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Agewean – The effect of weaning age on growing pig health and performance in the absence of antibiotic growth promoters

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 November 2017

H. Edge*
Affiliation:
Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
K. Breuer
Affiliation:
ADAS, Terrington, United Kingdom
K. Hillman
Affiliation:
SAC, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
C. Morgan
Affiliation:
SAC, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
A. Stewart
Affiliation:
Harper Adams, Newport, Shropshire, United Kingdom
D. Strachan
Affiliation:
SAC, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
L. Taylor
Affiliation:
BPEX, Milton Keynes, United Kingdom
C. Theobald
Affiliation:
Bioss, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
S.A. Edwards
Affiliation:
Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
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Extract

The immediate postweaning period in pigs is often characterised by a reduced and variable food intake, digestive disorders and poor growth and development. Historically such effects were reduced by the use of in-feed antibiotic growth promoters (AGPs), copper sulphate and zinc oxide to enhance the efficiency of feed conversion and hence maximise nutrient capture. However from January 2006 the routine use of in-feed AGPs was banned and, due to concern over environmental pollution, levels of inclusion of heavy metals are limited by regulation and likely to be further reduced in the future. Weaning pigs at a later age has been suggested as an approach to reduce the potentially negative effects of the AGP ban on the national herd. The objective of the AGEWEAN programme of research was to investigate the effects of weaning age (4, 6 and 8 weeks) in both an indoor and outdoor lactation environment on the biological and economic efficiency of production where diets contain no AGPs and lower levels of copper (<25ppm added) and zinc (<100ppm added).

Type
Theatre Presentations
Copyright
Copyright © The British Society of Animal Science 2008

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References

Edge, H.L., Breuer, K., Hillman, K., Morgan, C.A., Stewart, A.H., Strachan, W.D., Taylor, L., Theobald, C.M., Edwards, S.A. 2007. Proceedings of the British Society of Animal Science 85 CrossRefGoogle Scholar