Belgorod, Russia (September 15, 2014) – Weaning is a stressful experience for young piglets, affecting them both socially and physiologically. In many piggeries weaning is more stressful than it should be, with severe growth checks and even deaths. These deaths and growth checks have a large impact on grower herd performance, resulting in reduced profitability. However, high standards of management can dramatically reduce postweaning losses and improve growth rates by moderating the stress of weaning. The shorter the suckling period, the more sophisticated the housing, feeding and management skills required to raise the piglets.
The present study was planned to investigate the effect of SANBIO additives for feed, water and manure on the performance of weaners.
1. Background
The pig farm of the Frunze farm near Belgorod, which retained the collective farm status, maintained 45, 587 pigs in 1991 and 48 799 pigs in 2000. The numbers of boars were 86 and 104, respectively, and 2,225 and 2,250 of sows. The average annual numbers of piglets/sow were 14.4 and 17.2, respectively. Average slaughter weights were 122.2 and 120.3 kg. Average daily liveweight gains were 420 and 490 g, with feed consumption during fattening of 5.59 and 5.31 kg. The numbers of man hours/100 kg pig meat were 6.3 and 5.8, respectively. Data are also presented on profitability, employment and social conditions.
This project is being carried out within the collaboration between the collective farm KOLKHOZ FRUNSE (ООО «Завод имени Фрунзе «ТД») Belgorod – Russia, GEOCON WEST – Russia and SANBOS GmbH – Germany.
2. Materials and methods
During the 76-day-feeding period 639 weaners were assigned to treatments without and with supplementation of Sanbio SANA and Sanbio AQUA to feed and water as well as spray of manure additive on the ground of barnes. The trial was run without adverse technical events (e.g. power failure, feed/water failures, etc.).
Table 1. Overview of the Mycotoxins level of diet fed to piglets
| Mycotoxins | Unit | Pre-starter diet SK3 | Starter diet SK4 | Limit according GMP+ Standard | Evaluation |
| DON – Deoxynivalenol | µg/kg | 210 | 110 | 1000 | OK |
| Aflatoxin | µg/kg | <0.1 | <0.1 | 5 | OK |
| Zearalenone | µg/kg | Not analyzed | <5 | 100 | OK |
| Ochratoxin | µg/kg | Not analyzed | <1 | 50 | OK |
| T2/H2-Toxin | µg/kg | Not analyzed | <10 | 250 | OK |
| Fumonisin | µg/kg | Not analyzed | <25 | 5,000 | OK |
Table 2. Overview of the nutrition value of diet fed to piglets
| Parameter | Unit | Pre-starter diet SK3 | Starter diet SK4 | Feed of leading provider | Evaluation |
| Water | % | Not analyzed | 8.4 | Good | |
| Fat | % | Not analyzed | 5.8 | Good | |
| Total protein | % | Not analyzed | 16.9 | 22…24 | Low |
| Ash | % | Not analyzed | 4.5 | Good | |
| Carbohydrates | % | Not analyzed | 64.4 | Good | |
| Nutrition value | MJ/kg | Not analyzed | 15.97 | 14…18 | Good |
Table 3. Treatments
| Task | Treatment |
| Diet | Mixture of barley, wheat, corn, soy |
| Feed additive | Sanbio SANA, rate 2 kg/t diet |
| Water additive | Sanbio AQUA, rate 0.1 L/1000 L water |
| Manure additive | Sanbio TERRA, rate 3.5 kg/week, sprayed onto ground of barnes |
2. Results
Table 4. Productive performance
| Treatment | Unit | Control | SANBIO | Control vs. SANBIO |
| Start of trial | 2014-08-06 | 2014-08-03 | ||
| End of trial | 2014-09-15 | 2014-09-15 | ||
| Days | 41 | 44 | ||
| No of piglets at start | Pc | 52 | 587 | |
| No of piglets at end | Pc | 51 | 580 | |
| Losses | Pc | 1 | 7 | |
| Mortality | % | 1.9 | 1.2 | -36.8 % |
| Body weigth per pig at start | kg | 7.3 | 7.7 | |
| Body weight per pig at end | kg | 22.35 | 25.93 | |
| Body weight gain per pig | kg | 15.05 | 18.23 | +21.1 % |
| Daily gain per pig | g/d | 367 | 414 | +47 g/d |
| Daily feed intake | kg/d | 28.59 | 32.81 | +14.7 % |
| Feed conversion rate FCR | kg/kg | 1.9 | 1.8 | -5.55 % |
Figure 1. Productive performance
3. Photographs
Figure 2. Barnes complex
Figure 3. Barnes complex
Figure 4. Fooder silo, air inlet, air outlet
Figure 5. Feeder and air outlet suction
Figure 5. Housing conditions
Figure 6. Slatted floor
4. Conclusion
To summarize, the present study shows significantly positive effects of SANBIO products on productive performance.
The positive effects at a glance:
- Safety and tolerance when used dietary additions
- Safe feed (Sanbio SANA) and water (Sanbio AQUA)
- Clean ambient air in the barnes due to adsorption of toxic gases (Sanbio TERRA)
- Increase of survival rate of weaners (+36.8%)
- Improve of FCR (5.55%)
- Increase of body weight (21.1%, resp. 47g/d).