The influence of different weaning methods on piglet growth performance in commercial herd in Turkey

Abstract

This study was carried out to determine the effects of different weaning methods on survival, growth performance and live weight gain of piglets from 84 piglets divided into three groups as control and two treatment group. In the control, piglets were suckled on mother; treatment group 1 was fed in pelleted form and suckled; treatment group 2 was fed only in pelleted form until weaning age. A significant difference (P < 0.05) was observed in survival rates among the groups from the 21(st) day to 35(th) day of age. Average daily weight gain and feed efficiency (except for the first week) of the piglets in the treatment group one were higher (P < 0.01) than that of the other groups. The results obtained in the experiment showed that feeding of piglets with pellet and mother milk till the time of weaning age has positive effect on survival rate, growth performance and live weight gain.