Browsing by Author "Mäkelä, Milja"

The aim of this study was to examine the effects of faba bean and pea based lactation diets on changes in weight and condition of gilts and sows and weight gain of piglets in organic production. In addition, the effects of phase-feeding on sow and piglet productiveness was surveyed. The study was conducted in experimental farm of MTT Agrifood Research Finland, in Hyvinkää. Experiment was carried out with 28 gilts and 46 sows, which were all divided into three test groups. The control feed was organic lactation feed containing 19,7 % of pea. Test diet 1 was organic lactation feed containing 19,7 % of pea and after 22 day of lactation additional 3,35 % of rapeseed expeller. Test diet 2 was organic lactation feed containing 16,4 % of faba bean and after 22 day of lactation additional 3,61 % of rapeseed expeller. Also the effect of parity on sow productivity was examined by comparing the results between gilts and sows. The sow weights were measured, fat measurements performed and condition scores evaluated during the experiment. Piglet weights were also measured. No differences between the sow groups occurred in feed intake during the first three weeks of lactation. However at the end of the lactation feed intake in test groups 1 and 2 (204,8 kg DM and 200,0 kg DM, respectively) was higher than in the control group (181,9 kg DM). The weight loss of sows in all groups was similar and no effect of feed was found. Parity had an effect on the sow feed intake and weights, as gilts consumed less feed and had smaller weights compared to older sows. In addition, the litters of the older sows were larger compared to the gilts, but no differences was found in piglet weights. In this study faba bean seemed to be comparable with pea as organic protein feed for sows, as there were no major differences between the test groups in feed intake, weight loss nor piglet production. Also, rapeseed expeller had no effect on the sow conditions after weaning.