Content
It often happens that during lactation the pig does not have enough milk to feed the offspring. Powdered milk for piglets is widely used in animal husbandry as a substitute for mother milk. The introduction of such complementary foods allows you to get strong and healthy animals.
Composition and value of milk powder
Dry mixes are a product produced by the technology of evaporation of whole milk on special equipment. During the manufacturing process, various vitamin and mineral supplements are added to the mixture. Milk replacer - a substitute for whole milk, allows you to feed most animals on farms. Due to the complete absence of moisture, the shelf life of the product is significantly increased and its transportation becomes more convenient. As a percentage, the dry mixture contains, on average, the following components:
- proteins - 22%;
- fats - 16%;
- carbohydrates (lactose) - 40%;
- trace elements - 11%;
- macronutrients - 5%.
Piglets need lactose to reduce stress when switching to bottle feeding. Depending on the requirements for milk replacer, its percentage can reach 50-53% per kg of mixture. It is believed that such an amount of carbohydrates fully covers the needs of the body, if the feeding technique is properly followed. The standard composition of milk replacer, manufactured in production, is:
- dry milk whey - 60%;
- soy flour - 12%;
- fish meal - 7%;
- fat additives - 7%;
- corn or wheat gluten - 6.4%;
- protein supplements - 5%;
- monocalcium phosphate - 1.1%;
- vitamin complex - 1%.
To bring the mixture to readiness, you just need to dilute it with water in the right proportions.
When to feed piglets with milk powder
Not every farm uses milk replacer when raising piglets. Milk powder is resorted to only in case of a lack of breast milk of the sow for her brood. If it is enough, it is not necessary to introduce complementary foods, the piglets will grow up healthy and strong.
If the farm has goats or cows, then you can use their milk to feed piglets. Moreover, if pigs are bred in large quantities, the use of cow's milk is impractical for economic reasons - dry mixes are cheaper and are more balanced in terms of nutritional value. Do not forget that the composition of fresh cow's milk is also prone to change depending on the diet, climate and physiological characteristics of the animal. The composition of milk replacer is stable and easily absorbed by piglets.
When is milk powder added to the pigs ration
When the brood has exceeded the sow's capacity, milk powder cannot be dispensed with. At the same time, it is still necessary that the first time the piglet receives at least a minimum portion of the mother's colostrum. While the sow is lactating, in no case should colostrum be removed from the diet of the young. Powdered milk only covers the lack of nutrients.
Powdered milk can be the main and only food only for weaned pigs.Such a mixture should contain a high percentage of lactose to compensate for the lack of maternal food and avoid problems with the formation of the gastrointestinal tract. In such cases, the feeding lasts for 3 weeks, after which the piglets are transferred to pelleted feed.
Why milk replacer is good for piglets
Professional processing of whey allows you to preserve all the beneficial elements contained in it. For greater compliance with breast milk, a complex of amino acids, vitamins and microelements is introduced into the milk replacer. The presence of fat and water soluble vitamins in the complex is necessary for the proper development of piglets.
The vitamin complexes contain useful trace elements - iron, selenium and calcium. Their easy digestibility allows in the future to avoid anemia, muscular dystrophy, rickets and other diseases inherent in pigs. Also, various fillers are added to the mixture, aimed at better digestibility of feed components.
Piglet mixes such as Kormilak include probiotics. Their presence has a positive effect on the formation of the gastrointestinal tract in newborn weaners. The beneficial bacteria contained in the complex improve microflora and reduce the risk of dysbiosis and diarrhea.
How to breed milk powder for piglets
Correctly diluted milk powder allows you to get the most effective complementary food for pigs. It is necessary to strictly follow the instructions indicated by the manufacturer on the product packaging. Milk replacer for piglets is prepared according to the instructions in the following sequence:
- Pour half of the planned total volume of liquid. The recommended water temperature is 45-50 degrees, but not higher than 55.
- Pour the mixture in a thin stream, stir constantly to avoid the formation of lumps.
- Add the other half of the water and mix.
- The mixture is cooled to 37 degrees and given to piglets.
Each feeding requires a new mix preparation. It is not recommended to cook it for future use, as most of the nutrients are lost over time. In addition, the mixture may simply go bad. Refrigeration will not prolong the shelf life of the finished product.
How to feed piglets with milk powder
The milk replacer feeding scheme depends on several factors. Suckling pigs still partially feed on mother's milk, so the prepared mixtures should be thicker. In this case, the amount of the mixture should only cover the lack of mother's colostrum, so the frequency of complementary feeding decreases depending on the capabilities of the sow. For weaners, the mixture is made more concentrated. Due to the lack of breast milk, feed is dispensed more frequently.
Suckling pigs are fed with formula for two months until the moment they completely switch to adult food. So, in the first 4 days of life, the norm of milk replacer is considered to be 300 g of dry mixture, diluted in a ratio of 1: 7, 6 times a day. From 5 to 10 days the amount of dry mixture increases to 700 g. Powdered milk for piglets is diluted in a ratio of 1: 8 and given 5 times a day.
Slightly older piglets require more feed. 2-3 week old animals are fed 5 times a day with 1200 g of dry mixture. At this stage, you can begin to introduce additional concentrated feed in minimal quantities. Monthly pigs already need up to 2.5 kg per day of milk replacer for one meal 4 times a day. At this time, in addition to the concentrated feed, they also begin to introduce granular.
For grown up piglets over a month old, milk powder is diluted already in a ratio of 1:10. The number of receptions of the mixture is reduced to 3 times a day in the amount of 3 kg. This period is considered preparatory to the transition to adult food.
Feeding rules during the suckling period
Newborn piglets begin to suck on the mother's colostrum within half an hour after birth. One such meal provides an average of 30 g of colostrum, fully satisfying the body's nutritional needs.With sufficient lactation of the sow, the first week the piglets receive everything they need and do not need additional feeding.
It happens that when feeding, all babies do not have enough nipples, or not everyone has enough colostrum produced by the mother. In this case, they are fed with milk replacer diluted in water. You can start complementary foods from the first days when a lack of feeding is detected in piglets. The main feature of such feeding is the obligatory receipt of at least 2-3 servings of colostrum from the mother.
Depending on the availability of complementary foods, milk powder for piglets is diluted in a ratio of 1: 7 or 1: 8. Drinking is carried out as follows:
- 1-4 days - 100-200 ml per day, feeding frequency - 6 times a day;
- 5-10 - 200-500 ml of the mixture per day, feeding frequency - 5 times a day;
- 11-20 - 500-800 ml of milk replacer per day, the frequency of feeding is 5 times a day, the beginning of the introduction of 25-50 g of concentrated feed daily;
- 21-30 - up to 1000 ml of the mixture, fed 4 times a day, in addition to the concentrate, add 30-50 g of green complementary foods;
- 31-40 - 4 times a day up to 1200 ml of diluted milk powder, 400 g of concentrate and up to 100 g of green complementary foods are also given a day;
- for one and a half month old piglets, the amount of milk replacer is gradually reduced due to the addition of more adult feed to the diet.
It should be borne in mind that dry mixes from different manufacturers differ in their composition. The main parameter that is worth paying attention to is the fat content of the product. So, newborn piglets are entitled to milk replacer with a fat content of 12%, 2-week-old - 20%. Monthly animals are recommended to give a product with a fat content of 16%. A correctly selected mixture will have a positive effect in the future on the general condition of the pig and on the set of meat and fat tissues.
Weaning piglets from their mother and consuming milk replacers on a regular basis has a positive effect on their emotional state, making it easier to cope with the stress of changing feed. A sharp change in diet leads to problems with the digestive system, so the process of switching from mother's milk to dry, and then to adult food should be phased.
Feeding rules after weaning
There are cases when newborn piglets, for objective reasons, do not have the opportunity to receive a portion of maternal colostrum. In this case, in the absence of the correct method of artificial feeding, babies may have serious problems with the immune system. Particular attention is paid to day old piglets.
On average, newborns suckle a sow about 20 times, therefore, weaners need to be fed in the same number of approaches. In this case, milk replacer is diluted in a ratio of 1: 5, not exceeding 40 g per feeding. Too much mixture can lead to indigestion or diarrhea.
The finished mixture is fed through the teat. The liquid temperature should be within 37-40 degrees. It is also important to observe the frequency of feeding so that the animal gradually gets used to the serving size. Skipping one feed will starve the piglet, after which he will not have enough feed the next time.
From the 4th day of life, the ready-made mixture is poured into a saucer, and in the future, special bowls for feeding are used. From day 11, concentrated food is added to complementary foods, and night feeds are gradually canceled. In the future, the growing piglets are gradually transferred to adult food.
Feeding rules for fattening young animals
It is important to remember that the correct organization of piglet feeding is designed to ensure the stable growth and development of the animal. The use of milk replacer is intended to facilitate the transition to adult food, therefore, proper adherence to feeding technology will allow you to get healthy pigs.
After 2 months, pigs begin a period of rapid weight gain.So, a 4-month-old piglet should gain about 300-400 g of live weight per day. Several factors need to be considered for proper muscle and adipose tissue formation:
- A complete diet - the correct ratio of protein, fat and carbohydrates. The balance of amino acids, vitamins and minerals is important.
- High energy value of the resulting feed.
- Optimal living conditions.
The use of powdered milk in combination with other types of feed will allow you to get a harmonious nutrition, which is necessary for the full development of piglets at home. Depending on the selected type of further fattening, the use of milk replacer is possible until the animals reach 6 months.
Conclusion
Powdered milk for piglets makes life much easier for the farmer in times when the sow has insufficient lactation. The use of balanced mixtures allows animals to be raised free of developmental problems at a young age. Correctly selected WMC is the key to the success of a farm.
