Everything To Know About Weaning Piglets

Weaning is one of the most critical stages in a pig’s life. During this time, young pigs move to a new environment and meet new penmates. They also transition from milk to solid feed for the first time. These simultaneous changes can cause significant stress.

Research shows that a pig weighing 1 pound more at the end of the nursery stage can weigh 2 to 4 pounds more at market. To support healthy growth, reduce weaning stress, and set piglets up for long-term success, it’s essential to implement a proper feeding plan. Providing nursery diets in the right order, balance, and timing ensures piglets thrive during this critical period.

Tips for Feeding Your Piglets

During weaning, piglets new to eating on their own will have abrupt changes in feeding behaviors and daily schedule. During this time, it is essential to slow down, observe your piglets, and focus on details in order to help give them every chance they can to succeed. Before weaning your pigs, here are some tips to consider:

When you move piglets to their new pen, make sure they know where their food and water is. Let the waterers drip for about 10 to 20 minutes the first few days so they know where water is. Sprinkle some feed near the feeders, preferably on a mat, and put pigs up to the feeder to make sure they see it, smell it and can easily find and associate the feeder with food. Invest in the time to do this for the first 3 to 5 days to help entice pigs to get up and eat.

Providing the best quality food you can in this stage of their life is so important! Make sure the pigs have access to fresh and clean food and water at all times. We will elaborate on this further below.

If possible, offer creep feed. Provide it a few days before weaning while they’re still with the sow. This can help them learn feeding behaviors for later.

If pigs struggle after weaning, try a gruel feeder. This is a simple feeder placed on the floor of the pen. Mix a handful or two of feed with water to make it wet. You can guide pigs to eat or let them try on their own. Wet food can help young pigs transition from wet to dry feed more easily.

Use pelleted diets during the first one or two nursery phases. This prevents sorting and ensures pigs get the proper nutrients.

Avoid overcrowding pens. This reduces competition for feeders and water. Immediately post-weaning, provide 1.5 to 2 square feet of space per pig for 25 or fewer piglets. By the end of the nursery period, each pig should have about 3 square feet of space. Ensure there’s one feeder and water source for every 12 pigs.

Monitor the pigs’ environment closely. Avoid drafts while ensuring good ventilation for fresh air. Watch their behavior for temperature adjustments. If they huddle tightly, they’re likely cold. If they spread out and avoid contact, they may be too hot. Piglets generally need a temperature of 82–85°F at first. After a week, reduce it gradually by 0.5–1 degree per day.

Design your nursery all-in and all-out (AIAO). AIAO means weaning groups of pigs at the same time and keeping them together in the same room throughout the nursery period. Do not introduce new pigs into this space if at all possible. This limits co-mingling between groups, which prevents disease spread.

Because the pigs’ diets are so crucial during this time, here are some general things to look for and keep in mind when shopping for nursery feeds:

• Optimal protein sources, as not all sources are equal. Especially for the first few diets, look for good quality proteins (ex. milk proteins high in dietary lactose, like whey) in order to provide high quality, palatable and very digestible nutrients.
• Feeds that smell and taste good help attract pigs to the feeder and keep them coming back for more.
• Gut health-enhancing ingredients, like prebiotics/probiotics, can aid in building gut health back up faster after weaning, resulting in a more efficient transition time.
• Highly fortified with vitamins and minerals to ensure the piglets are provided the building blocks they need for ideal growth and performance.

At Kalmbach Feeds®, we know every farm is different. That’s why we offer flexible options for pig owners. These recommendations can be adapted to fit each farm’s needs. They ensure piglets get the right nutrients at the right time.

Weaning is a critical time for piglets. We want to provide owners with the tools to make the best decisions.

Our website features a detailed feed recommendation guide. It’s based on years of research and first-hand observations. The guide outlines our Target Wean program. This includes creep feeds, newly weaned piglet diets, and grower diets for pigs over 25 pounds. It provides product names, sequences, and budgets to help you succeed.

 

Article Source: Julie Salyer – Swine Nutrition at Kalmbach Feeds