Sow and gilt feeding for early and late gestation

Feeding management of sows and gilts during gestation focuses on minimising embryo and foetal losses, and preparing the animals for farrowing and lactation.

Appropriate feeding programs need to be implemented to satisfy nutritional needs to ensure continued reproductive performance of sows while remaining profitable.

Value for producers:

• Providing the correct diets to gilts and sows during early and late gestation ensures they have the nutrients to support embryo growth and development, and to prepare them for farrowing and lactation.

Recommendations:

• Gilts should be fed a developer diet ad lib from selection until mating, though if they're heavy gilts, they should be restricted to 80-85% of ad lib.
• A standard dry sow or gilt developer diet should be fed at 2.4-2.8kg/day for the first four weeks of gestation.
• Mid-gestation, they should be fed 2.2-2.5kg.
• In the last three to four weeks, producers may want to increase feed levels by 1kg per day, but only after consulting their nutritionist.