Strategize Against Mycotoxins for Breeding Success

Pork producers must strive for efficiency, whether that goal is measured through feed, management or reproduction. When it comes to breeding herd efficiency, producers have always aimed for getting the most litters per sow or the most pigs per sow per year.

 

Today the swine industry is taking a look at the bigger picture. The lifetime productivity of a sow can vary considerably. The average female produces 35 to 40 pigs during her lifetime. Rarely, a producer will boast that his or her sow gave birth to 210 pigs during the course of her life.

 

According to some swine industry experts, the real economic value to look at is when a sow can produce a large number of piglets weaned per litter. Also another important factor is that she can do this repeatedly without recycling after her wean heat for a minimum of six parities.

In the recent article, “Meeting the sow’s reproductive potential” by Dr. William Close, Close Consultancy and Jules Taylor-Pickard, Alltech; six components, along with their contributing factors, were identified in the success of sow breeding:

·        Ovulation rate- Hormonal stimulation, gilt selection, boar stimulation, flush-feeding, body condition, nutrition

·         Fertilization rate- Semen quality, mating technique, stockmanship

·         Embryo survival- Feeding post-mating, minerals and vitamins, minimize stress

·         Piglets born (no./weight)- Reduce stillbirths, sow body condition, housing, nutrition

·         Piglets weaned (no./weight)- Pre-weaning mortality, milk yield, nutrition, appetite, health status, supplementary nutrition to piglets

·         Litters/sow/year- Wean-mating period, empty days, nutrition, boar effect, reduce stress, body condition, parity effect, herd management

Another area that can often be forgotten, but is important to consider for successful breeding, is the quality of the feed supplied. Reduced libido, poor semen quality, low sperm concentration, reduced fertilization, unexplained levels of infertility in sows and boars, reduced numbers born and milking ability, abortion and increased fetal re-absorption are symptoms associated with mycotoxicosis in swine.

Lenny Stahl of NewPort Colony operates a 500-sow barn near Claremont, SD. Last summer, the facility endured a poor breeding cycle.

“It was a really bad summer,” Stahl said.?“We had about 12 recycles a week.”

At the time, the colony was using a generic product for mycotoxins to save money. After testing positive for mycotoxins in their feed, they decided to work with their feed company Eastman Feeds of Huron, SD and Alltech to find a solution. 

“I wanted to try something new,”?Stahl said. “It seemed like overnight the program stopped the recyclis and improved my conception rate.”

Today the colony only utilizes the program from February through October to maintain a healthy supply of feed and in turn a healthy sow herd.

Stahl also credits his success in breeding to the overall management of the operation. “Management is number one and nutrition is number two when it comes to ensuring an optimum return on investment,” Stahl said.