This document discusses feeding of swine, including their nutrient requirements and different diets. Some key points: - Pigs have high feed efficiency and are classified as omnivores. About 70-75% of production costs come from feed. - Nutrient requirements vary by age and function. Creep feed for piglets contains 24% protein while finishing pig diets contain 13% protein. - Common diets include starter, grower, and finisher. Piglets may get anemia without supplemental iron in the creep feed. - Breeding pigs are fed lower protein (12%) to avoid fattening. Flushing increases ovulation for higher piglet production.

1. Feeding of Swine
Dr Sheikh Gowher Gull

2. • Among domestic animals pigs are the most prolific animal, ( 6-12 piglets in every litter)
• These are fast growing (70 kg in about 8 months).
• They have short generation intervals and they are also efficient converter of feed into meat among the
domesticated animals reared for meat production.
• Highest feed efficiency of 3.13 to 4.13.
 Pigs have been classified as omnivores. Thus, pigs can tolerate crude fibre in their diet to a greater extent than
carnivores’ animals. But to a lesser extent than herbivorous species.
• About 70-75% of the total cost of production of pig is due to feed cost.
• Successful swine production requires a carefully planned and efficient feeding programme. swine production was
a scavenging venture has becoming more intensified and specialized.
• It has been reported that an average gain 500-700g per day from birth to slaughter is possible with the latest
production system. Therefore, supply of nutritionally balanced economical ration would be a matter of prime
importance for economic swine production.

3. • The hind gut of the pig is relatively large, consisting about 35-40% of the volume of gastrointestinal tract.
• Pigs are hind gut fermenters and microbial fermentative digestion of fibrous feed stuffs occurs in caecum and
colon and produces volatile fatty acids that meet about 30% of the maintenance energy need.
Digestive process in pigs

4. • An adult pig can consume about 3-5 kg of succulent and green feed (10-15% dry matter).
• In growing fattening pigs 6-8% crude fibre (CF) may be used while the adults ration may contain 10-12% CF.
• It has been reported that an increase in dietary fibre by 1% beyond the specified level depressed the
digestibility of gross energy by about 3.5%.
• Pigs less than 2-3 weeks old have insufficient pancreatic amylase and intestinal disaccharidases and
cannot utilize starch or cereal based diets. So, after 2 weeks of age, pigs are to be fed on cereal based diet.
• Glucose and lactose are effectively utilized by pigs less than 2 weeks. Afterwards pigs can utilize only
fructose and sucrose.

5. Nutrient requirements of pigs
• In swine diet formulation, the nutrients of most concern are energy(ME), essential
amino acids, calcium, phosphorus, trace minerals and vitamins.
• Baby animals have high nutritional requirements that decrease as growth proceeds and
the adult animals under maintenance conditions have the lowest nutrient requirements.
Energy requirements
• Energy requirements for swine are expressed as digestible energy
or metabolizable energy. Metabolizable energy values are usually
94 to 96 percent of the DE figures (NRC, 1980).
• The main energy source in swine diets is usually starch from
cereal grains (Maize, sorghum, barley, wheat and oats ).
• In tropical countries like India, cassava meal and sweet potato are
also used as high energy feed stuffs for pigs.

6. • Apart from starch swine also derived their energy from dietary lipids.
• Linoleic acid is dietary essential in pigs from which other unsaturated fatty acids are
synthesized (Arachidonic acid).
• In general, if the diet is adequate in protein content, addition of fat tends to improve
gains and reduce the ME required per unit of gain (NRC, 1998).
• Diets with 20-30% fat are palatable and readily consumed by swine and poultry.
Nonruminant animals regulate their voluntary feed intake to
consume sufficient feed to meet their energy requirements. If they
are fed a low-energy diet, they increase feed intake to compensate.
If a high energy diet is used, feed intake is depressed. Thus when
high fat diets are used, the concentration of protein and other
nutrients must be increased because the required amount of energy
is consumed in a smaller amount of feed.

7. Protein and amino acid requirements
• Soybean meal is the most commonly used protein supplement of vegetable/plant
origin. Other protein supplements of plant origin (Canola meal, cotton seed meal,
Ground nut/peanut meal) are also used to reduce the feed cost.
• Animal protein sources such as meat meal, blood meal and fish meal are also widely
used to supply essential amino acids. However inclusion level of fish meal in the pig
diet should not exceed 10%. Otherwise it will develop fishy flavour in pork.
• Protein and essential amino acid are expressed as percentage of diet or as
amount per animal per day.
• Under practical conditions, lysine, methionine, tryptophan, and threonine
are the main amino acids of concern, because they are deficient in cereal
grains.

8. Mineral requirements
• Among minerals Calcium and phosphorus are most important in skeletal growth and
prevention of bone disorders.
• These elements are provided by supplementation of limestone and dicalcium phosphate.
• Animal protein byproducts (fish meal), brans and germs of cereal grain and yeast are rich source of calcium.
• The requirement of salt can be met by addition of 0.25-5.0% sodium chloride in the
diet.
• Trace elements are provided through trace mineral premix.
• Among trace element zinc is particularly importance.
• Zinc deficiency in pigs cause subnormal growth, depressed appetite and feed conversion with parakeratosis
characterized by reddening of the skin followed by eruptions which develops into scabs. It is aggravated by high
calcium and cupper levels in the diet and reduced by decreased calcium and increased phosphorus levels.
• Selenium and vitamin E are important for reproduction and deficiency of these nutrients lead to smaller litter size
and greater baby pig mortality.
• The iron requirement of baby pig is very high because of its rapid growth rate, deficiency cause piglet anemia

9. Vitamin requirements
• If no animal protein sources are used, vitamin B12 must be provided in the vitamin
mix.
• Folic acid is particularly important in sow nutrition for increase litter size. Because
folates function as coenzymes in nucleic acid synthesis, so the requirement is
highest during periods of rapid cell division, such as during rapid growth of the
fetuses and increase litter size.
• Pantothenic acid is dietary essential in pigs and deficiency cause scurvy skin, thin
hair, brownish secretion around the eyes and a characteristic goose-stepping.
• In biotin deficient diet pigs show spasticity of the hind legs, cracks in the feet, and
dermatitis.

10. Nutrient requirements of swine (BIS)
S.No Characteristics Pig starter/Creep
feed
Pig growth meal Pig finishing
/Breeding meal
1 Moisture %(maximum) 11.0 11.0 11.0
2 Crude protein % (minimum) 20.0 18.0 16.0
3 Ether extract % (minimum) 2 2 2
4 Crude fibre % (maximum) 5.0 6.0 8.0
5 Total ash % (maximum) 8.0 8.0 8.0
6 Acid insoluble ash % (maximum) 4.0 4.0 4.0
7 ME/Kcal/diet 3360 3170 3170

11. Nutrient requirements of swine (NRC, 2012)
Intake and performance levels Swine live weight(kg)
1-5 5-10 10-20 20-50 50-110
Expected weight gain g/day 200 250 450 700 820
Expected feed intake g/day 250 460 950 1900 3110
Expected efficiency 1.25 1.84 2.11 2.71 3.79
Metabolizable energy Kcal/kg 3220 3240 3250 3260 3275
Protein % 24 20 18 15 13

12. Intake and performance levels Swine live weight(kg)
1-5 5-10 10-20 20-50 50-110
Lysine % 1.4 1.15 0.95 0.75 0.60
Methionine +Cystine % 0.68 0.58 0.48 0.41 0.34
Threonine % 0.80 0.68 0.56 0.48 0.40
Tryptophan % 0.20 0.17 0.14 0.12 0.10
Linoleic acid % 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1
Calcium % 0.90 0.80 0.70 0.60 0.50
Total phosphorus % 0.70 0.65 0.60 0.50 0.40
Available phosphorus% 0.55 0.40 0.32 0.23 0.15
Iron ,mg 100 100 80 60 40
Copper, mg 6 6 5 4 3
Manganese, mg 4 4 3 2 2
Zinc, mg 100 100 80 60 50
Selenium,mg 0.3 0.3 0.25 0.15 0.10
Vitamin A,IU 2200 2200 1750 1300 1300
Vitamin D,IU 220 220 220 150 150
Vitamin E, IU 16 16 11 11 11
Vitamin K,IU 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5
Niacine, mg 20 15 12.5 10 7
Pantothenic acid 12 10 9 8 7
Riboflavin, mg 4 3.5 3 2.5 2

13. Feeding of Swine
• Nutrient requirements vary with age and productive function; So for feeding purposes pigs are divided into different
categories depending upon the age/body weight and productive function. The different categories of pigs are
• Creep (1-5 kg body weight/up to 21 days) CP=24
• Starter (5-10 kg body weight/up to weaning). Cp=20
• Grower phase I (10-20 kg body weight) Cp=18
• Grower phase II (20-50 kg body weight). Cp=15
• Finisher pig (50-110 kg body weight/). Cp=13
• Pigs which are reared for breeding purpose are boar (un-castrated male pig),
gilt (female pigs kept for breeding, but not yet bred)
sow (female pigs after furrowing).
• Diets commonly used in swine production systems include prestarter, starter, grower, finisher, gestation and lactation
diets.

14. Feeding of piglets
• Up to first week of age piglets are fed on mother’s milk only.
• From second week (7 to 20 days) of age they are fed on diet called pre-starter/creep
ration (24% CP and 3220 Kcal ME/kg diet) along with sow’s milk to support their faster
growth.
• From 21 to 56 days of age they are fed on preweaning diet called starter ration (20%
CP and 3240 Kcal ME/kg diet)

15. Piglet anemia or Thumps
• Found in rapidly growing suckling piglets, housed in concrete floor pens without
access to soil from 5th day after birth.
• Piglets require 7-15 mg iron per day
• Piglets are born with iron content of around = 50 mg.
• sow’s milk is deficient in iron and can provide = 1mg iron/day.
• During birth piglets contain normal haemoglobin (Hb) level of 12-13g/100 ml
• This shortage of iron causes lowered hemoglobin level of 8g/100ml and thus anemia
results.

16. National Research Council in 1979 categorized piglet anemia into 6 categories
based on hemoglobin concentration (g/100ml) as follows:
• Piglets with Hb levels of 10 or above are normal.
• Hb level of 9 is the minimum level for optimum performance.
• Hb level of 8 indicates a borderline anemia.
• Hb level 7 cause anemia with retarded growth.
• Hb level 6 cause severe anemia.
• Hb level 4 cause severe anemia with increase mortality.

17. • Symptoms
1. The first sign of iron deficient anemia is rough hair coat. The hairs becomes erect and
matted.
2. Skin becomes dry, wrinkled and in some instances cracks may develop. Crust may form
on the skin as the result of exudates.
3. Paleness of mucus membrane.
4. Piglets exhibit restlessness characterized by drooping of the head and eyes with lack of
appetite and reduced weight gain.
5. In severe cases, pigs develop severe breathlessness (labored and spasmodic breathing)
with the muscles of the diaphragm contracting jerkily and hence it is commonly called
as thumps.
6. The animal also shows systolic murmurs due to reduced blood viscosity and dies
suddenly due to anoxia.
7. Diarrhea is common in less severely affected piglets.

18. • Prevention and treatment
1. Supplementation of oral iron – Various forms of oral iron such as paste, licks and
solutions are available. Iron can be provide in drinking water or as licks. Swabbing the
iron sulfate paste onto the sows teats every 2-3 days throughout the lactation can
prevent piglet anemia.
• Disadvantage of oral iron supplementation is that, the absorption of iron may be
restricted by safety mechanism called the mucosal block. Moreover if the piglet suffer
from diarrhoea, supplemented iron may be excreted from the body before absorption.
2. Iron through mother- An indirect method of raising the iron status is to give extra iron
to sow during pregnancy. This certainly increases the iron content of milk and transfer it
to piglets.
3. Iron injection- It is the most effective method of treatment of piglet anemia. In this
method iron dextran is injected @ 2 ml at 4th and 14th day intramuscularly.

19. Feeding of growing pigs
• After weaning pigs are called grower.
• Average body weight of the piglet = 10- 20kg
Grower ration phase-I = 18% CP and 3250 Kcal ME/kg
• Average body weight of the piglet = 20- 50kg
Grower ration phase-II = 15% CP and 3250 Kcal ME/kg
But BIS has recommended only one growth meal for grower
pigs and contain 18% CP and 3170 Kcal ME/kg diet.

20. Feeding of finishing pigs
• Average body weight of the pig =more than 50 kg,
Finisher ration containing = 13% CP and 3275 Kcal ME/kg diet.
But BIS recommended 16% CP and 3170 Kcal ME/ diet for finishing pigs.
Finishing at 110 kg in developed countries
Finishing at 70-90 kg in Indian conditions.

21. • Soft pork: The nature of dietary fat influences the properties of the body
fat of swine and poultry. The fatty acid composition of body fat resembles
that of dietary fat. Thus if a pig is fed corn oil, its body fat will resemble
corn oil. Diets containing high levels of unsaturated fats like corn oil,
peanuts, soybeans and other oil rich seeds should not be fed to market
animals for several weeks before slaughter, because it may cause softening
of body fat and produce “soft pork”.
Hardening off: Animals can synthesis fat from carbohydrate which is
saturated and results in a hard or firm body fat. Cotton seed oil contain
higher percentage of saturated fatty acids and it is generally added in the
diet of finishing pigs to produce hard body fat before marketing/slaughtering
known as “hardening off”.

22. Feeding of boars/gilts
• Boars and gilts are kept for breeding purpose. So should be fed carefully to
avoid fattening. Otherwise it will interfere with reproductive performance.
• Breeding ration =12% CP /kg ration
= 3210 Kcal ME/kg ration
@ 2-3.0 kg/head/day.
• Small amount of green and succulent feed (3-5 kg) may be included in the
breeding ration to provide vitamin A.
But BIS recommended a dietary level of 16% CP and 3170 Kcal ME/kg diet for breeding purpose.

23. • Flushing:
• Extra ration may fed @ 25-30g/kg body weight for gilts and @ 20g/kg body weight for
sows 2 weeks before breeding and during the whole breeding season
• Green forages may also be included in the flushing ration.
• The purpose of flushing is to provide some extra nutrients during breeding which
ultimately helps in production of more piglets/sow by increasing the rate of ovulation
(release of more ova) and by decreasing the mortality of piglets due to sufficient vigour
at birth which may be due to reserve of more nutrients at birth of the piglets.

24. Feeding of pregnant sow/Gilts
• Gestation diet =12% CP /kg ration
= 3210 Kcal ME/kg ration
@ 2-3.0 kg/head/day.
• A high plane of nutrition reduces early embryonic survival, so feed intake should be restricted
during the first month of gestation.
• During midgestation, intake should be regulated on an individual sow basis to maintain good
body condition.
• During late gestation feed intake should be increased to meet the requirement of growing
foetus.
A daily gain of about 250g-300g during gestation period is satisfactory.

25. • Addition of 7.5 to 15% fat to sow diets 7 days prior to furrowing may increase
baby pig survival.
Baby pigs are born in an immature state and have a limited amount of stored energy
(as liver glycogen) at birth. So high mortality occurs in the neonatal period. This can
be prevented by feeding extra fat to sows in late gestation which helps the baby pigs
to be born with a higher level of stored energy.
• Laxatives like Wheat bran or beet pulp (10-15% of the diet) or 0.75-1.0% potassium
chloride are also added 3-4 days prior to furrowing to avoid constipation.
• Antibiotic supplementation advisable to minimize parturition disorders such as
mastitis, metritis, and agalactia.
• After parturition sows should be fed the lactation diet ad libitum.

26. Feeding of lactating sows
• On the day of furrowing the sow should be given plenty of water but no feed.
• On the next day it can be given 1-1.5 kg laxative ration containing wheat bran.
• From third day lactation ration containing = 12% CP and 3210 Kcal ME @ 1-
1.5kg/day and should be increased gradually @ 200-300g /day up to 7th days.
• From 7th day sows should be fed as per their requirements which depend upon
litter size. But when litter size is more than 10, the sow should be provided with
extra 200-500g ration/piglet (above 10) during lactation.

27. Special Nutritional problems of swine
1. Gastric ulcers (esophagogastric parakeratosis)-
• It is seen in growing finishing pigs. In this condition there is damage to the stomach lining which impair
digestive function or in severe cases lead to perforation of the stomach (peritonitis) and death.
• Cause of this condition is stress (overcrowding) and use of finely ground high energy diet. Such diets
promote bacterial fermentation in the esophageal region of stomach and the organic acids produced
caused irritation to the mucosa.
• Oat and oat hulls and other fibrous feedstuffs in general seem to have favorable effects in reducing
gastric ulcers in swine.
2. Leg disorders-
• Leg disorders and lameness are common problems in pigs raised in confinement, particularly on
concrete or slotted floors.
• This is due to imbalance of calcium, phosphorus and vitamin D in the diet.

28. 3. Stress –Susceptible Syndrome-
• Some breeds of swine have an inherited tendency to develop a rapid, fatal increase in body temperature
(malignant hyperthermia) when subjected to normal management procedures such as transportation, exercise,
mating and parturition.
• The meat from these pigs is pale, soft and exudative known as PSE syndrome (portosystemic encephalopathy).
• Higher than the NRC recommended levels of vitamin E have protective effect against the PSE-stress sensitivity
syndrome.
4. Mycotoxins-
• Swine is highly susceptible to acute aflatoxin poisoning with severe liver damage.
• Chronic poisoning with feeds containing 0.4ppm of aflatoxin is characterized by reduced gain and feed
efficiency in mild cases and severe liver and kidney damage with higher level of aflatoxin. Systemic
hemorrhaging is a common sign.
• Increased dietary protein and methionine protect the animal from aflatoxin poisoning.