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Animals
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Precision Pig Feeding: A Breakthrough Toward Sustainability
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Precision Pig Feeding: A Breakthrough Toward Sustainability

A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Pigs".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2021) | Viewed by 4198

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Candido Pomar

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Sherbrooke Research and Development Centre, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
Dr. Aline Remus

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Sherbrooke Research and Development Centre, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The pork sector is facing important challenges given the transience of the international trade rules, the limited agricultural resources available for the rapidly increasing world population, and the high societal standards on animal welfare and production sustainability. To stay competitive, producers need to improve the cost-efficiency of their operations. The pork industry must also adapt to new realities, such as the reduced workforce, as well as a young generation who wishes for working conditions adapted to their abilities and family-work balance. Additionally, feed costs can account for more than 60% of production costs and environmental impact in swine production. Therefore, to face the pork sector challenges, we have to reinvent the food production methods and way that pigs are fed. Individual precision feeding and nutrition might be a key element for this development.

Contributions on precision feeding and nutrition strategies for non-ruminants, early-disease, and stress detection within precision livestock farming, mathematical modeling, meta-analysis, and life cycle assessments considering the impact of precision feeding and nutrition are welcomed. Studies on the use of precision feeding and nutrition in alternative systems (organic and/or outdoor), and strategies to improve animal welfare in precision livestock farming systems in the form of original research, systematic, and conventional literature review are also welcomed in this Special Issue. 

Prof. Candido Pomar
Dr. Aline Remus
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Animals is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • precision feeding
  • precision nutrition
  • precision livestock farming
  • sustainable pig production systems
  • individual pig care

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

12 pages, 5334 KiB  
Article
Prandial Correlations and Structure of the Ingestive Behavior of Pigs in Precision Feeding Programs
by Bruna C. K. Gomes, Ines Andretta, Marcio Valk, Candido Pomar, Luciano Hauschild, Alícia Z. Fraga, Marcos Kipper, Luciano Trevizan and Aline Remus
Animals 2021, 11(10), 2998; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11102998 - 19 Oct 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1691
Abstract
The feeding behavior of growing-finishing pigs was analyzed to study prandial correlations and the probability of starting a new feeding event. The data were collected in real-time based on 157,632 visits by a group of 70 growing-finishing pigs (from 30.4 to 115.5 kg [...] Read more.
The feeding behavior of growing-finishing pigs was analyzed to study prandial correlations and the probability of starting a new feeding event. The data were collected in real-time based on 157,632 visits by a group of 70 growing-finishing pigs (from 30.4 to 115.5 kg body weight, BW) to automatic feeders. The data were collected over 84 days, during which period the pigs were kept in conventional (by phase and by group) or precision (with daily and individual adjustments) feeding programs. A criterion to delimit each meal was then defined based on the probability of an animal starting a new feeding event within the next minute since the last visit. Prandial correlations were established between meal size and interval before meal (pre-prandial) or interval after meal (post-prandial) using Pearson correlation analysis. Post-prandial correlations (which can be interpreted as hunger-regulating mechanisms) were slightly stronger than pre-prandial correlations (which can be interpreted as satiety regulation mechanisms). Both correlations decreased as the animals’ age increased but were little influenced by the feeding programs. The information generated in this study allows a better understanding of pigs’ feeding behavior regulation mechanisms and could be used in the future to improve precision feeding programs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Precision Pig Feeding: A Breakthrough Toward Sustainability)
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13 pages, 994 KiB  
Article
Results of 15 Years of Precision Feeding of Hyper Prolific Gestating Sows
by Nathalie Quiniou
Animals 2021, 11(10), 2908; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11102908 - 08 Oct 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1696
Abstract
The increase in prolificacy at weaning is less than that at farrowing due to increased loss of piglets. As a result, farmers focus more on solutions that can prevent difficult parturition or a decrease in milk production. The body condition of the sow [...] Read more.
The increase in prolificacy at weaning is less than that at farrowing due to increased loss of piglets. As a result, farmers focus more on solutions that can prevent difficult parturition or a decrease in milk production. The body condition of the sow influences both factors. A model developed to estimate energy requirements of gestating sows was used to monitor the body weight and back fat thickness (BT) at farrowing, through the creation of a demonstration farm that included 7 batches of 24 sows. Daily feed allowance was adapted to characteristics of each sow at the beginning of gestation. Based on data collected since 2005 from 5140 gestations in different housing systems, the BT averaged 19.3 mm at farrowing, with no significant differences among housing systems. Within-batch variability in BT ranged from 3–4 mm and is expected to improve in the future by using sensors to automatically weigh and measure physical activity towards a real-time assessment of energy requirements. The next step in reducing feed costs and environmental impacts is to consider amino-acid and phosphorus requirements in the precision-feeding strategy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Precision Pig Feeding: A Breakthrough Toward Sustainability)
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