Feed the boars for a top reproductive performance
Source: Picture from DanBred
Published: 2023-04-27
A well-balanced feed strategy is critical to the quantity and quality of boar semen – and the future of the herd.
Boars are the smallest, perhaps most overlooked group in pig production. Yet their semen has a critical influence on the overall performance of the herd, including the size of the individual litter. Genetics, housing conditions, semen collection management and, particularly, the feed rank among the key factors that ensure semen volume and quality.
In an optimum feeding strategy, the amount and composition of the feed must account for the needs of the boar at each life stage. The objective is to ensure boar activity and libido and, subsequently, the development and motility of the sperm.
During the growing period, boars have similar nutrient needs to gilts, which means feeding can be ad libitum feeding from 30 to 60kg. Up to a weight of 105kg, feed should be limited to 2.9 kg a day to prevent unwanted lean meat growth and improve leg strength. From then on, daily feed should be regulated according to body condition. The optimal daily gain level is 750-800 g from 30 to 140 kg of weight.
Ganna Kirianova
Nutritionist
+ 45 2981 0171
gaki@vilomix.dk
Picture 1. Recommended feeding curve for boars from 30 to 110 kg
(based on feed with a content of 9,5 MJ NE/12,5 MJ ME/1,05 EW per kg feed)
Source: Danbred feeding manual
Source: Picture from DanBred
In ad libitum feeding system energy density and lysin level of feed could be lowered with 5-7%.
Table 1. Recommended levels of main nutrients for restricted fed boars:
Source: Danbred feeding manual
A rule of thumb is that sexually mature boars have the same nutrient requirements as gestating sows – a feed level of 2,5 to 3,2 kg feed per day depends on body condition
Table 2. Recommended levels of main nutrients for boars in use:
Source: Danbred feeding manual
Source: Picture from DanBred
1This is also recommended for the boar unit - before and after the boar is taken into use
2Based on usage of phytase
*NE = Net energy; ME = Metabolic Energy; EW = Net Energy using the Dutch evaluation System
A rule of thumb is that sexually mature boars have the same nutrient requirements as gestating sows – a feed level of 2,5 to 3,2 kg feed per day depends on body condition.
Daily feed rations should, however, be supplemented with an extra 100g for each jump and for every degree below 20°C in the barn.
Sufficient amounts of fibres should be included in boar ration to ensure gut health and satiety.
Source: Picture from DanBred
Balancing energy and protein
At all times, the best results rely on the farmer’s ability to find the right balance. While the energy and protein level of the feed must be high enough to optimise the reproductive performance, excessive amounts are likely to lead to obesity, reduced leg strength and a decline in the quantity and quality of the semen. By the same token, insufficient feed leads to energy deficiency and impaired spermatogenesis.
In a feeding study, Kemp et al (1989) demonstrated the impact of various feed strategies on breeding boars. Over 12 weeks, the boars were fed ad libitum or at medium or low level. By the final two weeks, the boars were fed on low levels (1,92 kg/day) produced significantly less sperm cells than the boars on high and medium level feeding.
VITAMIN AND MINERAL SUPPLEMENTATION
With regard to vitamin and mineral addition, a farrowing or pregnancy mixture will also meet the needs of the boar. In 2004, I Audet et al investigated the impact of vitamin supplements on semen quality. Although the study found limited transfer of vitamins from blood to seminal plasma, there were indications that supplementation with both water-soluble and fat-soluble vitamins increases semen production during intensive collection.
One of the water-soluble vitamins currently not added to standard boar feed is vitamin C. Various trials have shown, however, that vitamin C may have a positive effect on sperm concentration and reduce the number of deformed sperm. Further studies are required to confirm this tendency and its underlying mechanisms of action.
Concerning mineral addition, investigations have largely focused on zinc and selenium, which both have an influence on sperm quality. Zinc directly affects spermatogenesis and the maturation of testosterone-producing Leydig cells in the testes. Selenium is a component of the antioxidant enzyme glutathione peroxidase, which acts on the peroxides that would otherwise break down cell membranes in the body.
Source: Picture from DanBred
Quality and safety monitoring
In addition to balancing the nutrient content of the feed, attention should be paid to the consistent quality and safety standards of feed raw materials in general. Unwanted substances such as mycotoxins, for example, should be carefully monitored. Particularly zearalenone and aflatoxin B1 have been shown to have a negative effect on semen production and fertility.
Finally, when the nutritional content is in balance, producers must be sure to maintain optimal indoor conditions. A well-adjusted microclimate and sufficient water supply are fundamental for a top reproductive performance.
Any questions?
Please contact our Vilomix nutritionists in pigs here.
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