Raising high yielding sows in farms is a common trend nowadays due to high reproductivity, high PSY (number of weaned piglets per sow per year), which determines the profitability of farmers (Ocepek M, 2017). For the last 20 years, we have increased by 0.2 PSY, increasing the number of piglets born alive and weaned from 10.2-13.8 and 9.1-12.6 heads per sow (BdPorc, Spain, 2020). However, there is a negative correlation between the number of piglets born alive and birth weight. Sows with high fertility usually deliver piglets with small birth weights. If the piglets do not receive improper nutrition, it will take longer to wean and raise them, which increases costs and decreases profits (SEGES, 2018).
Another challenge is that high yielding sows eat less and do not have enough nutrition for milk production, which increases the weight loss of sows during lactation (15-20% of body weight) (Eissen et al. al., 2000), thereby reducing the number of reproductive cycles, increasing time for sows to breed after weaning, and reducing the reproductive performance of the next litter (Knox RV, 2020).
CJ Vina Agri has applied new technologies in sow feed products to improve feed intake, increase energy metabolism, supplement artificial milk for piglets, thereby minimizing weight loss of sows and improving uniformity and post-weaning weight of piglets.
Postpartum reproductive disorders are common and complicated diseases in sows worldwide. These disorders are commonly referred to as mastitis, metritis, agalactia (MMA), and postpartum dysgalactia syndrome (PPDS). MMA usually occurs within 3 days of birth, reduces the reproductive performance of sows, and increases the number of dead piglets. Piglets are completely dependent on colostrum and mother's milk for survival and growth, the first 3 days after birth is the most important period for the survival of piglets. Lack of milk triggers starvation and hypothermia in piglets, thereby making them dead.
Sows with MMA syndrome often show signs of constipation, fever of above 39,5oC, and decreased feed intake for 1-2 days. The sows lose their appetite, have psychological restlessness, lie on their stomachs and hide their udders on the floor. Sometimes they have so much pain that they cannot feed piglets. Sometimes they show few individual symptoms but sometimes they show all (mastitis, metritis, agalactia). The breast is hard, swollen, red, painful when being touched. The sows produce less milk. There is milky white stinky pus discharged from the vulva.
The transition period between the end of the gestation to the beginning of the lactation is short (from the 105th day of the gestation to the 5th day of the lactation) but is very important to the performance of high yielding sows. During this period, significant physiological and biochemical changes occur in a sow’s body due to the rapid development of the fetus, the growth of the mammary glands, colostrum production, and the changes caused by the maintenance of the body. Usually, nutritionists only develop two different formulas for the 2 stages of pregnancy and lactation, respectively. However, it is required to identify at least 3 stages of a reproductive cycle requiring 3 different diets and including pregnancy - transition - lactation to fully meet the needs of high-yielding sows (Feyera et al., 2017; Batson et al., 2018; Holen et al., 2020).
Many studies have shown significant effectiveness when applying a 'transitional diet’ compared to traditional 2-phase programs. In cases of sows fed with the 'transitional diet’, the average weight of alive newborn piglets increases by 2.7-3.2%; the average weight of weaned piglets increases by 0.6 kg, the number of piglets and the average weight of market hogs delivered by a sow per year increase by 0.75 and 50kg respectively, the stillbirth rate or the rate of piglets dead within 24 hours after being delivered decreases by 2.5-3.5%, it takes 19.5 minutes for a saw to deliver piglets on average; the rate of having constipation in sows reduces from 14.67% to 5.78% (Miller et al., 2020; Gourley et al., 2020; CJ R&D center, 2020; 2021).
Effects of use of transition diets (PIG PROGRESS, 2020)
CJ Vina Agri has applied new technologies in producing 'transitional' feed for sows to precisely meet the nutritional needs and suit the physiological and biochemical changes of the sows during this special period, thereby increasing productivity and maximizing profits of farmers.