Response of weaner pigs to feed rationing and frequency of feeding

 A O Fanimo*, O O Oduguwa, A O K Adesehinwa**, E Y Owoeye and O S Babatunde 

College of Animal Science and Livestock Production, University of Agriculture
PMB 2240, Abeokuta, Nigeria

*Present address: Institute of Animal Nutrition, Physiology and Metabolism,
University of Kiel, D-24098 Kiel, Germany
fanimo@aninut.uni-kiel.de
^**National Agricultural Extension and Research Liaison Services
South West Station, Moore Plantation, Ibadan, Nigeria
 

 

Abstract

 

Forty-eight crossbred weaner pigs divided into three groups of sixteen pigs each were used to assess the effect of feeding frequency on the performance and nutrient digestibility.   The same type and quantity of feed was rationed once, twice and thrice daily.

 

Performance of pigs fed twice daily was  better  than those fed once per day. Digestibility of dry matter, crude protein and crude fibre increased with twice versus once daily feeding. There were no apparent advantages from increasing the feeding frequency to thrice daily.

 

Key words: Feeding frequency, nutrient digestibility, performance, pigs, rationing

 

 

Introduction

 

The type of feed and the method of feeding greatly influence the feed efficiency, growth rate, breeding efficiency, carcass quality and the general health of pigs. The choice of feeding periods for pigs is based entirely on nutritional and economic considerations (INRA 1984; English et al 1988). For example, feeding restriction is commonly practiced with market pigs to improve carcass quality and feed efficiency while decreasing production costs.

 

Ad-libitum feeding, particularly if it involves feeds of energy density tends to promote synthesis of body fat which is inefficient in terms of feed conversion. Compared to ad libitum access to feed, a restricted feed allowance simultaneously reduces back fat thickness and intramuscular fat content (Wood et al 1996; Candek-Potokar et al 1998), whereas free access to a low-protein diet has the opposite effects (Adeola and Young 1989; Karlsson et al 1993). Feed-restricted pigs show decreased back fat thickness, adipocyte volume and lipogenic capacity (Mersmann et al 1981; Leymaster and Mersmann 1991; Gondret and Lebret 2002). The meat industry requires animals to be as lean as possible since pork meat with low fat content reduces human caloric intake and intramuscular fat is related to lower sensory quality traits (Fernandez et al 1999). High level of carcass fat is therefore unacceptable because of the associated health problems. It is also convenient that breeding animals, particularly in the tropical climates, should not gain excessive weight because of the heat. Thus, Sudduth (2002) suggested increasing the feeding frequency as a management practice to alleviate the effects of heat on the animals. Under tropical conditions, it is therefore logical to adopt a restricted system of feeding. Restricted feeding involves a fixed amount of feed distributed to each pen or to each animal, in two or three meals daily (Serres 1992). When feed intake is reduced below the maintenance level, animal tends to become more efficient in digesting feed and in utilizing the nutrients (INRA 1984).

 

In Nigeria, most farmers feed their pigs once daily while others allow the animals free access to agro-by-products throughout the day. In conventional pig feeding management, however, more variable feeding systems are applied. The question of how often the pig should be fed for efficient feed utilization still remains unanswered. The present study was therefore undertaken to investigate the effect of once, twice or thrice daily feeding on the performance and nutrient digestibility parameters of growing pigs.

 

 

Materials and Methods

 

Growth trial

 

Forty-eight crossbred weaner pigs of 16±0.03 kg body weight were used in a 70-day growth trial to evaluate the effect of feeding frequency on performance. The pigs were injected with Ivomec^R (Ivermectine) against endo- and ecto-parasites, prior to the start of the trial.  They were randomly allocated to the three treatment groups based on body weight, sex and litter origin in a completely randomised design. All the pigs were housed in concrete-floored pens equipped with feeding and watering troughs.

 

'The feeding treatments were:

• Once daily (1300 g/pig) at 0800hr.

• Twice daily (650 g/feed/pig) at 0800 and 1700hr

• Thrice daily (433 g/feed/pig)  at 0800, 1230 and 1700hr.

The same high-fibre diet (Table 1) was fed throughout the duration of the experiment. 

The animals were supplied water ad-libitum. The pigs were weighed weekly and weekly feed consumption was also recorded. These records were used to monitor and assess the weight gain, dry matter and protein intake, feed: gain ratio and protein efficiency ratio.

 

Digestibility trial

 

Twelve pigs (4 per treatment) were assigned at random to the three experimental treatments. Faeces from each pig were collected on days 7 to 10 in labelled polyethylene bags and stored at –10ºC. Composition of feed and faecal samples was determined using the techniques outlined by AOAC (1990).

 

Statistical analysis

 

All the data obtained were subjected to analysis of variance (Steel and Torrie 1980). Different means were separated using Duncan’s multiple range test (Duncan 1955).

 

 

Results and discussion

 

All the feed offered was consumed. Performance (weight gain, feed DM: gain and protein efficiency ratio) was improved by twice compared with once daily feeding but there was no difference between twice and thrice daily feeding (Table 2). 

Apparent digestibility of DM, crude protein and crude fibre showed the same pattern as the performance traits with improvements for twice compared with once daily feeding and no difference between twice and thrice daily feeding (Table 3). Differences in ether extract digestibility were not to be expected in view of the low content of this element in the diet.

 

It would appear that the improved performance traits for twice versus once daily feeding can be attributed to increased digestibility of the dietary DM, crude protein and crude fibre. This result  is in line with the report of Murphy et al (1994a,b) that restricted feeding has the potential to improve dry matter and organic matter digestibility. In this experiment, a tendency was observed that frequent feeding increased (P<0.05) DM, CP and CF digestibility of the diet (Table 3). van Leeuwen et al (1997) reported that the digestibility indices of DM and crude protein in pigs fed a diet based on soybean meal were slightly higher when feed was given every 6hr compared with every 12hr; however, in our experiment  there appeared to be no benefit from increasing the frequency of feeding beyond two times per day. 

 

 

Conclusions

• Twice daily feeding of a high-fibre diet fed to pigs increased the digestibility of dry matter, crude protein and crude fibre and this led to better growth and feed utilization, compared with once daily feeding of the same daily allowance.

• There was no advantage in thrice versus twice daily feeding.
   

References

 

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