Feeding Sows RIGHT All the Way Through

Jul 03, 2023

Proper nutrition of the breeding herd plays a key role in maximizing herd productivity and profit. Traditional feeding strategies for the reproductive female have used body reserves as a buffer against short-term deficiencies in nutrient intake, resulting in minimal damage to the fetal or suckling piglets. However, modern sows, with a lean genotype and higher reproductive performance, must be managed differently since they start their reproductive life with fewer reserves. It is well established that the way sows are fed in one stage of the reproductive cycle will affect productivity during subsequent stages. As a result, an integrated feeding strategy is needed, starting with the gilt and continuing throughout each successive litter, designed to maintain high productivity and prolong the reproductive life of the sow. The proof that a strategy is working is not only in the longevity and productivity of the sow but also in the performance of her offspring.

Nutrition is the key component that ensures the modern sow achieves her genetic potential for reproduction. In practical terms, the actual level of sow performance in modern herds is well below the animal’s capability. Many farms average 20-22 piglets/sow/year compared with the potential of 30 piglets/sow/year. Table 1 highlights some of the achievable production targets for the modern sow.

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Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.