Gestation Management

At the end of the lesson the student should be able to:

• Define what is gestation

• Discuss on how to manage the gestation period

• Construct a better understanding of managing gestation period.

Ad libitum feeding - means that the diet is available at all times

Cull - it is the process of removing or segregating animals from a breeding stock based on specific trait

Dietary Fibers - also known as roughage, is the indigestible part of plant foods

Udder - a large pendulous organ consisting of two or more mammary glands enclosed in a common envelope and each provided with a single nipple

INSTRUCTION:

1. Each student can answer this questions individually.

2. You can create it in microsoft word application or in hand written form.

3. The file name of your output is always start with your Surname_Firstname_Activity 5.1.docx

4. Put your output in the Activity 5 folder.

5. Pass your output in the google drive link below.

QUESTIONS:

• How will you describe the picture?

What is Gestation?

• Period of time during which the sow is pregnant: from its effective mating (fertilization) until the farrowing. The majority of the pregnancies normally last for 113-115 days (or 3-3-3: 3 months, 3 weeks and 3 days), but there can be a higher variability in each particular case.

During gestation it is important that the sows’ nutrient requirements for fetus production, restoration of body condition and udder growth are met through balanced feeding. The goal is to make sure the sows achieve an optimum body condition, so they are in good shape for farrowing and the nursing period that follows. And to achieve this, it may be necessary to adjust individual feed rations for sows which are either too thin or too fat.

Five days after mating, the implantation period starts. Lasting between 3 and 4 weeks, this is when the fertilized eggs form the placenta and it has an enormous impact on the litter size. Because of this, sows and gilts should not be moved around, re-grouped or be exposed to anything that could be stressful during the first 4 weeks after mating, as this could result in smaller litters.

Both with and without dietary fibers in the gestation feed, it can be an advantage to provide straw on the side in order to ensure full and calm sows.

Everyday tasks in the gestation unit include:

• The inspection of all animals at least once a day to check for any signs of disease;

• Between 4 and 6 weeks after mating, all sows and gilts should be tested for pregnancy.

Regular testing of all mated animals for pregnancy presents an insight into the overall fertility of the herd. And because of that, it is possible to quickly identify empty sows which can be mated again, or culled, regular pregnancy testing will reduce the overall number of non-productive days.

It is a good idea to heat control the sows with a teaser boar every day from day 19 to day 28 after mating. Some sows experience a prolonged return interval, so it is important to do heat control for a few more days. It is best to carry out heat control during a quiet time of the day using an experienced and active boar – and if possible, using different boars.

Pregnancy control, carried out with an ultrasound scanner, will have to start on day 28 until day 42. It is vital to make sure every single sow is scanned.

When there is any doubt about the result of a scan, it is a good idea to mark the sow, in order to scan her again within a week. Should the sow remain empty, the animal has to be marked and moved to the mating unit – or be prepared for culling.

Pregnancy control is an important part of the herd operation – and so are due care and proper registration of the results. It is the best way of finding and eliminating the cause of mistakes and hidden diseases.

It is crucial to restore body condition after weight loss from the farrowing unit because a negative energy balance increases the risk of abortion. It is recommended to add raw ingredients rich in fiber to the gestation feed.

There are basic principles for feeding in the gestation unit:

• Sows which have lost a lot of weight during the previous nursing period will consume more feed. It is advisable to restore good body condition within the first 4 to 5 weeks after mating.

• It is not recommended to feed gilts ad libitum for the first 4 weeks after mating. Studies have shown that high weight gain during the first part of gestation increases the risk of abortion among gilts. So, it is better to feed small gilts around 2.2kg per day and heavy gilts around 2.4kg per day.

• The environment (temperature, draught and humidity) can have a big influence on feed consumption.

• To reach an optimum weight at farrowing, it is essential to focus on feeding during the 4 weeks before farrowing.

• Regulate the feed intake of the gilts or sows immediately after breeding to prevent them from becoming too fat. Obesity of pregnant sows may result to a fewer number of pigs farrowed. Also, they may suffer from farrowing complications.

• Keep the pregnant sow in an environment ideal for better conception. Sprinkle water on the sows when the weather is too hot or whenever necessary.

• To avoid constipation, provide healthy but a laxative ration. Provide plenty of water and newly harvested green feeds such as camote vines, kangkong, paragrass and water lily.

• Deworm sows and gilts against internal parasites and treat external parasites 14 days before expected date of farrowing.

• In commercial operations, the sow should be transferred to the farrowing house one week before farrowing to provide her time to adjust to new environment.

• On the average, a sow will farrow in 114 days after a successful mating. The usual range is 109-119 days. Watch out for the following signs:

  • • • • • The abdomen swells

          • The sow becomes restless and nervous

          • The vulva is swollen with possible mucus discharge

          • Milk is present in the teats if pressed

• Attend to the sow during birth because this is the most crucial time in the life of the new born piglets.

It is recommended that gestating sows are fed according to their individual needs. Group feeding the sows places a big demand on herd managers, so if group feeding is the only option, it is vital that they focus on:

• Making sow groups according to body condition;

• Penning thin sows individually;

• Ensuring body condition remains homogeneous among the sows in each group.

It is important to focus on body condition around farrowing. Group the sows according to their body condition. Different methods can be used for the evaluation of body condition:

• Visual evaluation – simply by looking at each sow;

• Palpation – using hands to check the body;

• Measurement of the back-fat thickness.

It is recommended to always use a combination of these methods when assessing body condition, and never to rely on visual evaluation alone.

A vital element is to carry out body condition evaluation before mating, at pregnancy control, after 70 days of gestation and just before farrowing. The evaluation of body condition before mating will help choose the right feeding curve for each sow during gestation. Subsequent body condition evaluations at pregnancy tests and on day 70 of gestation will indicate whether the sow’s feeding curve is correct or whether some adjustments need to be made.

The body condition evaluation at farrowing helps to work out whether the chosen feeding strategy for each sow during gestation was correct. At the time of farrowing, ideally as many sows as possible should have an average body condition with a back-fat thickness of 16-19 mm.

• https://www.pig333.com/pig-glossary/P/pregnancy-gestation_123/-

• https://www.pigprogress.net/Sows/Articles/2019/1/How-can-you-better-manage-a-gestation-unit-385284E/-

• https://www.slideshare.net/chemist_012001/swine-7871151

• https://www.pigprogress.net/Resizes/560x420/PageFiles/11/92/39211/001/MAIN%20IMAGE.jpg

• https://cdn.thinglink.me/api/image/1144988254068539393/1024/10/scaletowidth#tl-1144988254068539393;'

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoW5mwjseqs

INSTRUCTION:

1. Find a pair, each pair will discuss what they understand about the lesson.

2. The student will present their presentation to share their brainstorming in the class using any means like powerpoint presentation, video presentation, word document, canva presentation or etc. anything convenient to the student.

3. The file name of your output is always start with your Surname_Firstname_Activity 5.2.docx

4. Put your output in the Activity 5 folder.

5. Pass your output in the google drive link below.