470 – Strategies to improve the growth and homogeneity of growing-finishing pigs – Feeder space and feeding management (Research paper – Lopez-Verge – 2018)

 

 

470 Research paper – Lopez-Verge – 2018 – Strategies to improve the growth and homogeneity of growing-finishing pigs_feeder space and feeding management

470 Research paper
Strategies to improve the growth and homogeneity of growing-finishing pigs: feeder space and feeding management by Lopez-Verge, S., Gasa, J., Temple, D., Bonet, J., Coma, J., and D. Sola-Oriol 2018 Porcine Health Management 4: 09-Jan
In Significant Impact Groups: Feed / gut health \ Feeding management; Precision Livestock Farming & Early detection
Species targeted: Pigs;
Age: Adult;
Summary:
The aim was to test two strategies to improve the growth rate of the slow-growth pigs and to increase the batch’s homogeneity at slaughter. In Trial 1 a total of 264 weaned piglets were distributed into 24pens (11 piglets/pen) according to sex and initial body weight (BW) for the transition period (T; 28 d to 64 d).
470 Research paper – Lopez-Verge – 2018 – Strategies to improve the growth and homogeneity of growing-finishing pigs – Feeder space and feeding management
Where to find the original material: https://porcinehealthmanagement.biomedcentral.com/track/pdf/10.1186/s40813-018-0090-9.pdf; https://doi.org/10.1186/s40813-018-0090-9
Country: ES

Automatic feeding of Dairy Cows

Excessive weight loss in early lactation leads to stress and the associated problems of low fertility and increased susceptibilty to disease and lameness. Additionally binge feeding on concentrates lowers the pH in the rumen and causes metabolic disease such as acidosis which in turn reduces feed intake, increases weight loss and reduces production. Automatic feeding systems, such as the Mullerup system used at the South West Dairy Development Centre (SWDC), creates consistent fresh rations mixed from three forage sources, and five straight feeds which is fed up to 16 times a day. Different rations can also be specified for each group. Feeding more frequently leads to increased dry matter intake, and increased pH in the rumen. As feeding bouts and amounts can be scheduled to leave no waste, the system increases feed palatibility and reduces waste. A consistent diet optimises the rumen microbes. Apart from the reduction in labour cost and the convenience in automation, automatic feeding increases intakes, improves body condition score, and therefore fertility and associated reduction in stress and disease. Regulating and increasing rumen pH reduces metabolic diseases, improves milk yield and constituents, thereby increasing milk income. Profit and sustainability is increased by the reduction in waste feed and increases in feed efficiency. Reducing stress by reduction of ketosis and acidosis, having a stable rumen environment leads to better animal welfare and reduced antibiotic use. The managers and staff at the SWDC cite automatic feeding as the one technology that they value the most.

Best Practice Guide: Adapted feeding, watering and additives for animal health

Check out this collection of practical information about internal adapted feeding, watering and additives for animal health!

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314 The Seed Feed and Weed approach to managing intestinal health in drug-free production systems by The Poultry Informed Professional (Industry Innovation)

 

 

314 Industry Innovation – The Seed Feed and Weed approach to managing intestinal health in drug-free production systems by The Poultry Informed Professional

In Significant Impact Groups: Feed / gut health \ Feeding management
Species targeted: Poultry;
Age: Young; Adult;
Summary:
The three most important legs of an effective intestinal management program include: “seeding” the gut with favourable organisms, “feeding” the favourable organisms and “weeding” out the unfavourable organisms. This involves applying a probiotic/competitive exclusion product as soon after hatch as possible. Adding a suitable organic acid via the drinking water to increasing its concentration in the small intestine and enhance the capacity of the favourable organisms to colonize and rapidly dominate the microbial community of the small intestine. Blocking the attachment mechanism of unfavourable organisms with a type-1 fimbria blocker and thereby reducing their capacity to compete with the favourable organisms in the gut.

Where to find the original material: https://journals.co.za/doi/10.10520/ejc-vp_afma_v30_n4_a10
Country: US

253 in case of heat feed more often and clean boxes by Gezondheidsdienst voor Dieren (GD) (Industry Innovation)

 

 

253 Industry Innovation – in case of heat feed more often and clean boxes by Gezondheidsdienst voor Dieren (GD)

In Significant Impact Groups: Feed / gut health \ Feeding management; Housing and welfare
Species targeted: Dairy;
Age: Adult;
Summary:
A cow can suffer from heat stress from 21 degrees. To prevent this, dairy farmers should not feed at the hottest time of the day, according to the Gezondheidsdienst voor Dieren (NL). To keep the feed tasty and fresh, it is advisable to provide fresh feed several times a day (at least twice) and to (mechanically) ventilate the barn well over the feed alley. In order to prevent rumen acidification, which occurs more often in heat, a buffer can be added in consultation with the feed supplier in order to maintain the acidity level in the rumen. Bring the cows inside at the hottest time of the day and make sure there is unlimited water available. Clean cubicles are also necessary in case of heat. Bacteria in cubicles thrive in the heat and grow exponentially. There is then an increased risk of Kiebsiella mastitis. Therefore clean the cubicles extra often.

Where to find the original material: https://www.nieuweoogst.nl/nieuws/2020/05/19/bij-hitte-vaker-voeren-en-boxen-schoonmaken;
Country: NL

85 A ‘meta-analysis’ of effects of post-hatch food and water deprivation on development, performance and welfare of chickens (Research paper; De Jong, 2017)

 

 

Significant Impact Group(s): Feed / gut health \ Feeding management – Feeding management ; Water
Species targeted: Poultry;
Age: Young;
Outcome Parameter(s): body weight; cumulative food intake; FCR; mortality; relative yolk sac weight
Summary: This study reports results collected in other studies showing that post-hatch food deprivation or food and water deprivation (PHFWD) for approximately 24 hours can lead to significantly lower body weights compared to early fed chickens up to six weeks of age. Body weights and food intake were reduced more the longer the food and water deprivation lasted. PHFWD also has negative effects on the development of liver and pancreas, and delay the development of duodenum, jejunum and ileum. These effects were observed mainly in the first week of age. As a conclusion, findings also suggest a chicken welfare is lowered for PHFWD, however, additional studies are recommended on the effect of PHFWD containing a wider range of variables, including behaviour and disease resistance, in the short-term as well as long-term.
85 Research paper – de Jong – 2017 – A meta-analysis of effects of post-hatch food and water deprivation on development, performance and welfare of chickens
Where to find the original material:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5728577/; https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0189350
Country: NL

85 Research paper – de Jong – 2017 – A meta-analysis of effects of post-hatch food and water deprivation on development, performance and welfare of chickens

10 Ewe health and nutrition boosts colostrum and cuts antibiotics on Northern Ireland sheep farm by FarmAntibiotics-org (Farm Innovation)

 

 

10 Farm Innovation
Ewe health and nutrition boosts colostrum and cuts antibiotics on Northern Ireland sheep farm by FarmAntibiotics.org
in Significant Impact Group(s): Feed / gut health \ Feeding management

Species targeted: Sheep;
Age: Young; Adult;
Summary: Ewe health and nutrition boosts colostrum and cuts antibiotics on Northern Ireland sheep farm: A focus on ewe health and nutrition has boosted colostrum production and enabled one Northern Ireland sheep producer to make a dramatic cut in antibiotic treatment for watery mouth in newborn lambs.
The farmer believes that a visibly-improved colostrum quality is a major reason for the reduction in the prevalence of the disease. This also has to do with gradual improvements like better ewe nutrition, genetics and general health.
10 Farm Innovation – Ewe health and nutrition boosts colostrum and cuts antibiotics on Northern Ireland sheep farm by
FarmAntibiotics.org
Where to find the original material: (in English)
https://farmantibiotics.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Isaac-Crilly-sheep-Northern-Ireland.pdf;
Country: UK

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Read here about the benefit of a sheep’s higher quality colostrum.

Feeding stations for group housed sows 

 

Generally speaking, there are two ways of feeding pigs: in groups or individually. Examples of group feeding are trough and floor feeding; for individual feeding these are feeding (lying) cubicles and feeding stations.

A major advantage of feeding stations for sows is that each animal can get the amount of feed required (based on Body Condition Score, fat thickness and/or body weight) because there are multiple feeding curves. This is possible for both stable and dynamic groups. Furthermore, a daily report can be made of sows that do not come to eat.

Decisive for success are barn design and set-up of equipment in the barn. For example, functional areas for defecating, resting and eating should be separated and the maximum number of sows per feeding station must not be exceeded. The feeding stations ideally have a long return run, so the feeling of satiety can occur during the return to the group and sows will go straight into the resting area, instead of moving back to the feeding station and disturbing other sows. Placing the drinking facility at the end of the return run also provides extra time for the sow, which improves a relaxed environment for the sows.

An option that can further increase ease of work is the separation box for separating sows for vaccination, pregnancy control, moving to the farrowing pen, heat-detection, etc. And last but not least, don’t forget the gilts training station!

When using feeding stations there are fewer return-to-estrus sows and there are more piglets raised per sow per year.

Enterotoxemia in sheep and lambs

Enterotoxemia is a frequently severe disease of small ruminants of all ages. It is caused by two strains of bacteria called Clostridium perfringens, type C and D. Type C principally produces the β-toxin, which most commonly kills lambs less than 2 weeks of age. A typical symptom of lambs that die from β-toxin is simply sudden death. Type D principally produces the ε-toxin which affects lambs older than 2 weeks of age, particularly those eating diets high in starch. Lambs exposed to high doses of ε-toxin also die very quickly. Fatalities occur particularly in non-vaccinated animals or in newborn lambs whose mother was not vaccinated.

Vaccination of ewes 3-4 weeks before lambing improves passive protection in lambs up to 12 weeks of age, whereas there is no benefit of vaccinating lambs before 6 weeks of age. Since the causative bacteria proliferate in the intestine in response to ingestion of abnormally high levels of starch, sugar, or protein, there are two alternatives:

  • to divide the daily allotment into as many small feedings as is feasible, or
  • to feed roughages such as hay before feeding these higher-risk feeds.

These good practices, vaccination and Smart feeding strategies, can prevent animal losses and improve their welfare. Prevention of enterotoxemia is far more likely to be successful than trying to treat the disease. Treatment of enterotoxemia may not be successful in severe cases.

The transition period of the dairy cow

 

The transition period is considered critical for the dairy cow and refers to the 3 weeks before calving and 3 weeks after calving. During this period the cow becomes vulnerable as physiological, metabolic and nutritional changes occur. This period can negatively influence the subsequent lactation of the cow, with implications on production and reproduction performance and implicitly on profitability. The manner in which this period is maintained are reflected in the frequency of postpartum disorders (milk fever, abomasum displacement, placental retention).

During the last three weeks of gestation, the cow’s body is under pressure from the rapid growth of the foetus, and from the synthesis of milk components for the subsequent lactation. Plasma insulin concentration decreases during the transition to the foetus and somatotropin increases rapidly between the end of pregnancy and the beginning of lactation.

At the beginning of lactation, the cows mobilize the body reserves (5-8% of the calving weight), the appetite is low and capricious (the ingesta is lower by 45%), the nutritional balance, especially the energy balance, is negative, the lactation curve is in ascension.

The main measures to support the transition period: grouping of cows (ante partum and post partum) in special areas (maternity); feeding balanced diet in terms of ionic (DCAD); maintaining good hygiene of the rest bed; ensuring optimal levels of carbohydrates, which stimulate propionate production; urinary pH monitoring (pH less than 5.8 leads to decreased feed intake and immune imbalances, pH over 7.2 leads to postpartum paraplegia and placenta retention).