Sub-optimal (partial) diet for pigs #

If it suddenly happens that on some day the animal received less feed than is necessary for the optimal diet, such a feed ration is considered suboptimal (partial). This will lead to the following consequences:

• the rate of weight gain will decrease;
• manure production will decrease;
• the results of sports competitions will worsen;
• the period of preparation for mating will increase;
• the gestation period will increase.

How do you know how strong these deviations from normal values will be? It’s pretty simple.

Calculation of weight gain, manure production and athletic performance with suboptimal diet

Table. The number of necessary types of feed for the optimal diet of pigs, depending on the age group

Formulas for partial feeding #

Calculation of weight gain, manure production and accounting of sports characteristics with a non-optimal diet for pigs is carried out using the formula:

The following variables are used in the above formula:

Calculation of the timing of gestation and preparation for mating with a non-optimal diet is carried out using the formula:

The following variables are used in the above formula:

Examples #

Below we will look at several examples of situations that will help you understand the principle of calculating the amount of production, characteristics, as well as the timing of gestation and preparation for mating in pigs with a non-optimal (incomplete) feed ration.

The consequences of any intermediate deviations from the optimal feed ration are calculated in a similar way.

Situation 1 #

A young boar (age group 1-30 days) on the 30th day received only 5 types of food out of 7, and did not receive 2 types at all. We take into account that weight gain with an optimal diet on this day should have been 6 kg, and manure production C 8 kg. In addition, the boar plays sports and has 5000 units of agility.

With the specified non-optimal diet, weight gain will be:

With the specified non-optimal diet, manure production will be:

With the specified non-optimal diet, the animal’s effective Agility indicator during the race will be:

Situation 2 #

An adult sow (age group 31-350 days, initial weight 100 kg) constantly receives only 3 types of food out of 6, and one type receives exactly half. Thus, the animal receives 3.5 types of food in total. We take into account that weight gain with an optimal diet should have been 0.5 kg, manure production - 8 kg, preparation time for mating - 10 days, gestation period - 35 days.

With the specified non-optimal diet, weight gain will be:

With the specified non-optimal diet, manure production will be:

With the specified non-optimal diet, the period of preparation for mating will be:

With the specified non-optimal diet, the gestation period will be:

Situation 3 #

An adult sow (age group 31-350 days) did not receive any type of food (remained hungry). We take into account that weight gain with an optimal diet should have been 0.5 kg.

In the absence of all types of food, weight loss will be:

No manure will be produced. The processes of pregnancy and preparation for mating will stop on this day.