When should we feed sows in farrowing?

Aug 20, 2024

This study explores the impact of feeding times (morning vs. evening) on farrowing times in sows. It was conducted with 278 sows divided into groups for morning and evening feeding. The results indicated that feeding sows in the morning significantly increased the frequency of farrowing during daytime hours, which can reduce labor costs by aligning farrowing times with worker availability. Additionally, evening-fed sows exhibited an increased total feed intake and slightly higher daily feed intake, leading to more piglets weaned and reduced pre-weaning mortality.

Key Findings:

Morning feeding led to 51.43% of farrowing occurring during the day, compared to 21.95% for evening feeding.
Evening-fed sows had higher total feed intake and a slight increase in daily intake.
More piglets were weaned and pre-weaning mortality decreased in sows that were fed in the evening.

Implications:

These results suggest that morning feeding schedules may align farrowing times with worker availability, reducing labor costs and improving piglet survival rates. Further research is needed to optimize feeding schedules to enhance farrowing outcomes.

Source : Swine Web

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.