Dr. Szabó József, dr. Kutasi Orsolya

Physiological

Background

of

Swine Nutrition

Exam topics covered

A/1. Digestive physiology of swine

A/2. Weaning systems and their physiological background

A/3. Nutrition of newborn and suckling piglets

The consequences of breading

and technologySus scrofa

Charac-

teristics

of

Swine

Puberty 6-8 month

Estrus length 19-21 days

Gestation Length 112-115 days

Lactation Length 21-42 days

First Estrus post-weaning 3-7 days

Average Litters Per Year 1.7-2.5

Weaning Age 3-4 weeks

Weaning Weight 4.5-9 kg

Nursery Pigs Weight (4–12 weeks) 7-30 kg

Growing Pigs Weight 30-60 kg

Finishing Pigs Weight 50-105 kg

Slaughter Weight 90-105 kg

Average Feed Efficiency (Feed/gain) 3.24 kg

Dry Matter Consumed Per Day 3-4 % of body weight

0 28 55 90 140 160 170 200-220 315 343 350-365 (days)

1,0-2,0 25-30 80-90 135-150 170-180 (kg)

7-9 20 105-110 160-170 (kg)

Growing and finishing

Replacement giltsPregnant sow

Lacta

ting

sow

Weaning

Newborn First

preselection

Second

preselection

Puberty

Induction

(boar contact)

Final selection

Insemination

at 2nd or 3rd heat

Product

Parturition Weaning

(Estrus)

Insemination

Nutritional Life Cycle of Swine

PubertyN

on

pro

du

cing

Su

cling

Életkor

Testsúly

Weaned

pigs

Taste

swine has excellent sense of taste and smelling

homogen mixes to reduce selection based on taste

refuse eating poor quality, bad smelling, tasting feedstuffs

Deciduous

(not

permanent)

3 1 3

3 1 3= 14 Permanent

3 1 4 3

3 1 4 3= 22

Swine has 44 permanent teeth

Dental Formula

Maxillary Arcade of

Swine

3 4 1 3

3 4 1 3

Mandibular Arcade of

Swine

true omnivorous

14 x body length

Total capacity: 25-27 l

How long is the Intestinal Tract and

How large is its Capacity in Swine

○ 42 kg malac

● 210 kg malac

How Long is the Transit Time of the Feed?

(Castle and Castle, 1956)

TT longer than in eg. broilers –

better utilization of nutrients in

feed

(in broiler rel. shorter GI tract

and also smaller volume –

volume difference reflecting

volumen of bacterial

fermentation)

○ 42 kg pigs

● 210 kg pigs

Excretion

curves

of undigested

residues from

a feed of

stained meal

(Castle and Castle, 1956)

(Lysozyme is an enzyme, functioning as an antibacterial

agent by catalyzing the hydrolys of peptidoglycans

breaking down bacterial cell walls)

Function:

•lubrication, solubilization of food

•alkaline buffering (mucine and inorganic salts)

•digestion•Amylase digests starch

•Lipase (lingual lipase)

•Lysosome lyses bacteria

•evaporative cooling•the sweat-glands are poorly developed There are three pairs

of salivary glands

parotid

mandibular

sublingual

Salivary Glands

Anatomical Location and functions

Stomach

consists of a simple

compartment that is divided

into 4 functionally and

structurally different regions

the pars oesophagea is a

non-glandular extension of

the esophagus into the

proper stomach. Ulceration -

ulcerous autodigestion of the

cutaneous mucosa - of the

pars esophagea is a common

phenomenon

Pars oesophagea

Stomach pH

Hydrocloric acid

Parietal cells

gastrin, histamine, acetyl-cholin +

somatostatine -

Acidic hydrolysis, defining pH

First 4-6 weeks: higher pH

Immunoglobulins cross

Poor GI protection

Different protein digestion– pepsin activation is limited

Lactic acid and fatty acids

fermentation of lactose: lactobacilli

Stomach: protein digestion

Proteolytic enzymes

pepsine (A,B,C)

parietal cells secrete pepsinogen – activated to pepsine

pH optimum: 1,6

catepsin and kitinase (pH 2)

Stomach: CHO and fat digestion

Newborn and suckling piglets

lactase: lactose

HCl secretion is low in sucklin piglets, bacterial fermentation of lactose producing lactic acid and

lowers pH

high intragastric lasctic acid has negative impact on HCL secretion

intoducing solid feed decreases lactic acid concentration and stimulates HCl secretion

lipase

Gastric ulcers in swine

a common condition in sows and growing pigs (prevalence is variable but high (5-90%) in most swine-producing areas)

pars oesophagea (non-glandular)

becomes eroded until it is ulcerated: intermittent bleeding leads to anaemia or massive haemorrhage resulting in death

complex causes/contributing factors:

size of feed particle - the more finely ground the meal the smaller becomes the particle size and the higher the incidence (pelleted ration)

low fibre diets

high energy diets

high levels of wheat in excess of 55%

deficiencies of vitamin E or selenium

stress (management factors, other diseases)

Swine stomach ulcers

acute form: pale skin, weak, passing of

dark faeces containing digested blood,

dyspnoe, inappetance, vomiting.

peracute form: found dead and very

pale

chronic cases: intermittent appetite and

may lose weight

subclinical

Clinical signs

Ulcers: prevention and treatment

larger paticle size

more fiber

buffer materials

stomach lining (clay)

vitamins (A,E,K) and Se

NSP (non starch polisacharid)

enzymsupplementation

Organs Joining to the Digestive Tract?

Liver

Pancreas

Salivary glands

•The main function

of Brunner’s glands

is to•produce a mucus-rich alkaline

secretion in order to:

• protec the duodenum from the

acidic content of chyme

• provid an alkaline condition

for the intestinal enzymes

• lubricate the intestinal walls

Intestinal digestion: pancreatic

juice+bile+ intestinal wall

secretions

Mean pH of Gastrointestinal Contents of Pig(Clemens, Stevenson and Southworth, 1975)

Symbols within the graph correspond to

the four time periods:

● = 0 or 12 hours;

∆ = 2 hours;

○ = 4 hours;

Х = 8 hours after feeding

Enzimek a vékonybélben

Enzyme Function Origintrypsin

proteinchymotrypsin

carboxipeptidase

pancreatic amylase starch

pancreatic lypase fat

disacharidase

(lactase, maltase,

sucrase)

disaccharids

dipeptidases

oligopeptidases

peptids

Pankreász

Vékonybél

hámsejtjei

Effect of nutrition and environment on the

functionality of the GI tract

High starch diet – adaptation with increasing amylase secretion

High protein diet - adaptation with increasing chymotrypsin secretion

High fat diet - adaptation with increasing lipase secretion

Environmental factors: temperature

Bile

made in liver: water, electrolyte, bile salts,

phospholipids, colesterin, mucine, pigment

stored in gall bladder

secreted into the duodenum

active in the small intestine

emulsifies fat to aid in digestion

Gull bladder

Comparison of pancreatic secretion

A: amilase, L: lipase, E: elastase, Tr: trypsin, Ch: chymotripsin

*in the ratio of amylase

Functions

of the Large Intestine

Absorption (secretion)

water and electrolyte

Bacterial fermentation

fiber: DM 3-5%

breaking down of cellulose

Waste storage

Symbols within the graph

correspond to the four time

periods:

● = 0 or 12 hours;

∆ = 2 hours;

○ = 4 hours;

Х = 8 hours after feeding

Mean Values for the Quantity of Lactic Acid

in the Gastrointestinal Contents of the Pig

Gyomor

Mean Values for the

Concentration of Volatile Fatty Acids

in Gastrointestinal Contents of the Pig

Symbols within the graph

correspond to the four time periods:

● = 0 or 12 hours;

∆ = 2 hours;

○ = 4 hours;

Х = 8 hours after feeding

Gyomor

Caecum and large intestine

End products of bacterial fermentations are SCFAs (mainly acetate, propionate and

butyrate)

pH (stability of microbiota)

SCFAs partly metabolized in the intestinal cells, main part is absorbed – energy source in oxidative

processes

Energy sources

Starch digestion: small intestine

amylase – disaharidase – glucose (glycogen)

Fiber fermentation: large colon - 20% of maintenance energy

bacterial fermentation – acetate (propionate: glyconeogenetic, butyrate for intestinal cells)

Digestive tract physiology of newborns

and suckling piglets

0 28 55 90 140 160 170 200-220 315 343 350-365 (days)

1,0-2,0 25-30 80-90 135-150 170-180 (kg)

7-9 20 105-110 160-170 (kg)

Growing and finishing

Replacement giltsPregnant sow

Lacta

ting

sow

Weaning

Newborn First

preselection

Second

preselection

Puberty

Induction

(boar contact)

Final selection

Insemination

at 2nd or 3rd heat

Product

Parturition Weaning

(Estrus)

Insemination

Nutritional Life Cycle of Swine

PubertyN

on

pro

du

cing

Su

cling

Életkor

Testsúly

Weaned

pigs

Piglets

Body weight doubles: during each week of life to at least three weeks of age

Best is high biological value sow milk – enzymes of piglets in first weeks are adapted to

digest the typeof nutrients in the milk

Sow colostrum vs milk

water CP fat lactose

colocrum

milk

%

CHO digestion of piglets

energy requirements: milk fat + lactose

fermentation in stomach: lactobacili and bifidobacteria

from lactose organic acids are produced: approx. 80–90% lactic acid

other part of lactose moves to small intestine: hydrolized by intestinal lactase

in first weeks: no sufficient enzyme production for maltose and sucrose digestion

Intestinal sacharase and malatase activity is efficient by weeks of 6-8

pancreatic amylase activity is also insufficient in the first 3–4 weeks

diet during this period cannot contain starch---- undigested starch reaches large colon where

bacterial fermentation produces organic acids, decrease pH, dysbacteriosis and osmotic

diarrhea occurs

Relative Activity of Hydrolases in Pigs

At weaning it is still insufficient

weaning

cho and fat digestion

CHO

intestinal lactose- lactase – galactose and glucose

gastric bacterial fermentation of lactose – lactic acid – decreases pH

gastric HCl secretion is low in suckling piglets – low pH is reached by lactic acid

high lactic acid production has a negative feedback on HCl secretion

Introduction of solid feed decreases lactic acid production and stimulates HCL secretion

Fat: lipase

Effect of

histamin

injection

on

hydrochloric acid

secretion of

sucling pigs

0-10 days

3-4 weeks

5-7 weeks

Stomach pH and Protein digestion of

piglets

0-10 days: achlorydria (pH of stomach is similar to that of colostrum, pH 5,2–5,3

Lactobacillli colonizing the stomach produce lactic acid, pH 3,5–5,0

Lactic acid is weak compared to HCl acid: protection against environmental pathogens is

reduced (coliforms)

full protection (HCl secretion) starts on the 5th weeks

lack of sufficiently low pH – pepsin digestion is negligible

casein is denaturated by rennin the digestion is finished by cymotrypsine (protein

digestibility of 95%)

activity of pancreatic cymotrypsin gradually increasing from bith but trypsin secretion

rapidly increases only after the first month

Protein digestion

Rennin (chymosin): main enzyme till the 3-4 weeks of age

protein-digesting enzyme that curdles milk by transforming caseinogen into insoluble casein

coagulation: pH 7-7,4

protein digestion: pH optimum: 3,6

Fat digestion of piglets

Sow milk rich in lipids (fat covers 60% of energy requirements)

Pancreatic lipase production is sufficient by week 3

Non milk fat digestion is poor in suckling piglets and even after weaning

Ca content of feed

Low emulgeation capacity

Type of fat in the feed (unsaturated fatty acids are better digested)

Prior to its birth the fetal pig is supplied by the sow with nutrients for its prenatal development:

amino acids

glucose

vitamins

minerals

Prenatal nutrition and development

Nutrition of the fetus

The fetus does not digest complex nutrients

The placenta and the umbilical cord selectively transfer the nutrients

to the fetus

Water soluble nutrients are transfered faster than the fat soluble

nutrients

Low levels of fat and fat soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K), Se, and Fe

in the newborn

What is the Major Energy Source

of the fetus?

Glucose (fat not efficiently used)

It is assumed that the location of the fetus in the

uterine

influences the body weight of the newborn pig

Pigs close to the center of the horn grow faster,

pigs in the end of the horn grow slower

Amino acids cross the placenta for the development of

muscle cells and organs

Inadequate supply of amino acids to the sow will result in

Fetal

growth retardation

less mature cells by the time of birth

Postnatal

slower growing

Amino Acids

Newborn piglet physiology

Negative energy balance till regular nursing

<2% body fat (structural in cell membranes) not foroxidation

high energy demand, should be supported by coloctrumthan milk

Inadequate colostrum uptake:

cold stress

prematurity, perinatal hypoxia

limited colostrum production by sow

Heat source needed (larger litter, smaller piglet, largerbody surface, larger heatloss, less colostrum available-problems in thermoregulation)

Infra lamp, heating padRelative contributions of oxidized nutrients to cover the energy

requirement of newborn piglets (from Theil et al., 2012).

No specific antibody in the newborn

cannot cross placenta

only source: colostrum

last 2-3 days of pregnancy AB cross tocolostrum

intestinal closure by 24-36 hrs

Passive immunity

Colostral IgG content in the first 48 hrs

Helping small, weak piglets to take colostrum

Collection of colostrum

Water supply

Milk is not sufficient souce

Eat more

The Composition of Sow Colostrum and Milk

0 hour 12 hours 2 weeks(%) (% of Dm) (%) (% of Dm) (%) (% of Dm)

Dry matter 30.2 100 20.8 100 19.4 100

Protein 18.9 62.6 10.2 49 6.1 31.4

Fat 7.2 23.8 7.2 34.6 7.2 37.1

Lactose 2.5 8.3 3.4 16.3 4.8 24.7

Ash 0.63 2.1 0.63 3.0 0.96 5.0

Ca 0.05 0.17 0.06 0.29 0.21 1.08

P 0.11 0.36 0.11 0.53 0.14 0.72

H2O 69.8 79.2 80.6

Ca/P 0.45:1 0.55:1 1.5:1

Colostrum

Colostrum has higher:

Vitamin A, carotine

D,E,C,B vitamine

Fe, Cu, Zn, Co, I

protein

Colostrum has lower:

lactose

fat

The Compositions of Sow Milk

Nutrients

Energy (fatty acids, lactose)

Proteins (amino acids)

Vitamins and minerals

Protective factors

Immune globulines (anti-bodies)

Protective cells (macrophages, lymphocytes)

Enzymes

amylase, lipase, protease

Regulatiry factors

Epidermal growth factor (EGF)

Insulin

Insulin like growth factor (IGF)

Prostaglandins

Polyamines

Vitamin E and selenium

E-Vitamin

vitamin E-Se deficiency is still occurring on many swine

farms

more likely to occur is in the neonate, at weaning, and

during the reproductive period

Dietary vitamin E fed to the pregnant sow does not

effectively transfer to the developing fetus

pig is born at a low vitamin E status (i.e. in reality it is

born deficient in vitamin E)

source of vitamin E for the neonatal pig is colostrum

dietary level of vitamin E fed to the sow is increased or

when vitamin E is injected during late gestation

Mullberry heart disease

Vitamin E and selenium

Selenium

can be transferred across the placenta to the developing fetus

neonatal pig tissue and serum Se concentrations increased when the sows supplemental dietary

Se level increased (organic selenium)

colostrum has a higher Se content than later milks and increases as the dietary Se level is

increased

Se content of the nursing pig increases dramatically from birth to weaning, attributable to its

retention from the milk supply

sow milk Se content is affected by sow age

early weaning pig programs are implemented on many swine operations, the accumulation of Se

would be lower and the deficiency onset would more likely occur

Iron

piglet is born with limited supplies of iron and if it had been born in the wild would depend on supplementation to its diet from iron bearing soils

low iron in sow milk (1-2 mg/l)

Iron supplementation:

injection of 150- 200mg of iron dextran in either a 1 or 2ml dose from 3 to 5 days of age and not at birth

given orally but this method is time consuming and the pig must be treated on 2 or 3 occasions at 7, 10 and 15 days of age (oral pastes available ad lib have been used but the uptake within any litter is variable and a few piglets remain anaemic

Iron deficiency anaemia: kb. a 7 napra alakul ki, halvány nyálkahártya, kissé sárgás bőr, emelkedett légzésszám

How to supply with iron?

Po or parenteral?

1040

829868

-27.9

-200

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

HKT Hőkezelt HKT HKT+vas Hőkezelt HKT+vas

Az E

. co

li s

zá

m r

ela

tív v

ált

ozá

sa

(%

)

Effect on the bacteriostatic activity of sow milk with iron and/or heat treatment

ParenteralHigher risk of

iron toxicity

POAntibodies in

milk damagedheat Heat and ironiron

Iron toxicosis?

Clinical signs generally affecting most of the animals

Death 30mins-6 hors after injection

3 forms:

1.

Muscle degeneration locally and generally

hyperkalaemia

anaemia

2.

Decreased immunoprotection: E. coli enteritis

3.

Calciphylaxis , hard bump locally (calcium mobilization)

Risk factors: Vitamin E and selenium deficiency

Thank you for your attention!