Effect of a peat-based feed additive and sow parity on the performance of suckling piglets: a case study

This study was conducted to evaluate the benefit of a peat-based additive in reducing the neonatal diarrhoea of piglets, according to sow's parity. From five consecutive batches, a total of 100 Large White x Landrace sows [50 primiparous (PR) and 50 multiparous (ML)] were randomly allocated to the control (CTR) or treated (TRT) group. The peat additive was provided to TRT piglets from the day of birth to day 7 of life (6 g/day/head). Overall, PR group resulted in lower piglets performance with higher enteric disease incidence compared with ML group. Compared with ML, PR sows had lower BCS at weaning (P < .001), fewer total piglets born, lower average piglet weaning weight (P < .01) and higher incidence of deaths due to enteric disease (P < .05). Regardless parity, TRT group showed a fewer number of litters affected by enteric disease (P < .05). No significant interaction between sow parity and treatment was observed.