProof of
   principle in a commercial setting

190
2-4. Test the effect of shorter term
supplementation at different stages of
gestation d16 to 32, d25 to 40, d75 to 114, 90
114 and at varying levels 0.5, 1.0, 1.5
arginine (base 0.6) on reproductive
performance. Identify optimal timing and dose
of maternal arginine supplementation
191

• Voluntary Intake , lactational intake, finisher
  performance and sow longevity.
• Bunter, Luxford and Hermesch. UNE
• QAF
• Selection for efficient lean meat growth can
  decrease feed intake in finishers
• Does this influence sow lactational intakes?
• Implications for longevity and reproductive
  performance in maternal lines?

192
Basic recording structure

• 3000 gilts with feed intake (2 maternal lines)
• Muscle depth (20 weeks)
• Weight (20,26,29 weeks,farrowingweaning)
• P2 P4 fat (20,26,29 weeks,weaning)
• Average daily feed intake (20-26 weeks)
• 1700 1st parity daily lactational intakes
• Litter size, litter birth WT, litter 10-day WT
• Fostering, piglet sow health, ambient temps
• sow IGF-I (weaning)
• 800 2nd parity daily lactational intakes
• As above (subset IGF-I)

193
Project timeline from Day 1

• Activity
• Test gilts for FI (20-26 weeks)
• Body composition _at_ 29 weeks
• 1st parity mating performance
• 1st parity lactational intake
• 2nd parity lactational intake
• All gilts completed FI testing
• Longevity to 4 parities
• All sows completed longevity to P2
• All sows completed longevity to P4

• Commencing
• March 2006
• April 2006
• May 2006
• Nov 2006
• Apr 2007
• Sep 2007
• June 2008
• Feb 2009
• Dec 2009

194
Clones from top boars
Has cloning got it all?