Reproductive Nutrition[1]

For all stages of breeding, a porcine breeder feed formulated for pet pigs should be fed. Breeding gilts require a higher daily intake than growers or breeding sows. Between 20 and 10 days prior to breeding, feed should be limited to 1.5% of their body weight per day, and then increased to 3% of body weight until bred. This serves to “flush” the gilt to help improve conception rates. After breeding, decrease the daily intake back to the standard 2% or as needed to maintain adequate body condition score, gilts may require more feed on a percent of body weight basis than sows, as the gilts are still growing.

For the first 12 weeks of gestation the sow can be fed between 1-1.5% BW/day. The last 4 weeks of gestation feed should be increased to 2% BW/day. Addition of 5mg folic acid/kg of feed can help reduce the number of early gestational fetal deaths.

For 4-5 days prior to and 1 day after farrowing, reduce feed to 1.5%BW/day. From then until weaning the sows/gilts can be fed free choice.

Breeding boars are also fed a breeder feed at 2-2.5%BW/day. Their body condition score should be closely monitored as they may gain or lose weight depending on how much they are working. They can also be supplemented with 25-50IU of vitamin E and 0.5-1.0g lard 2-3 times per week.