Dr. Clay Lents - Nutritional Strategies for Managing Growth and Body Composition in Gilts"

U.S. Meat Animal Research Center
Reproduction Research Unit
Nutritional Strategies for
Managing Growth and Body
Composition of Gilts
Presented at Leman Preconference
Gilt Management as the Driver of Sow Lifetime Productivity
St. Paul, MN. September 17, 2018
C.A. Lents*1, C. Suprakorn2, J.L. Vallet1, R.D. Boyd3,
A.E. DeDecker4 and K.J. Stalder2
1USDA, ARS, US Meat Animal Research Center, Clay Center NE
2Iowa State University, Ames IA
3Hanor Family of Companies, Franklin, KY
4Smithfield Hog Production, Roanoke Rapids NC

Handling
Husbandry
Marketing
Program
Boar
Factors
Social Issues
Welfare
Structure
Phenotype
Epigenetics
Genomics
Labor
Water
Nutrition
Reproductiv
e
Efficiency
Nutritional
Requirements
Seasonality
Herd
Health
Status
Housing
Environment
Gilt
Development
Management
Primary factor
Secondary factor
Primary interaction
Secondary interaction – single example
Mark Boggess 2009
Breed
or Line
Feed
Stuffs
Vaccine
Protocol
Genetics
Health
Sow
Lifetime
Productivit
y
Personnel
Endocrinolog
y
Disease
Mitigation
Lactation
Factors
Size/Type of
Operation
Complexity: sow lifetime productivity

Handling
Husbandry
Labor
Boar
Factors
Social Issues
Welfare
Structure
Phenotype
Epigenetics
Genomics
Endocrinolo
gy
Water
Nutrition
Reproductiv
e
Developme
nt
Nutritional
Requirements
Seasonality
Herd
Health
Status
Housing
Environment
Standard
Operating
Procedures
Management
Primary factor
Secondary factor
Primary interaction
Secondary interaction – single example
Clay Lents 2018
Breed
or Line
Feed
Stuffs
Vaccine
Protocol
Genetics
Health
Gilt
Development
Personnel
Litter of origin
Disease
Mitigation
Lactation
Factors
Size/Type of
Operation
Gilt development sets up sow lifetime
productivity

Early Sexual Maturity is Critical for SLP
• Age at puberty (HNS) is the first indication that
we have of a gilts reproductive potential.
• It is positively associated to other indicators of
fertility and productivity.
• More fertile at each estrus and farrowing
• Shorter WEI and more regular farrowing intervals
• Less likely to be culled for reproductive reasons
• Fewer NPD
• Stay in the herd longer and produce more pigs.
• It one of the few reproductive traits that is
moderately heritable.

Age at puberty
Probabilitytogenerate1stand2ndparity
Earlier age at puberty associated with greater
chance of producing a first and second litter
Trenhaile et al., Midwest ASAS, 2014

Patterson et al., 2002, J. Anim. Sci. 80:1299
• Puberty occurs over a broad
range of lean growth rates and
backfat thicknesses
• Gilts with the highest growth
rates accumulate more backfat
and cycle earlier.
• > 600 g/d (1.1 lb/d) from birth to
selection.
• BW at breeding: 135-150 kg (300-
330 lb).
Growth rates and backfat does not limit gilts
Beltranena et al., 1991; Beltranena et al., 1993; Gaughan
et al., 1997; Tummaruk et al., 2001; Tummaruk et al.,
2007; Bortolozzo et al., 2009; Kummer et al., 2009;
Amaral Filha et al, 2009; Patterson et al., 2010

LGRfrombirthtoboarstimulation,kg/d
Calderon Diaz, 2015, J. Anim. Sci. 93:3521
n = 1,111 gilts
LWxLR Maternal line
High growth potential gilts getting too large to breed
Heavier throughout life, higher risk of lameness and injury,
higher maintenance costs, tend to be culled earlier and have
lower lifetime productivity

Benefit in SLP of restricting growth in development
Ciobanu, NCERA-57 Symposium, May 20, 2014
Effects of energy restriction:
PP1=0.40
PP2=0.04
PP3=0.03
ad libitum
Energy restricted
Diet

NPB SLP Research Consortium: Basic Questions
• What are the long-term benefits to reducing
growth of gilts in development?
• What diets are best to use?
• Evaluation has to be applicable:
• Large numbers of animals
• Under commercial conditions
• Ad libitum access to feed
• Practical diets

• Control Diet (100 Lys, 100 ME)
• ME – Grower, 3200 Kcal/kg; Finisher, 3300 Kcal/kg
• SID Lys – Grower, 1%; Finisher, 0.8%
• Six diets: 3 levels of energy and 2 levels of Lysine
Percent different from control diet
ME 85 100 115 85 100 115
Lys 85 85 85 100 100 100
• Fed from 100 to 260 d of age (14-37 wk)
• n = 1,221 LW x LR maternal line gilts
• Allocated at weaning (Iowa)
• 18 per pen in 2 grow-finish barns
• Monitor feed intake, growth, body
composition.
Trial 1

0
50
100
150
200
250
130 d 160 d 190 d 220 d 250 d
Bodyweight,kg
Age
Body weight
85% lys × 85% ME 85% lys × 100% ME 85% lys × 115% ME
100% lys × 85% ME 100% lys × 100% ME 100% lys × 115% ME
No differences
Trial 1

0.0
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
3.0
3.5
130 d 160 d 190 d 220 d 250 d
Backfatthickness,cm
Age
Back Fat
85% lys × 85% ME 85% lys × 100% ME
85% lys × 115% ME 100% lys × 85% ME
100% lys × 100% ME 100% lys × 115% ME
Effect of ME (P<0.05)
~10% increase in backfat
in High ME gilts
Trial 1

0
1
2
3
4
5
130 d 160 d 190 d 220 d 250 d
ADFI,kg
Age
Average daily feed intake
Effect of ME (P < 0.01)
No effect of Lys
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
130 d 160 d 190 d
ADMEI,Mcal
Age
Average daily ME intake
85% lys × 85% ME 85% lys × 100% ME
85% lys × 115% ME 100% lys × 85% ME
100% lys × 100% ME 100% lys × 115% ME
220 d 250 d
Trial 1

• Limited opportunity to change ME and alter
growth or composition of gilts in a biologically
meaningful way.
• 15% reduction in Lys failed to affect growth or
development.
• Suggests we can reduce Lys in the diet of developing gilts
Diet and Growth; what we learned
Calderón Díaz et al., 2015, J. Anim. Sci. 93:1187-1199
Trial 1

Age at puberty (HNS): Trial 1
~75% with HNS
during first 40 d of
boar exposure

Almost all gilts with
an acceptable age at
puberty
Age at puberty (HNS): Trial 1

100
110
120
130
140
150
160
170
180
190
200
85 % ME 100% ME 115% ME
AgeatPuberty,d
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
85 % ME 100% ME 115% ME
Ovulations,No.
85% Lys 100% Lys 85% Lys 100% Lys
No effects on development of the uterus.
Reproductive development: Trial 1

ME
Kcal/kg
SID LYS
%
SID LYS/
EFF ME
NDF
%
MIDDS
%
C.
Germ
%
Fat
Cwg
%Diet Type Age (days)
Grower 100 142
HI Lean 3338 0.90 2.8 9.9 5.0 - 1.00
MED Lean 3183 0.79 2.6 15.6 15.0 7.5 1.00
LO Lean 3085 0.68 2.3 19.5 18.0 15.0 1.00
Finisher 143 220
HI Lean 3356 0.68 2.1 10.1 5.0 - 1.0
MED Lean 3205 0.60 1.9 15.6 15.0 7.5 1.0
LO Lean 3149 0.52 1.7 21.0 18.0 20.0 3.0
Trials 2 and 3
• Standard levels of ME with less Lysine
• Increased Fiber to offset pigs ability to adjust
intake.
• Assigned to pens (n = 24 per pen) at weaning.
• Blocked by litter of origin

• 3,024 LW x LR maternal line gilts (Utah)
• Feed intake, body weight, body composition
• Moved to sow farms at 28 wk
• Gestation diet
• 641 LW x LR maternal line gilts (Utah)
• Feed intake, body weight, body composition
Trial 2
Trial 3
Preliminary Trial 2 & Primary Trial

0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
142 160 200
ADG,kg/d
Age, days
Low
Medium
High
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
142 160 200
Feedintake,kg/d
Age, days
Low
Medium
High
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
142 160 200
Lysineintake,g/d
Age, days
Low
Medium
High
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
142 160 200
MEintake,Mcal/d
Age, days
Low
Medium
High
A
C
B
D
Growth and Feed Intake: Trial 3

15
20
25
30
35
40
100 142 160 200
Flanktoflank,in
Age, days
Low
Medium
High
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
100 142 160 200
Bodyweight,kg
Age, days
Low
Medium
High
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
100 142 160 200
Caliper,arbitraryunits
Age, days
Low
Medium
High
A B
C
Iwasawa et al., 2004 KSU Swine Day pp 17-22
Measures of body size: Trial 3

1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
3.0
3.5
100 142 160 200Fattoleanratio
Age, days
Low
Medium
High
0
5
10
15
20
100 142 160 200
Backfat,mm
Age, days
Low
Medium
High
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
100 142 160 200
Loindepth,cm
Age, days
Low
Medium
High
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
100 142 160 200
Fatfreelean,kg
Age, days
Low
Medium
High
A B
C D
Body Composition: Trial 3

• Successfully alter growth rates and body
composition in development.
• Still achieve sufficient growth and body
composition in gilts for good reproductive
performance.
• Alternative measure to body weight are
useful for larger and smaller gilts.
Diet and Growth; what we learned
Calderón Díaz et al., 2015, J. Anim. Sci. 93:1187-1199

• Began at 160 days of age.
• Vasectomized boars
• 10 min daily contact in pens
• 4 pens per day (20-24 gilts/pen)
• Boars rotated among pens daily
• Rested every other day
• Daily estrus scores (0-3)
• Gilts move to farms at 200 d of age
• Blood samples 210 and 220 days of age
• Progesterone to determine cyclicity
• Gilts with no HNS by 220 days receive PG600 and were
monitored for estrous response
Trial 2 and 3
Boar stimulation and estrous detection
NPB04822

Gilts born
weekly
groups for 42
weeks;
Move at
weaning
Sow farm 2
Grp 27-42
TRT applied;
Mean age of
weekly grp
200d, BW
and
ultrasound;
Next day
move to sow
farm
Research
GDU
Grp 1-22 enter pens in
a GDU; Ad lib feed;
Move to breed stalls (10
d b/f breed); 4 lb/d feed;
Stall gestation; Farrow
P1;
Grp 23-42 enter breed
stalls immediately (no
GDU); 4 lb/d feed; Pen
gestation 30-70 d after
breed; Farrow P1
Sow farm 3
Sow farm 4
Sow farm 1
Grp 1-28
Gilt Flow: Trial 3

0
10
20
30
40
162
166
174
180
184
188
192
196
200
204
208
212
216
221
Numberofgilts
Age at first natural heat
High
0
10
20
30
40
161
170
176
182
186
190
194
198
202
206
210
214
218
222
226
Numberofgilts
Medium
0
10
20
30
40
167
176
182
187
191
195
199
203
207
211
215
219
224
Numberofgilts
Low
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
High lysine Medium lysine Low lysine
PercentofgiltswithHNS
a
b
b
a,bP < 0.0001
HNS during first 40 days
of boar stimulation

0
10
20
30
40
162
166
174
180
184
188
192
196
200
204
208
212
216
221
Numberofgilts
High
0
10
20
30
40
161
170
176
182
186
190
194
198
202
206
210
214
218
222
226
Numberofgilts
Medium
0
10
20
30
40
167
176
182
187
191
195
199
203
207
211
215
219
224
Numberofgilts
Low
0
20
40
60
80
201
205
209
213
217
221
225
229
233
237
243
255
Numberofgilts
Age at first estrus
High
0
20
40
60
80
201
204
207
210
213
216
219
222
225
228
231
234
237
240
244
260
Numberofgilts
Age at first estrus
Medium
0
20
40
60
80
201
205
209
213
217
222
226
230
234
238
244
252
Numberofgilts
Age at first estrus
Low
PG600

0
50
100
150
200
250
Low Medium High
Age,days
Age at Puberty
a b b
0
50
100
150
200
250
Low Medium High
Age,days
Age at Puberty
Trial 2
Trial 3
Pubertal Development

0
50
100
150
200
250
Low Medium High
Age,days
Age at Puberty
a b b
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Low Medium HighPercentofgilts
Natural Heat
Χ 2 > 0.1
0
50
100
150
200
250
Low Medium High
Age,days
Age at Puberty
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Low Medium High
Percentofgilts
Natural Heat
Χ 2 > 0.1
Trial 2
Trial 3
PEDV outbreak
coincident with
beginning of boar
exposure for the first 9
weekly groups.
Boar exposure delayed
1 wk; remainder of gilts
on schedule
Were ongoing issues
with PEDV at two of the
sow farms.
Gilt to boar ratio (>20)
less than optimal

0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Low Medium High
Percentofgilts
Responded to PG600
0
50
100
150
200
250
Low Medium High
Age,days
Age at Puberty
a b b
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Low Medium HighPercentofgilts
Natural Heat
Χ 2 > 0.1
0
50
100
150
200
250
Low Medium High
Age,days
Age at Puberty
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Low Medium High
Percentofgilts
Responded to PG600
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Low Medium High
Percentofgilts
Natural Heat
Χ 2 > 0.1
Trial 2
Trial 3
2% Behavioral anestrus
12.8% Behavioral anestrus

• Higher growth gilts respond to boars sooner and
have earlier age at puberty.
• Despite adequate growth and development,
response to boars was inadequate.
• Important implications for amount of PG600 use
• Emphasizes the importance gilt stimulation protocols
• Under appreciate the effects of disease on reproductive
development
• Most gilts that require PG600 to stimulate HNS are
truly prepubertal
• Incidence of behavioral anestrous may depend on growth
rate
Pubertal development; what we learned

y = 7.195x - 101.39
R² = 0.5896
R = 0.77
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
110
120
130
140
150
160
170
180
190
200
210
28 30 32 34 36 38 40
High
Medium
Low
Linear (All)
36 inch threshold
average BW 157 kg,
all above the upper
threshold
Distribution of body weight at HNS: Trial 2
Weightatfirstestrus
Optimal weight range
Flank to flank, in
Preliminary Trial 2

150
170
190
210
230
250
Low Medium High
Age,days
Dietary treatment
Age
80
90
100
110
120
130
140
150
Low Medium High
Bodyweight,kg
Dietary treatment
Body weight
a a b
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
Low Medium High
Backfat,mm
Dietary treatment
Backfat
a a b
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
Low Medium High
Fattoleanratio
Dietary treatment
fat to lean ratio
a a b
a b c
Primary Trial: Traits at first breeding

y = 6.3756x - 90.769
R² = 0.526
0
15
30
45
60
75
90
105
120
135
150
165
180
195
210
225
28 30 32 34 36 38 40 42
Bodyweight,kg
Flank to Flank, in
High Medium Low
Distribution of body weight at breeding Trial 3
Optimal BW
for breeding

25
27
29
31
33
35
37
Low Medium High
Flank to flank, in.
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
Low Medium High
Backfat, mm
30
35
40
45
50
55
60
Low Medium High
Fat free lean, kg
0.0
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
3.0
3.5
Low Medium High
Fat to lean ratio
Natural HNS PG600 HNS 1st Breeding
Changes from HNS to breeding

0
4
8
12
16
20
L-BF M-BF H-BF
Backfat at selection
0
1
2
3
4
L-BF M-BF H-BF
Litters per sow
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
L-BF M-BF H-BF
Pigs weaned per
sow
Gaughan et al., 1995, Anim. Sci. 61;561
a
b
c
a
b b
a
b b
Do gilts have to have enough fat when leaving the
GDU to minimize mismanagement in the breeding
barn?

• Gilts are losing body condition in breeding even
though they are still growing.
• Boar stimulation vs heat checking
• Important implications for use of PG600
• Nutritional management of gilts doesn’t end
when we send her to the farm.
• Opportunities to improve gilt development and
reproductive performance through nutritional
management in the breeding barn?
Growth and first breeding; what we learned

Acknowledgements
• Iowa State University
• Dr. Julia Calderon-Diaz
• Dr. China Suprakorn
• Dr. Ken Stalder
• Smithfeild/Murphy Brown LLC
• Dr. Ashley DeDecker
• Dr. Christina Phillips
• Dr. Kent Grey
• Dr. Gary Bradley
• Dr. Bart Borg
• Dr. Joe Hahn
• SFD Techs (Xochitl Martinez)
• USMARC
• Dr. Jeff Vallet
• Dr. Lea Rempel
• Dr. Jeremy Miles
• Dr. Gary Rohrer
• Dr. Dan Nonneman
• Dr. Brad Freking
• Dr. Bob Cushman
• SLP research consortium
• Dr. Rob Knox
• Dr. Billy Flowers
• Dr. Nathalie Trottier
• Dr. Janeen Salak-Johnson
• Dr. Skip Bartol
• Dr. Ken Stalder
• Dr. George Foxcroft
• Hanor Farms
• Dr. Dean Boyd
• National Pork Board
• Dr. Terry Prince

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