Fibre could become more popular in open housing gestating sow systems, says a Prairie Swine Centre researcher.
Hog nutrition researchers have long known about fibre’s pacifying influence, but open housing systems make passivity and restfulness more important.
“It’s a lot more expensive for them to stand around than for other animals,” Denise Beaulieu said during the Manitoba Swine Seminar.
She said producers can protect their sows’ health, maintain body condition and reduce energy consumption by preventing fighting and increasing the amount of time their animals lie down.
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High fibre diets seem to make sows less aggressive and more willing to lie down, she added.
It was never a major issue in gestation stall systems because sows in stalls can’t fight or burn up lots of energy rooting around.
However, pigs in an open housing system can fight and walk around a lot, which requires more energy.
Beaulieu said finding ways to keep sows quiet and restful will produce better results, and fibre tends to produce a satisfied sow.
The move from stalls to group housing affects many elements of nutrition, so researchers at the Prairie Swine Centre are assessing how various systems and approaches interact with feed.
For instance, sows will use more energy in an open housing system if they stand and move around more.
However, sows in an open-housed situation can also huddle together for warmth, either allowing the barn temperature to be reduced or energy intake to drop.
“The challenge is maintaining body condition,” said Beaulieu.
“It’s much easier with our sows in stalls to go and look at them, adjust feed intake as necessary.”
Beaulieu said researchers don’t fully understand why fibre makes sows more passive.
