Eco Piglets Weans Piglets on the 28th Day to Improve Performance

At the “Eco Piglets” pig farm, modern artificial insemination technologies for sows and gilts are employed, achieving a high fertilization rate of 90% to 95%. This was shared by the company’s director, Volodymyr Iliukhin, in an interview with The Ukrainian Farmer magazine.

This is reported by AgroReview

Optimization of Piglet Rearing Process

According to Volodymyr Iliukhin, his company uses Danish sows capable of giving birth to 20-25 piglets. The main goal is not only to obtain the maximum number of piglets but also to ensure their high quality and uniformity for further rearing. “We select the best piglets and leave 16-17 under the sow to reduce risks and create optimal conditions for growing,” he explained.

Supplementing Piglets and Weaning Date

The young animals receive natural milk and two pre-starters while under the sow to prepare for independent living. Volodymyr Iliukhin noted that artificial milk is used for supplementation, and efforts are made to involve each sow during feeding.

“Whenever possible, we use foster mothers, but this brings certain inconveniences due to a lack of available space during farrowing, so we try to involve each sow as much as possible,” he stated.

“Eco Piglets” weans piglets on the 28th day at a weight of 6.5-7 kg, which is more optimal than before when they were weaned on the 21st day. According to Volodymyr Iliukhin, this decision helps reduce stress and improve performance during the growing and finishing stages. “Previously, we weaned on the 21st day, but this led to poorer results. Therefore, we later determined that the 28th day is optimal,” he added.

As reported, the company “Goodvalley Ukraine” plans to wean over 520,000 piglets weighing 6 kg per year.