Feeding Outdoor Lactating Sows

Lactation feed: 18% protein, 14.5 MJ energy and 1.1% lysine

Pre-farrowing	Day of farrowing
2.5 kg per sow per day until day 110 of pregnancy. Then reduce to 1.5 kg per sow per day to prepare for farrowing Helps reduce udder oedema and prepare sow feed intake	No feed or at most only hand fed into fender area 0.5 kg. However it is essential to feed each sow as an individual.
Post-farrowing
Day 2 – 2 kg per sow per day lactator feed in fender area. Do not feed into hut of the bedding will be disturbed	Day 3-4 -2.5 to 3.5 kg per sow per day – feed just outside the hut
Day 5-10. Increase feed by 0.5 kg per sow per day from 3.5 kg 5.5 kg per sow per day to Feed sows as a group in a line near the water supplies	Day 7-28. Feed from an adlib hopper. Aim for sows to eat 12 kg per day by day 18 of lactation
Other important factors
Ensure feeder management excellent to minimize feed wastage
Feeder working correctly	Feeder wasting feed
Water supplies essential for feed intake and milking ability	Cooling essential to maximise feed intake in the hotter months – excess of 16°C