1. Optimising annual sow output by increasing the number of viable piglets born alive through sow nutrition
My name is Kathryn Reid and today Im going to give you a quick overview of the main topic areas of my PhD relates to Optimising sow output by increasing the number of viable piglets born alive & minimising pre weaning mortality through sow nutrition
You could then have a ‘next steps’ slide at the end showing what you are doing to address the issue.  It would be good for the audience to be able to take  home a message which they could potentially apply on farm?

2. OPTIPIG PROJECT (INTERPIG, 2012) (INTERPIG, 2012)
No. pigs/sow/year to levels achieved in most efficient pig producing countries by:
Pigs born alive/litter
Survival of pigs born alive
(INTERPIG, 2012)
the average in Ireland is increased to 13.6 (by over another piglet-
My work as a whole is under the scope of the Optipig Project, and the aim of the project is to increase the number of piglets born alive to the same levels as our European counterparts and improve the survival of these piglets.
However in comparison to our main European competitiors Irelands sow output is low as you can see from this chart for a range of different factors.
And although improving Ireland is least competitive in terms of born alive – so as part of the project Im working on called Optipig we are hoping to increase numbers born alive and then actually try and keep these piglets alive.
(INTERPIG, 2014)
(INTERPIG, 2012)

3. INCREASING LITTER SIZE
Top
25%
27.5
Pigs/sow/year
in Ireland
However, increasing litter size often leads to….
- Intrauterine crowding:
Low birth weight
& stunting
- Birth weight variation
- Stillbirths
- Impaired piglet
vitality
- Poor lifetime
performance
- Preweaning mortality
Output per sow per year has increased in the last decade on average from 21.6 to 24.5 and even more the top 10% of producers have managed 28 pigs/sow/yr. This increase is a combination of increases in the number of piglets born alive as well as an overall reduction in mortalities throughout the different production stages.
However large litters can have a negative impact on piglet performance – including low birth weight, increasing birth weight variation, still births, low piglet vitality and poor lifetime performance.
The problems with increasing litter size we hop to counteract through sow nutrition

4. 3 SOW NUTRITION TRIALS FOCUS ON SOW NUTRITION L-Arginine
Born alive & piglet viability
Subsequent farrowing rate & litter size
Birth weight, within-litter birth weight variation & vitality
L-Arginine
&
L-Carnitine
Increase feed intake in late gestation
We’re trying to address the issues associated with larger litters through targeted sow nutrition.
As part of Optipig I am going to talk to you through 2 of my main trials that we hope will tackle the issues related to these large litters.
The first is looking at the use of amino acids called Arginine and Carnitine and the second through increasing sow feed intake in late gestation.
Now Arginine and Carnitine have been researched separately before on quite a small scale, however we are now not only going to investigate the efect of the two amino acids separately but also their combined effect because the two amino acids have very different effects. Ur research is also novel in that we are carrying out the research.

5. Supplementation period
L-ARGININE
- Amino acid (~25g/day)
Supplementation period
Effect
D28-Farrowing
born alive
birth weight
birth weight variation
- Enhances placental growth and efficiency
Improves placental-foetal blood flow
transportation of oxygen and nutrients to the developing foetus
Arginine is classed as an essential AA for pigs because they're unable to synthesise in their bodies
The breakdown products of arginine play an essential role in facilitating placental growth in the sow.
Placenta growth occurs primarily between d20-60 of
gestation and peaks around d70

6. L-CARNITINE
- Quaternary ammonium compound (AA: lysine and methionine) (~100mg/day)
Lean tissue
Muscle fibre
Energy
- Break down of fatty acids to generate energy
- Piglets can more readily break down fat stores - more energy for heat production
and suckling
- no. muscle fibres at birth by up to 28% = birth weights
Protein/lean deposition fat accretion = growth rate and FCE
L-Carnitine is synthesised from two AA lysine and methionine and would generally be supplemented to sows in very small amounts.
Carnitine's main role focuses on generation of energy and lean tissue and muscle fibre development.
So basically in terms of energy carnitine helps the piglet generate energy through the break down of fat. This means that the piglet has more energy to generate heat for itself, as well as actually having the energy to get up and suckle.
Lean muscle fibre
Piglets from supplmented sows have been found to be born with an increased number of muscle fibres, as much as 28% more. This then evidently leads on to an increase in piglet birth weights. And then because the piglet has a greater no. of muscle fibres it is the ability to lay down a greater amount of lean, and thus less fat which leads to enhanced growth rates as well as a more feed efficient animal.
Carnitine has been found to have the greatest effect on the improving the weights of the lighter piglets in the litter as opposed to the heavier piglets, which should bring the smaller piglets up to a weight more in line with the heavier piglets in the litter to create a more uniform litter of piglets born.
And I’m pleased to say that although our experiment is not yet finished we have found an average increase of 75g per piglet in tmers of birth weight.
Potentially greatest impact on low birth weight piglets??

7. INCREASE FEED INTAKE IN LATE GESTATION
Birth weight – effects unclear
Piglet glycogen stores at birth
- Able to cope with a higher plane of nutrition in early
lactation:
total lactation feed intake
milk production
Improve subsequent farrowing rate
MPK
Enhance subsequent farrowing rate VFI in lactation – better condition for mating
Piglet glycogen stores at birth

8. Overview of trials 1200 sow integrated unit in Co Offaly
1. L-Arginine and L-Carnitine (d28 – farrowing)
2. Increase feed intake
(~d80 to farrowing by ~ 1kg)
~110 sows/
treatment
~230 sows/
treatment
Litter measurements
Born alive
Stillborn – Type I or II
Mummified
Total born
Birth weight
Cross-fostering
Numbers weaned
Weaning weight
Second stage weaner weight
Finishing weight
Sow measurements
Back fat : service, farrowing, weaning
Lactation feed intake
Dry feed intake
Weaning to oestrus interval
Subsequent farrowing rate
Colostrum Quality
Vitality scoring (within 3 hours birth)
Weight
Movement
Rectal Temperature
Abdominal circumference
Crown to rump length
Body Mass index
Ponderal index
So the next steps in terms of carrying out this research….
Examining the following papremeters
Our first trial with Arginine and Carnitine is well under way, with over half the sows farrowed. I think its also worth mentioning that the ajority of research carried out in this area has been not only on quite a small scale with a small number of animals, but also on sows wih average litter sizes smaller than that which would be seen in commercial practice.
Whereas this research is being carried out on a large scale on a commercial farm, and will involve ~ 600 sows altogether and we are trying to follow a large proportion of the progeny right through the slaughter. In order to target the important time frames in terms of placental and foetal growth we are supplementing the Arginine and Carnitine from d28 of gestation right through to slaughter. And another element of this trial that makes it unique is that we are supplememnting some sows with both Arginine and Carnitine which has actually never been researched previously. We are taking a vast array of measurements on both the sows and piglets as you can see here.A very time consuming, labour intensive project.

9. PROGRESS TO DATE L-Arginine and L-Carnitine 12/16 reps farrowed
Preliminary results:
Carnitine increases piglet birth weight by ~75g
Arg+Car offspring appear to be heavier at weaning
1st offspring slaughtered
Finish farrowing January 2016

10. Assigning sows to treatment First sows to farrow January 2016
2. Increase feed intake
Assigning sows to treatment
First sows to farrow January 2016
Will meet NRC requirements for all parities at all stages :
Proposed rate of increase
Same curve up to d80, then gradual increase to d85
Up to 35 T1
Up to T2

11. Take home messages…
litter size - more precise nutrition of gestating sows.
- Majority of research undertaken has been on litter sizes markedly smaller than
seen commercially. Research required in highly prolific sows.
Potential opportunity to improve piglet viability through the use of L-Arginine and
L-Carnitine supplements.
feed intake in late gestation - lactation feed intakes and enhance subsequent
farrowing rate. Effects on birth weight inconsistent.
With the increase in litter size we need look a sow nutrition more precsely and take into account the need for increasing levels of amino acids for example during gestation.
The majority of research that has been carried out on these studies has been on quite a small scale, using sows with smaller litter sizes than that which you would find now find commercially.
Research from previous studies do lead us to believe that Arginine and Carnitine should be able to improve piglet viability.
As long as you arent increasing their feed intake too much, increasing feed intake in late gestation should increase lactation feed intakes and enhance subsequent farrowing rate.
And finally I think that in terms of research we need to renew our focus to piglet survival as opposed to increasing further the number of piglets born.
Renewed focus on piglet survival and viability rather than total numbers of piglets born.

12. THANKS FOR LISTENING!
Any questions?