Table of content

Introduction 1

Objectives 2

Justification and motivation 3

Literature review 4-9

Methodology 10-11

Data and data analysis 12-21

Conclusion 22

References 23

Annexes 24-25

I
 Acknowledgement
My sincere gratitude to owner of the chamanaga farm Mr. Meryl Perera and the Managing
director Mr.Malinda Fernando for their Support to carry out this Project .and Farm Manager Mr
. . . . Senath Hemantha For his Guidance Throughout this project.

This project dedicate to School Pricipal Mr. R.M.A Rathanayake and the my external
supervisor Mrs. P.S Keeragala who support me my entire career and the my Family for their co-
operation and my colleagues in the 2016-2018 batch .

ii
 Summary
When considering the piggery sector piglet management is more important because future herd
of the fattening pigs depend upon this situation.

By having correct management of piglet rearing a maximum amount of live pigs can be obtained
at the future.

Feeding of pigs up to weaning can be done using a

1) Only sow milk

2) Sow milk + creep feed

This project had been done in Chamanga farm targeting new piglets comparing performance of
newborn piglets on feeding of the sow milk and sow milk+ creep feed.

At the end of the project the growth performance is high in the piglets fed with creep feed
compared to the calves fed with only sow milk.

iii
Chapter -1

Introduction

Chamanga farm is located in the north central province which is known as the Dry zone, 8 Km
away from Anuradhapura in the village Saliyapura. The average temperature is about 29 C and
throughout the year bright sunlight covers the ground. Heavy rainfall occurs wit the north east
monsoon winds, which provides adequate water for the agriculture.

The ultimate vision of the chamanga farm is to “food for tomorrow life “. Farm extent is about
40 acres. Mainly farm is engage in both livestock and agriculture comprising of well designed
piggery and poultry.

The farm consists of pig varieties like landrace, duroc, and large white and developed cross
breeds and the poultry consiits of the turkeys and the country Fowl.

Currently in this farm sow milk used as an entire piglets as the feeding source up to weaning. So
farm management hope to introduce a new creep feed for the piglets as a booster feed.

So as my second project i hope to introduce a new creep feed and evaluate the above mentioned
parameters compared to the sow milk feeding. By this we hope to increase the piglets that
weaning at the end of the month.

1
 Objectives
Primary objectives
 To introduce the new creep feed for piglets as a booster feed.

.Secondary objectives

 To evaluate the quality of newly introducing creep feed compared to the sow milk
feeding.
 To evaluate the growth performance of the piglets compared to the currently feeding
piglets.

2
 Justification and the motivation
As a commercial piggery farm chamanga has a target of weaning 160 piglets per month. So to
achieve this target chamanga farm farm hope to keep the mortality rate under the eight percent.

To keep this rate under the eight percent a good sanitation and the health of piglets should be in
the satisfactory level.

By introducing this new creep feed i hope to to increase the weight and the health of piglets. By
that i hope to increase the number of piglets that weaning per month.

3
Chapter 2
Literature review
A commercial piggery farm must have contained parameters to make a profit from the farm.

1. The number of live births should be 10 per litter.

2. The average weight of a piglet should be 1.6 Kg
3. The weaning weight per litter should be 12 Kg
4. From farrowing to weaning death rate should be less than 5%
5. The number of piglets born per sow should be 18 per year.

To achieve this parameters the main stage from farrowing to weaning should be moniorised
correctly.

After born of the piglet following practices should be done

 Just after the born cleaning of piglets.

 Weight the the animal and enter the records
 Provide comfortable environment
Piglet not function their thermo regulatory mechanism, therefore provide artificial heat by
electric bulb or heater and the bedding materials.
 Giving colostrum.
 Removing needle teeth.
 Removing naval chord.
 Tail docking.
 Antibiotic and the iron 1 and 2 injections respectively.
 Identification of animals.
 Creep feeding.

Creep feeding can be defined as art of feeding a solid diet to piglets while they are suckling the
sow and thus preparing their digestive system for weaning.

Young piglets from seven days onwards should have high protein feed available to them.

As creep feed following feeds can be use

 Broiler starter feed

 Skimmed milk powder
 Grain dust
 Formulated creep feed
 Rice bran
4
By using the broiler starter feed and the skimmed milk powder severe diahhorea can be occur to
the piglets and the nutrition level needed for the piglets can be reduce.

Grain dust and rice bran is less nutritious and the cost per kilogram is high.

To overcome this situation a creep feed can be formulated by considering required amount per
piglet.

Sow milk composition

 Total solids – 19-20%
1. Fat – 8-9%
2. Lactose – 4%
3. Total protein – 6%
4. Calcium - 0.7%
5. Phosphorous – 0.2%
6. Milk protein – 2%
 Water -80%

Importance of sow milk for new born piglets

1. Kick –start the pig immune system.
2. Vitamin D and protein energy high in sow milk.
3. Improve survival rate.
4. Improve lipid and fat profile.
5. Strength blood vessel integrity.
6. Lysozyme in the sow milk important to prevent bacterial infections.
7. Prevent disease susceptibility.
8. Prevent poor growth rate and the pre weaning mortality.

5
Creep feeding
Creep feeding is usually done to decrease the date of weaning.

Normally in a farm 30 days is the minimal weaning age. But by creep feeding can easily take the
weaning age up to less than 30 days.

Then the sow can be taken to heat again at 7 days and can be mate again.

Nutrient analysis of newly introducing creep feed (for 50 Kg)

 Maize – 25 Kg
 Broken rice – 3.5 Kg
 Rice polish- 7 Kg
 Fish meal – 1.25 Kg
 Protein meal – 1.375 Kg
 Milk powder – 1 Kg
 Shell grit powder – 1 Kg
 Di calcium phosphate – 0.5 Kg
 Biotin pig vitamin premix – 0.125 Kg
 Salt powder – 0.125 Kg
 Acidifier – 0.075 Kg
 Growth promoter – 0.050 Kg
 L – lysine – 0.250 Kg
 Dl Methionine – 0.050 Kg
 Zinc oxide – 0.040 Kg
 Copper sulphate – 0.020 Kg
 Toxin binder – 0.025 Kg
 Enzyme – 0.025 Kg
 Citric acid – 0.040 Kg

(Annexure 2.1)

6
 Uses of following nutrients for piglets
1. Increase of health situations.
2. Increase the appetite of piglets for solid feeds.
3. Prevent from hoof rot and lameness eg -Zinc oxide
4. Increase the daily weight gain.
5. Increase the resistant to diseases.

Importance of creep feeding for piglets

Creep feed allows the piglets to become used o eating solid feed and makes the piglet familiar
with what becomes sole diet at the weaning.

Creep feed intake rises the post weaning dihhorea is reduce.

Supplementing sow milk with creep feed can result in both improved pre weaning and post
weaning performances, leading to improvement on net return.

Increase the daily weight gain.

(Source –Purina animal nutrition trial –PS 1041)

Increase the litter uniformity and reduce number of fall outs.

Reduce the fight for sow milk among the litter mates.

Pigs creep fed for 3-5 days pre weaning becomes eaters

Example – data showed creep feed fed pigs had 13% higher average daily feed intake
during the first week after weaning than hose not offer creep feed.

(Source –effects of creep diet complexity on individual consumption characteristics and growth
performance of neonatal and weaning pigs)

Aim of litter weaning weight at least 90 Kg increases.

7
 16

14

12

10

8 sow milk + creep feed

sow milk only
6

0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

(Graph 2.1 shows the weight difference of each category comparatively)

Basics of good creep feeding

 Keep creep feed fresh and clean and out of reach of sow.
 Start creep feeding at seven to ten days of age or according to manufacturer’s
recommendation.
 Begin by offering creep feed on flat surface ( a plastic tray that can be hook to the slats)
 Place the trays to close the piglets but not under the direct heat as this will turn the feed
slate too quickly.
 Begin with very small amount of replaced at least twice a day preferably more and
remove uneaten creep feed.
 Offer creep when the sows are feeding as piglets are active and unlikely to be selected for
some time.
 Do not over feed –feed to the appetite. Litter often eat little and the suddenly begin to eat
increasingly amount.
 Store creep feed in the cool dry airtight place
 Utilization of creep feed should always be considered as a supplement for increased
benefit rather the milk replacer.

8
Ways to increase the creep feed intake
 Make transition as smooth as possible use same creep pre and post weaning immediately.
 Offer good quality, palatable, highly digestible feed which piglets will find appealing.
 Ensure that there is an accessible supply of fresh water as this will influence the feed.
 Stick meal that sticks to the piglet’s shouts and require them to lick it may encourage the
intake.
 Position creep feed away from corners drinks and heat lamps o minimize the likelihood
of falling.

9
Chapter 3
Methodology

Material required
 Creep feed vessels (4 Vessels)
 Newly introducing creep feed
 A balance to weigh the piglets and feed
 A plastic crate to hold the piglets

Project activities
Before i starting this project by using early mating records i selected 4 sows which are
approximately nearest to the delivery

Then i select these 4 sows with these tag numbers

 N 452
 N 422
 N 415
 1561(ear notched sow) (annexes 3.1)

After that randomly selected sows for following procedures

Used Newly Introducing

2 litters
creep feed + sow milk
Selected 4
liters and feed for 14
days
2 litters
Used sow milk feeding

10
After the delivery following steps are applied

1. First the piglets clean and measure their initial body weight.
2. Giving artificial light and then teeth clipping and tail docking, give oxytetracycline
antibiotics.
3. Next day iron dextrose 1 injection given.
4. After 3 days iron 2 injections given.

When become 7 days all piglets are taken separately and take the average litter weight.

Litters are choose as follows

Sow number Feeding type

N 415 Sow milk + creep feed
1561 Sow milk + creep feed
N 452 Sow milk only
N 422 Sow milk only

Chart 3.1

Then their average litter weight taken comparison for 2 time in next 14 days

Feeding schedule done as following type in creep feed in morning and evening

Feed adding days Amount add per piglet (morning + evening)

1-3 days 10*2=20 g
3-6 days 15*2=30 g
6-9 days 20*2=40 g
9-12 days 25*2=50 g
12-15 days 30*2=60 g

Chart 3.2

After that feed intake is calculated for the each time periods separately

Mortality is also calculated dis regarding the natural deaths.

Feeding done in the morning and evening, after eating every tray is cleaned.

Over feeding not practiced.

11
Chapter 4

Data and data analysis

1. Weight

Average weight per piglet = total weight of piglets - cage weight

Number of piglet

Cage weight is about 3.640 Kg

Average birth weight per litter

Sow number Birth weight
N 415 1.7 Kg
1561 1.68 Kg
N 452 1.74 kg
N 422 1.68 Kg
(Chart 4.1)

Average weight at seven days per piglet (before giving feed)

Sow number Average weight per piglet (seven Days)
N 415 4.42 Kg
1561 3.92 Kg
N 452 3.68 Kg
N 422 3.82 Kg
(Chart 4.2)

Weight after 14 days (Creep feed + sows milk and sow milk only)
Sow number Feeding type Average weight
N 415 Creep feed + sow milk 6.88 Kg
1561 Creep feed + sow milk 6.68 Kg
N 452 Sow milk only 5.52 Kg
N 442 Sow milk only 5.56 Kg
(Chart 4.3)

12
Weight after 21 days (Creep feed + sows milk and sow milk only)
Sow Number Feeding type Average weight
N 415 Creep feed + sow milk 9.01 Kg
1561 Creep feed + sow milk 8.82 Kg
N 452 Sow milk only 6.85 Kg
N 442 Sow milk only 6.69 Kg
(Chart 4.5)

13
Mortality rate of the comparing sows
Sow number Feeding type Piglets at birth Piglets at the Number of Mortality
end of 21 days dead piglets

N 415 Creep feed + 10 10 0 0

sow milk

1561 Creep feed + 10 9 1 10 %

sow milk

N 452 Sow milk only 9 8 1 9.99%

N 442 Sow milk only 12 9 3 24.1 %

(Chart 4.6)

14
Daily creep feed intake of litters
Sow number - N 415.

Number of piglets Amount add per Total amount add Total feed Feed intake(per
at live piglet(grams) per time remaining in the day)
*2(morning and tray
evening)(grams) ( morning
+evening )
(grams)

10 10 200 25+30=55 145

10 10 200 28+14=42 158
10 10 200 24+15=39 161
10 15 300 40+55=95 205
10 15 300 33+28=61 239
10 15 300 60+60=120 180
10 20 400 50+20=70 330
10 20 400 50+55=105 295
10 20 400 100+50=150 250
10 25 500 90+40=130 370
10 25 500 100+100= 200 300
10 25 500 100+80=180 320
10 30 600 125+55=180 420
10 30 600 140+40=180 420
Chart 4.7

15
Sow number – 1561

Number of piglets Amount add per Total amount add Total feed Feed intake(per
at live piglet(grams) per time remaining in the day)
*2(morning and tray (grams)
evening)(grams) ( morning
+evening )
(grams)

10 10 200 10+5=15 185

10 10 200 20+10=30 170
10 10 200 15+10=25 175
10 15 300 40+45=85 215
10 15 300 33+28=61 239
10 15 300 55+15=75 225
10 20 400 50+30=80 320
10 20 400 45+35=80 320
10 20 400 100+100=200 200
10 25 500 90+50=140 360
10 25 500 100+70= 170 330
10 25 500 90+60=150 350
09 30 600 200+150=350 250
09 30 600 170+88=258 242
Chart 4.8

16
 Data analysis

 Weight at birth(Kg)
1.75

1.74

1.73

1.72

1.71

1.7

1.69

1.68

1.67

1.66

1.65
N 415 1561 N452 N 422

 Weight at 7 days (Kg)

5

4.5

3.5

2.5

1.5

0.5

0
N 415 1561 N 452 N 422
Graph 4.2
19
  Weight after 14 days(Kg)

8.2

7.8

7.6

7.4
Creep feed +sow milk
7.2 sow milk only
7

6.8

6.6

6.4
N 415 1561 N 452 N 442

Graph 4.3

 Weight after 21 days (Kg)

11.6

11.4

11.2

11

10.8 Creep feed +sow milk

sow milk only
10.6
Column1
10.4

10.2

10

9.8
N 415 1561 N 452 N 442

Graph4.4
20
 Mortality Rate (%)

30

25

20

15 Creep feed + sow milk

sow milk only

10

0
N 415 1561 N 452 N 442

Graph 4.5

21
 Creep Feed intake daily(Grams)
450

400

350

300

250
N 415
200
1561
150

100

50

Graph 4.6

 Total Amount of feed remaining at each day

400

350

300

250

N 415
200
1561
150
Column1
100

50

0
day 1 day 2 day 3 day 4 day 5 day 6 day 7 day 8 day 9 day day day day day
10 11 12 13 14

Graph 4.7

21
 Results and discussion
When comparing the weight

 The piglets fed with sow milk and creep feed attain higher weight in 21 days compared to
the piglets fed with the sow milk.
 Mortality rate high in the piglets fed only with sow milk.
 Creep feed intake increases with the age increases.
 But when the amount increases the remaining amount also decreases.
 Diahhorea or sickness not occurs through he creep feed during research time.
 Appetite is increasing slowly through age increases.
 Using this creep feed the piglets can wean easily before a month.

22
 Conclusions
Creep feed amount taken is varies with the age and most suitable way to adopt creep feed is
starting with the less amount and gradually should be increases.

Creep feed suitable for the farm.

Creep feeding increases the body condition and weight of the now born piglets.

Start with the 30 g per piglet is most suitable way to start the creep feed and 50 g suitable to
finish the creep feed.

When using keep feed dihhroea and mortality rate decreases.

23
 References

 www.purinamals.com/detail/importance of creep feeding.

 Kansas university swine nutrition guide.
 Swine management DAPH hand book /Creep feeding.

24
Annexes 3.1

Sow number Boar number Delivery date Number of piglets

N 415 LW 70 2018.3.1 10

1561 HKL 1 2018.3.2 10

N 452 FD 35 2018.3.4 9

N 422 FD 35 2018.3.8 12

25