Creep Feed for Piglets

We offer Creep Feed (for piglet) produced in Nigeria by Terratiga in collaboration with Koudijs Animal Nutrition B.V. While there is no "standard diet" regarding feeds in pig production, Terratiga is committed to producing the right nutritional requirements of your piglets.

The feed is suitable for piglets and weaners till 12kg bodyweight. Using our feeds, we are confident that your pigs will experience a boost of early growth performance. Our creep feeds are easy to use and you will require no mixing equipment for application.

 

Creep Feeding

Creep feeding is the practice of introducing solid feeds to pigs before they are weaned.

The primary reasons for creep feeding pigs are:

To supplement pre-weaned piglets with a solid diet while they are suckling

To create eaters at weaning

How does creep feeding work?

Creep feeding eases the transition from sow’s milk to solid pig starter feed. When a pig eats creep, it stimulates the digestive system to produce amylase, an enzyme that digests the carbohydrates in dry feed. This helps the pig prepare for optimal nutrient digestion when he/ she is ready for pre-starter and starter diets. If a pig is better able to digest dry feed, he can start eating quickly post-weaning for better performance in the nursery and beyond.

To realize the many benefits of creep feeding, you need to be doing it correctly. Here are nine best practices for creep feeding. Use them as a tool to train new employees and help experienced employees remain consistent.

Tips for successful creep feeding

• Store creep feed in a dry, fresh place and keep the bags or containers closed.
• Start by offering small amounts of pig creep feed; increase the amount fed as intake increases. Do not overfeed and endeavor to remove abandoned feed.
• Piglets are social creatures. Place creep feed on mats to encourage them to eat in groups.
• Keep creep feed out of the sow’s reach when placing it for pigs. Offer piglets creep feed when the sow is awake and eating so the pigs are less likely to be suckling.
• Place creep feed in the piglets’ comfort zone; avoid placing it below a heat source, near water sources or in pen corners.
• Offer creep feed two to three times a day to allow piglets optimal access to creep feed.
• Ensure weaning pigs have access to water at all times. You might need to show the piglets where to find waterers.
• Choose a highly palatable creep feed to entice the young pigs to get up and eat. And for this, our premium Creep Feed for Piglets has got you covered.

 

Environmental Control For Optimized Growth

To maximize feed intake, a number of other factors need to be considered. These include temperature & environmental control, adequate supply of water, and sanitation control programs.

• Temperature: Pig temperature requirements are important to growth and production. Pigs are highly adaptable animals and can perform well within a range of temperatures. However, temperatures too low or too high can have adverse effects on the stock.

If, for example, temperatures are too cold, a pig will feed more but expend more energy to stay warm, resulting in slow growth. Hot weather can lead to heat stress and reduce feed consumption (and can possibly lead to death), so it is important to keep livestock cool in summer. Consequently, growth and maturity rates slow down, conception rates fall, and pig flow is reduced, disrupting stock levels. Depending on the season, keep buildings well-ventilated or heated, and provide adequate air space within the pen to ensure pig growth and production rates are maintained.

• Water: Provide lots of fresh, clean water. Water is the central part of a pig’s diet. One-half to two-thirds of its body weight is water. Access to clean drinking water is essential to a pig’s growth rate. Newly weaned pigs are especially prone to dehydration. Pigs must have water readily accessible for drinking throughout the day to maintain proper hydration.
• Sanitation: You should endeavor to implement sanitation protocols on your farm. Poor sanitation can lead to undetected disease challenges that reduce food intake. Properly designed feeders will encourage maximum feed intake.