Masters Theses

Date of Award

8-1963

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Major

Animal Husbandry

Major Professor

E.R. Lidvall Jr

Committee Members

H.J. Smith, John D. Smalling

Abstract

The interest in organized feeder pig sales in the State of Tennessee due to the demand for feeder pigs has increased greatly during the past few years. Each year there are two to two and one-half million pigs produced on Tennessee farms. During the first six months of 1963, a total of 48,000 feeder pigs have been sold in organized feeder pig sales, and this number is expected to reach 100,000 by the end of this year. A large majority of pigs produced on Tennessee farms are raised in small swine herds (less than 19 brood sows) on a pasture program. It is readily recognized that economical programs for feeding the nursing sow are of prime importance to producer profits. Available research data and observations indicate that sows which are self-fed during lactation tend to gain more weight from farrowing to weaning than sows which are limited to a restricted daily feed intake. However, the weight gain of the sow depends on the number of pigs nursed, age of sow, condition of sow at farrowing time and the environment in which she nurses and raises her litter. Although self-fed sows regain weight more quickly from farrowing to weaning than those which are limited-fed, they may have a tendency to put on excess condition which may, in turn, alter milk production and future reproductive ability of the sow. Moat swine authorities are in general agreement that many brood sow herds today may be over-fed from the standpoint of sow weight and condition. In lieu of the fact that there are limited published reports of experimental work on this subject, there are many aspects of this problem to be studied. This experiment was designed to study the possibilities of making use of more pasture for nursing sows by limiting daily intake of concentrate feeds.

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