Supplemental skim milk before and after weaning improves growth performance of pigs

Twelve Large White x Landrace sows nursing litters of 6 boars and 6 gilts w ere used in this study. Six litters suckled the sow only, whereas the other 6 litters received supplemental liquid skim milk (200 g/L) ad libitum from Day 10 until Day 20. On Day 20 the 4 heaviest pigs of each sex were alloca ted to 2 pairs and were weaned. Each pair was offered either pelleted or pe lleted plus liquid feed. For the first 2 days post-weaning, each pair of li quid-supplemented pigs received liquid skim milk (250 g/L). On Day 23, pell eted feed was added to the milk. The ratio of liquid to pelleted feed was a djusted daily until, on Day 28, pigs were provided with pelleted feed only until 41 days of age. Supplemental skim milk increased growth (223 v. 291 g /day, P < 0.001) between Days 10 and 20 of age so that by weaning supplemen ted pigs were 10% (6.13 v. 6.74 kg, P = 0.038) heavier than unsupplemented pigs. Skim milk intake increased linearly from 190 to 600 g/day per pig ove r the 10 days of supplementation. Supplemental milk feeding did not alter s ow liveweight change (-31.9 v. -30.3 kg for sows nursing litters with and w ithout supplementation, respectively, P = 0.894) or change in P2 backfat th ickness (-5.3 v. -4.2 mm, P = 0.279) between farrowing and Day 20 of age. P igs weaned onto skim milk and pellets ate more (257 v. 30 g dry matter (DM) /day, P < 0.001) and grew better (213 v. -151 g/day, P < 0.001) over the fi rst 2 days post-weaning than pigs weaned onto only pellets. Piglets provide d with liquid feed after weaning continued to grow faster beyond Day 22, re sulting in the benefit of weaning onto liquid feed being maintained until a t least 41 days of age (14.1 v. 12.8 kg, P < 0.001). In conclusion, skim mi lk feeding before and after weaning can result in cumulative improvements i n growth performance in the nursery.