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It often happens that during lactation a pig does not have enough milk to feed her offspring. Powdered milk for piglets is widely used in animal husbandry as a substitute for mother’s milk. The introduction of such complementary foods allows you to get strong and healthy animals.
Composition and value of powdered milk
Dry mixes are a product produced by the technology of whole milk evaporation 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. In percentage terms, the dry mix contains on average the following components:
- proteins – 22%;
- fats – 16%;
- carbohydrates (lactose) – 40%;
- trace elements – 11%;
- macronutrients – 5%.
Lactose is necessary for piglets to reduce stress during the transition to artificial feeding. Depending on the requirements for milk replacer, its percentage can reach up to 50-53% per kg of the mixture. It is believed that such an amount of carbohydrates fully covers the needs of the body with proper feeding technique. The standard composition of milk replacer, manufactured at the factory, is:
- dry whey – 60%;
- soy flour – 12%;
- fishmeal – 7%;
- fat supplements – 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 can milk powder be given to piglets?
Not every farm uses milk replacer when raising piglets. Powdered milk is resorted to only in case of a lack of breast milk of a 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 there are goats or cows on the farm, 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 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.
In what cases is milk powder added to the diet of pigs
When the brood has exceeded the capacity of the sow, powdered milk is indispensable. At the same time, it is still necessary that at first 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 young animals. Powdered milk covers only the lack of nutrients.
The main and only food powdered milk can only be for weaned piglets. Such a mixture should contain a high percentage of lactose to compensate for the lack of maternal complementary foods and to avoid problems in the formation of the gastrointestinal tract. In such cases, watering lasts for 3 weeks, after which the piglets are transferred to granulated feed.
Benefits of milk replacer for piglets
Professional processing of whey allows you to save all the useful elements contained in it. For greater compliance with mother’s milk, a complex of amino acids, vitamins and microelements is introduced into milk replacer. The presence of fat- and water-soluble vitamins in the complex is necessary for the proper development of piglets.
The composition of vitamin complexes contains useful trace elements – iron, selenium and calcium. Their easy digestibility makes it possible to avoid anemia, muscular dystrophy, rickets and other diseases characteristic of pigs in the future. Also, various fillers are added to the mixture, aimed at better digestibility of the feed components.
Piglets such as Cormilac contain 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 the microflora and reduce the risk of dysbacteriosis and diarrhea.
How to breed milk powder for piglets
Properly diluted milk powder allows you to get the most effective complementary foods 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 intended total volume of liquid. The recommended water temperature is 45-50 degrees, but not higher than 55.
- Pour the mixture in a thin stream, constantly stirring 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 mixture to be made. Cooking it for the future is not recommended, since most of the nutrients are lost over time. In addition, the mixture may simply deteriorate. Refrigeration will not extend the shelf life of the finished product.
How to feed piglets dry milk
The scheme of feeding with milk replacer depends on several factors. Lactating piglets are still partly fed on mother’s milk, so the prepared mixtures should be thicker. At the same time, the amount of the mixture should only cover the lack of maternal colostrum, so the frequency of complementary foods is reduced depending on the sow’s capabilities. For weaners, the mixture is made more concentrated. Due to the lack of mother’s milk, food is given out more often.
Dairy piglets are fed with a mixture for two months until the moment of complete transition to adult food. So, in the first 4 days of life, the norm of milk replacer is 300 g of a 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 mix. At this stage, you can begin to additionally introduce concentrated feed in minimal quantities. Monthly pigs already require up to 2,5 kg per day of milk replacer for one meal 4 times a day. At this time, in addition to concentrated feed, they also begin to introduce granular feed.
For older piglets older than a month, milk powder is diluted already in a ratio of 1:10. The number of doses 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.
Rules for feeding during the suckling period
Newborn piglets begin to suck maternal 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, there are not enough nipples for all the babies, 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 found in piglets. The main feature with 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. Feeding is carried out according to the following scheme:
- 1-4 days – 100-200 ml per day, frequency of feeding – 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, feeding frequency – 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 powdered milk, also give 400 g of concentrate and up to 100 g of green complementary foods per day;
- one and a half month old piglets gradually reduce the amount of milk replacer in connection with 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 you should pay attention to is the fat content of the product. So, newborn piglets are supposed 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 properly selected mixture will positively affect the general condition of the pig and the set of meat and fat tissues in the future.
Weaning piglets from their mothers and regularly eating milk replacer has a positive effect on their emotional state, making it easier to survive the stress of changing feed. A sudden change in diet leads to problems with the digestive system, so the process of transition from mother’s milk to dry, and then to adult food, should be gradual.
Rules for feeding 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 can 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. Milk replacer in this case is diluted in a ratio of 1:5, not exceeding 40 g per feeding. Exceeding the amount of the mixture can lead to indigestion or diarrhea.
The finished mixture is fed through the nipple. The temperature of the liquid should be in the range of 37-40 degrees. It is also important to observe the frequency of feeding so that the animal gradually gets used to the portion sizes. Skipping one feeding will cause the piglet to starve, after which the next time he will not have enough of the offered amount of feed.
From the 4th day of life, the finished mixture is poured into a saucer, and then special bowls are used for feeding. From day 11, they begin to add concentrated food to complementary foods, and also gradually cancel night feedings. In the future, growing piglets are gradually transferred to adult food.
Feeding rules for fattening young animals
It is important to remember that the correct organization of fattening piglets is designed to ensure stable growth and development of the animal. The use of milk replacer is designed to facilitate the transition to adult food, so proper 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. For the proper formation of muscle and adipose tissue, several factors must be taken into account:
- A complete diet is the correct ratio of proteins, fats and carbohydrates. The balance of amino acids, vitamins and minerals is important.
- High energy value of the resulting feed.
- Optimal conditions of detention.
The use of milk powder in combination with other types of feed will allow you to get the harmonious nutrition necessary for the full development of piglets at home. Depending on the chosen 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 at times when the sow is not lactating enough. The use of balanced mixtures makes it possible to raise animals devoid of problems associated with development at a young age. Properly selected ZMC is the key to the success of the farm.
