The effect of standard and large pellet creep feed on the performance and blood parameters of weanling pigs

Jen-Yun Chou, Kylie Kallal, Abigail Tillotson – It is recommended that diets designed for young pigs should include less carbohydrates and lysine and more fibre to minimise insulin spikes. High fibre ingredients typically contain higher iron levels compared to more protein-concentrated feeds, directly benefiting anaemic piglets. In this study, off-the-shelf and affordable large pellet diets (high in fibre) were tested and compared to a standard creep diet (Phase 1 nursery diet) to determine which diet piglets prefer. A mixture of standard creep and large pellets was also provided to determine if providing a more varied diet can improve creep consumption. The main objective was to determine if large pellet feed would increase creep consumption and improve piglets’ weight gain and blood iron status at weaning.

Results showed that piglets show equal preference for a large pellet creep (4cm pellet) and crumble starter diet. An off-the-shelf high fibre pellet feed (E17 horse feed) did not improve piglet growth or blood measures. Large piglets showed signs of anaemia at weaning compared to smaller littermates.