May 9, 2018
Nutriad presents on pig feed intake in tropical conditions
Nutriad was a Gold Sponsor of the Pig Feed Quality Conference that was held in Bangkok, Thailand, on April 26-27.
This year's conference centered on nutrition of the sow, increasing feed intake in tropical conditions and reducing feed costs. Nutriad's expertise on swine nutrition and health in general and on feed intake, was at full display during the event.
At critical points during pig production, appetite and feed intake are often compromised by a variety of factors such as weaning, diet transition, unpalatable feed ingredients and heat stress. Ab Greven, Nutriad's commercial manager (palatability), presented on "Animal Behavior and Feed Intake."
Greven explained that Krave® AP and Delistart®K-Link stimulates feed intake in tropical climates. Sensory learning helps piglets to show less food neophobia, and improve feed intake pre- and post weaning. An extra 10% feed intake for piglets in the week after weaning can be realised by applying this innovative concept.
Other benefits of sensory learning are improved sow feed intake, more and heavier piglets at weaning, improved litter uniformity and improved daily weight gain.
"Climate is the first limiting factor for efficient pig production. We see negative impacts including reduction in feed intake, decrease in sow milk production and increase in embryo mortality," said BK Chew, Nutriad's APAC regional director.
"Nutriad understands that feed intake in lactating sows in hot climates is a major challenge to the modern genotypes.
