|
Evaluation of techniques for estimating milk production by sows 2. Estimating the milk consumption of piglets by the Deuterium oxide dilution and weigh-suckle-weigh methods |
|
S. Prawirodigdo, R. H. King, A. C. Dunkin, H. Dove |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Abstract |
|
An experiment was conducted to compare the traditional weigh-suckle-weigh method and the D2O dilution technique to estimate milk consumption of suckling piglets. Milk consumption of 50 individual piglets was estimated on four consecutive days by the D2O dilution method and for approximately 8 hours on both the second and fourth day by the traditional WSW method. The average milk intake of piglets estimated by the D2O dilution method was 45.0 g/hr and there were no significant differences between the four measurement period. The traditional weigh-suckle-weigh method provided a significantly lower estimate of milk consumption (36.8 g/hr). However correction for weight losses associated with milk suckling and weighing would increase the weigh-suckle-weigh estimate to a level similar to that determined by the D2O dilution method. |
| Keywords:
Milk Consumption; Piglets; Deuterium Oxide Dilution; Weigh-Suckle-Weigh |
PDF Links
Full text via DOI
Download Citation
