SWINE NUTRITION GUIDE

NURSERY NUTRITION

Nursery Phase Feeding Program

The purpose of phase feeding is to match the nutrient Diet complexity

requirements and digestive capabilities of nursery pigs
with the most economical diet possible to achieve Diet complexity refers to the use of highly-digestible
optimal performance in the nursery. An example of a specialty feed ingredients in nursery diets. Complex diets
nursery phase feeding program is discussed in this fact are typically fed to weanling pigs to provide high-quality
sheet. feed ingredients and improve intake in the early post-
weaning period. As complex diets are more expensive,
diet complexity should be rapidly reduced during the
Feed budget course of the nursery.
Nutritional strategies in the nursery have been of great
The phase feeding program is often matched to the
interest because it is generally assumed that pigs that
weight of piglets at weaning using a feed budget.
grow faster in the nursery also grow faster in the finisher.
Generally, as pigs become heavier at weaning, the
However, not all dietary efforts to improve performance
amount of the initial nursery diets is reduced. As an
in the nursery are rewarded with improvements in
example, a 3-phase feeding program can be used in the
growth rate in the finisher. An important distinction to
nursery, consisting of phase 1 (12 to 15 lb), phase 2 (15 to
make is whether the dietary effort is able to induce a
25 lb), and phase 3 (25 to 50 lb) diets. An intensive care
fundamental or a transitory change in the nursery pig.
diet can be used in the nursery for low weaning weight
pigs (8 to 12 lb), health-challenged pigs, as well as be Weaning age is able to induce a fundamental change
offered as a creep feed during the nursing phase. in the pig. The enhancement of nursery performance by
increasing weaning age is typically maintained into the
Intensive care and phase 1 diets are more complex to
finisher as a consequence of increasing weaning weight
improve feed intake and provide high-quality feed
(Main et al., 2004), but most importantly as a
ingredients to weanling pigs, such as specialty protein
consequence of a physiological change in the pig, like
and lactose sources. Intensive care and phase 1 diets are
improvements in digestive and immune functions
commonly provided as pellets or crumbles because of
(Moser et al., 2007; Smith et al., 2010; McLamb et al.,
the impact of specialty ingredients on feed flowability.
2013).
These diets are more expensive, but the use might be
justifiable considering the low amount of feed use. Diet Most nutritional strategies induce a transitory change
complexity rapidly reduces in phase 2 and 3 diets as feed in the pig, with improvements in performance while
intake is already established. Phase 2 and 3 diets can be being fed in the nursery, but not necessarily in the
provided either as meal, pellets, or crumbles. These diets subsequent finisher period. Diet complexity typically
represent most of the total feed use in the nursery and generates this type of response, with significant
have a significant impact on total feed cost in the improvements in feed intake and growth rate while the
nursery. Adhering to the feed budget guidelines in Table complex diet is being fed, but no performance
1 helps to optimize performance in the nursery and advantages thereafter (Whang et al., 2000; Wolter et al.,
minimize overfeeding of expensive initial nursery diets. 2003; Skinner et al., 2014; Collins et al., 2017). This is also
the case of amino acid concentration (Main et al., 2008),
fat (Tokach et al., 1995), antibiotics (Skinner et al., 2014),
Table 1. Feed budget recommendations for nursery or milk replacers (Wolter and Ellis, 2001) in nursery diets.
diets according to weaning weight In contrast, lactose is able to improve nursery
Weaning weight, lb performance with further improvements in finisher
Diet, lb per pig 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 performance (Tokach et al., 1995).
Intensive care 2 1 1 - - - - Therefore, the value of diet complexity should
Phase 1 6 5 4 3 2 1 1 consider the benefit gained during the feeding period
Phase 2 12 to 15 but not projected additional benefit in the subsequent
Phase 3 45 to 50 nursery or finisher periods.

Kansas State University Applied Swine Nutrition 1

Intensive care diet most specialty protein sources cannot be the sole
protein source in the diet without affecting palatability
The intensive care diet is typically fed to pigs from 8 to or performance.
12 lb of body weight. The purpose is to provide
nutritional support for piglets that require intensive care, Lactose is the carbohydrate component derived from
which typically are early-weaned, low-weight, or health- milk and provides an easily digestible source of energy
challenged piglets. These pigs represent approximately for pigs. The phase 1 diet typically contains around 18%
10 to 12% of all nursery pigs. The intensive care diet can lactose to improve growth rate of weanling pigs (Tokach
also be offered as a creep feed during the nursing phase. et al., 1995; Mahan et al., 2004). Common sources of
lactose are crystalline lactose, whey permeate, and dried
The intensive care diet must provide high-quality feed whey, with whey products also providing a highly
ingredients to stimulate feed intake and match the digestible source of amino acids. However, the addition
digestive capabilities of weanling pigs. Typically, the of lactose products in the diet influences feed
intensive care diet contains high amounts of specialty processing. The use of high levels of lactose in pelleted
protein sources such as fermented soybean meal, diets can increase friction during the pelleting process;
enzyme-treated soybean meal, soy protein concentrate, and in meal diets can increase bridging and reduce
spray-dried plasma, or fish meal, among others. The level flowability in bins and feeders.
of lactose is also high, with at least 18% and up to 30%
Fat is not easily utilized by weanling pigs for growth
lactose.
performance. In the early post-weaning period, weanling
pigs seem to require a more digestible fat source rich in
unsaturated and short-chain fatty acids for an efficient
Phase 1 diet energy utilization (Gu and Li, 2003). Vegetable oils like
soybean oil and coconut oil are high quality sources of
The phase 1 diet is typically fed to pigs from weaning
energy for weanling pigs (Weng, 2016), but cost often
at approximately 12 lb until approximately 15 lb of body
limits the use in nursery diets. Animal fat sources of good
weight. During this phase, it is important to provide
quality like choice white grease or beef tallow are usually
high-quality feed ingredients to stimulate feed intake
more cost-effective to use in nursery diets. The addition
and match the digestive capabilities of weanling pigs.
of 3 to 4% fat is mainly used to improve the pelleting
Newly weaned pigs are able to easily digest lactose process of phase 1 diets with high levels of lactose.
and specialty proteins but have limited ability to digest
plant proteins and utilize fat. Pigs also have a
hypersensitivity reaction to soybean meal induced by Phase 2 diet
allergenic proteins and indigestible carbohydrates of
soybeans. Pigs experience a transitory period of poor The phase 2 diet is typically fed to pigs from 15 to 25 lb
nutrient absorption and low growth performance of body weight. During this phase, feeding behavior is
following the first exposure to a diet with high amounts already established and, thus, diet complexity is reduced.
of soybean meal (Li et al., 1990). The effects are transitory The phase 2 diet is typically based on grain and soybean
and pigs develop tolerance after 7 to 10 days (Engle, meal with low levels of specialty protein sources and
1994). The best approach to alleviate this problem is to lactose.
expose weanling pigs to increasing levels of soybean
Soybean meal is often included at up to 20 to 24% of
meal in nursery diets to allow pigs to gradually overcome
the diet. Other specialty protein sources often used in
the hypersensitivity reaction. The early exposure to
combination are fermented soybean meal, enzyme-
soybean meal reduces the potential for delayed-type
treated soybean meal, or fish meal, among others. The
hypersensitivity reaction and allows for greater inclusion
level of lactose is reduced to around 7% lactose.
levels in subsequent nursery diets without an impact on
Common sources of lactose are crystalline lactose, whey
growth performance.
permeate, and dried whey, with whey products also
Soybean meal is commonly included at up to 16 to providing a highly digestible source of amino acids. Fat
18% in the phase 1 diet. Other specialty protein sources begins to be utilized by the pig to improve growth
often used in combination are fermented soybean meal, performance and can be included at 1 to 3% in the diet.
enzyme-treated soybean meal, soy protein concentrate, Common sources of fat are choice white grease or beef
spray-dried plasma, or fish meal, among others. Typically, tallow, but other good-quality sources can be used if
the sources are used in combination to achieve the economically justifiable.
adequate amino acid profile in the diet and because

Kansas State University Applied Swine Nutrition 2

 Main, R. G., S. S. Dritz, M. D. Tokach, R. D. Goodband, and J. L.
Nelssen. 2004. Increasing weaning age improves pig
A phase 2 supplement is provided at KSU Premix & performance in a multi-site production system. Journal of
Diet Recommendations as an option instead of the Animal Science. 82:1499-1507. doi:10.2527/2004.8251499x
addition of individual ingredients such as specialty Main, R. G., S. S. Dritz, M. D. Tokach, R. D. Goodband, J. L.
protein and lactose sources in the diet. Nelssen, and J. M. Derouchey. 2008. Effects of feeding growing
pigs less or more than their lysine requirement in early and late
finishing on overall performance. Professional Animal Scientist.
24:76-87. doi:10.15232/S1080-7446(15)30813-5
Phase 3 diet Mclamb, B. L., A. J. Gibson, E. L. Overman, C. Stahl, and A. J.
Moeser. 2013. Early weaning stress in pigs impairs innate
The phase 3 diet is typically fed to pigs from 25 to 50 lb mucosal immune responses to enterotoxigenic E. coli
of body weight. During this phase, feed consumption is challenge and exacerbates intestinal injury and clinical disease.
the greatest and feed cost is critical, accounting for more PLoS ONE. 8:e59838. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0059838.
than 50% of the total feed cost in the nursery. Moeser, A. J., K. A. Ryan, P. K. Nighot, and A. T. Blikslager.
2007. Gastrointestinal dysfunction induced by early weaning is
The phase 3 diet is typically based on grain and attenuated by delayed weaning and mast cell blockade in pigs.
soybean meal with no inclusion of specialty protein American Journal of Physiology and Gastrointestinal Liver
sources and lactose. Fat is utilized by the pig to improve Physiology. 293:413–421. doi:10.1152/ajpgi.00304.2006
growth performance and can be included at 1 to 3% in Skinner, L. D., C. L. Levesque, D. Wey, M. Rudar, J. Zhu, S.
Hooda, and C. F. M. De Lange. 2014. Impact of nursery feeding
the diet. Common sources of fat are choice white grease
program on subsequent growth performance, carcass quality,
or beef tallow, but other good-quality sources can be
meat quality, and physical and chemical body composition of
used if economically justifiable. growing-finishing pigs. Journal of Animal Science. 92:1044-
1054. doi:10.2527/jas.2013-6743
Smith, F., J. E. Clark, B. L. Overman, C. C. Tozel, J. H. Huang, J.
E. F. Rivier, A. T. Blisklager, and A. J. Moeser. 2010. Early weaning
Example diets stress impairs development of mucosal barrier function in the
porcine intestine. American Journal of Physiology and
Examples diets for phase 1, phase 2, phase 3, and Gastrointestinal Liver Physiology. 298:352-363.
intensive care are given at KSU Premix & Diet doi:10.1152/ajpgi.00081.2009.
Recommendations. Tokach, M. D., J. E. Pettigrew, L. J. Johnston, M. Øverland, J.
W. Rust, and S. G. Cornelius. 1995. Effect of adding fat and(or)
milk products to the weanling pig diet on performance in the
nursery and subsequent grow-finish stages. Journal of Animal
Science. 73:3358–3368. doi:10.2527/1995.73113358x
Weng, R. -C. 2016. Dietary fat preference and effects on
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Kansas State University Applied Swine Nutrition 3

Cite as: Menegat, Mariana B., Robert D. Goodband, Joel M. DeRouchey, Mike D. Tokach, Jason C. Woodworth, and Steve S. Dritz. 2019.
Kansas State University Swine Nutrition Guide: Nursery Phase Feeding Program.