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Overview

The purpose of this experiment is to determine if a colostrum-based supplement will decrease the amount of time it will take a piglet to get up and sucking on a sow’s teat immediately after birth. It will then be determined if the piglets given the colostrum-based supplement will have a greater increase of weight gain than piglets not given the supplement. Swine producers have always strove to obtain optimal weight gain in piglets. This project can prove that producers can use a colostrum-based supplement to achieve high weight gain in piglets. Three litters of piglets were used in this experiment. Immediately after birth every other piglet was given 2 ml of First Pulse D Oral Drench by Ralco. All piglets were timed immediately after birth to determine how long it took them to begin sucking on a sow’s teat. All piglets in each litter were weighed two days after birth, and every two days thereafter for two weeks from the first weigh date. Timing the piglets immediately after birth resulted in inconclusive results. All the piglets’ times were random with no pattern. The results from weighing showed that in all litters, it didn’t matter if the piglets were born the lightest or the heaviest. All piglets given First Pulse D had the highest weight gain of each litter. Proving that the colostrum-based supplement First Pulse D contributed to greater weight gain in piglets.

Competition history

• ISEF 2015 Biochemistry · Entry ANIM053I

Resources

• ISEF abstract page ↗

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