Oliver Duran
Yan Hua (Cici) Guo
During the last fifty years or so, disease control in the pork industry has evolved mainly relying on antimicrobials, vaccines, elimination (depopulation, repopulation, eradication, modified early weaning), and/or regional control depending on the diseases of concern and resources available. Looking forward, it is clear that antimicrobial usage, under increasing scrutiny for both metaphylactic and therapeutic uses will decline, whereas the use of vaccines will likely rise.
We live a world which is undergoing significant change. Never in the history of life on the planet has there been more demand for the transformation of the Earth’s scarce raw materials into consumer goods for people around the globe. The world is being reorganized to facilitate the globalization of both demand and production, so the desires of people next door and in the farthest reaches of the planet can be communicated in real time to the millions of production and distribution chains around the world standing ready to fulfill them. At the same time, those very production processes are being challenged with the problem of how to satisfy these inexhaustible wants utilizing a finite set of scarce global resources.
Milk production is at peak level on day 18 +/- 1 of lactation where up to about 16 litres/day is produced depending on:
Litter size and vitality of the suckling pigs
Genetic potential
Health status
Udder development and colostrum production starts during late gestation but before the birth process has started.
The amount of colostrum that is produced depends on genetic and hormonal factors as well as body condition. The intrinsic quality of colostrum is also influenced by stress.
Correct water and feed supply to the sow in the last third of gestation is essential for optimal colostrum production.
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