ChileanJAR

Forty-eight crossbred sows and gilts were assigned to six feeding systems during pregnancy and their reproductive performance was studied. Treatments were: 1) Group feeding 2 Kg of meal per day split in two rations; 2) Individual feeding 2 Kg of meal per day split in two rations; 3) Group feeding 2 Kg of meal per day in one ration; 4) Individual feeding 2 Kg of meal per day in one ration; 5) Ad lib feeding for 2 hours every 4.8 hours; 6) Ad lib feeding for 3 hours every 72 hours. During lactation all sows and gilts received the same diet and management until weaning at 42 days.
No significant differences in weight gain among treatments were observed during pregnancy. Group-feeding tendend to produce less weight gains in sowsand gilts; lactation weight losses were higher for sows individually-fed in gestation, compared to those group fed. Daily feed intake in lactation was not significantly different among treatments. Litter size and weight was not different at birth or weaning. There was however a tendency for higher number oí pigs weaned per litter for treatments group-fed during gestation. "Skip-day" feeding closely approached the established 2 Kg per day fed to the other groups. This fact indicates that 2 or 3 hours of ad lib feeding every 48 or 72 hours respectively was satisfactory.