Fernando Gomez has over 22 years of experience in the swine industry. He currently works as a Wean to Finish Specialist for PIC North America, focusing on early pig care. His presentation discusses three major factors for success in the first week after weaning - having a good start through cleanliness and placement planning, intensive feed training through techniques like mat feeding and supporting with gruel, and reducing competition through optimizing feeder space, water availability and temperature control. The presentation emphasizes that extra care must be given to pigs facing health challenges like PED or PRRS.

1. Fernando Gomez
M.S. Animal Production
Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
22 year veteran in swine industry
1992-1994: Starts Agrosuper
1994-2006: PIC, developed business in in 7 Latin
American countries
2006-2013: Norson, (associated with Smithfield) Farrow
to Finish Production Manager, Mexico
2013-Present: Wean to Finish Specialist, PIC, NA

2. EARLY PIG CARE
KEY CONCEPTS
PIC Road Show
November, 2014

3. Success on First Week…
Achieve an Excellent Transition
Old Environmental New Environmental
Immunity Colostrum Need to Create Immunity
Competition Only first 24hrs During 24hrs/day
Feeder Space 1 Inch/pig
10 pigs/drinker
Floor; 2.8-3.65 sqft/pig
Heat zone
Feed Form Liquid Milk Solid Feed
Digestibility High Low (starch & fiber)

4. Three Major Factors – “SFC Concept”
Good
Start
• Good Clean &
Disinfection & Dry
• Placement Plan
• Environmental Care
Intensive
Feed Training
• Mat Feeding
• Feeding Supporting
(example-Gruel)
• Water Intake
Training
Reduce
Competition
• Feed
ü Feeder Space
ü Pan Coverage
• Floor
• Water
ü Drinker/pig
ü Water Pressure
• Temperature

5. Cleanness and All In-All Out Importance
Good Start; Clean & Disinfection & Dry
Strategies for the Control of Respiratory Disease,
Glasgow University, Stanley Done, 1996
AIAO, Uncleaned
Buildings
DLG (gm/day) DLG (gm/day)
Weaners 595 515 15.5
Growers 1 643 597 7.7
Growers 2 736 712 6.3
Finishers 671 621 8.1
Wean-to-Sale 658 619 5.9
AIAO, Cleaned
Buildings
Cargill, C., and Banhazi, T. (1998) Proc 1st IPVS 3, 15.
Class of Pig %
Improvement
Influence AIAO Managements (Cargill & Banhazi, 1998)
Partially
Cleaned
Totally
Cleaned
%
Improvement
# Closeouts 13 13
Weight at exit, lb 11.5 12.0 3.9
Daily gain, lb/d 1.52 1.64 7.4
% Treated 6.9 4.1 40.6
% Mortality 3.5 2.1 40
(Danish National Committee for Pig Production Review, 1996)

6. 1. Remove all Pigs
2. Scrape and
remove all large
organic material from
pens (including feed
from feeders)
3. Remove feeders,
heat mats, to
maximize surface
areas for soaking.
4. Soak the room
with sprinkler system
5. Apply Acid Wash
(Foaming Gun)
30 minute contact
time
6. Power wash with
hot water
7. 3rd party
inspection and
potential re-wash
room
KEEP INSPECTING
UNTIL APPROVED!!
8. Apply disinfectant
with Foaming Gun
9. Allow facility to
warm and dry for
optimum 3 days
before new pigs
entry
Good Start; Clean & Disinfection & Dry

7. Good Start; Placement Plan (Example)
Normal Condition
7% Pulled pigs days 1-3
7 % Pulled pig pen (Hospital)
10 % Graduated Pigs
Health Challenges Conditions
Considers extra space for
Hospital Pen
Hospital Pen no more than
~80% of capacity, extra feeder,
temperature, water availability.

8. Good Start- Environmental
Room Temperature
ü In accord to Facilities and Comfort Zone
Comfort Zone
1. Brooders
ü Typically for 2-4 weeks
2. Mats
ü Create a comfort zone of 950F below brooder
ü Allows pigs to choose their area
ü Provide 0.4 ft² of mat space per head
ü Typically is removed 2 wks post placement
Humidity
ü Relative Humidity <65%
Air Speed
ü Inlet air speed; 600-800 FPM
ü Air Flow on the back pig < 30-40 FPM

9. Good Start- Environmental

10. 55
58
61
64
67
70
73
76
79
82
85
88
1
8
15
22
29
36
43
50
57
64
71
78
85
92
99
106
113
120
127
134
141
148
155
162
169
176
Solid
Sided
Barn
&
Concret
Slatted
(Temperature
oF
vs
Days
on
Feed)
No
Brooder+
no
Mat Brooder
and
No
Mat Brooder
+
Mat
Pigs with Health Challenges
55
58
61
64
67
70
73
76
79
82
85
1
8
15
22
29
36
43
50
57
64
71
78
85
92
99
Solid
Sided
Barn
&
Concret
Slatted
(Temperature
oF
vs
Days
on
Feed)
Brooder
+
Mat Temp
Level
Recept
(Healthy) PED&PRRS
Challenges
Room Temperature
Good Start- Environmental

11. MAT FEEDING – GOAL IS FEEDING INTAKE TRAINING
• Critical point for pigs with PED and PRRS Challenges
• ~ 1lb per 40 pigs
• 0.4 ft2/pig
• 4-6 times per day during 3-7 days
Intensive Feeding Training

12. Potter, Dritz, Tokach, Goodband and Nelssen, KSU 2010
8.0
1.9
4.6
1.4
43%
26%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
45%
0.0
1.0
2.0
3.0
4.0
5.0
6.0
7.0
8.0
9.0
d
0
to
11
removals/died,
% d
11
to
27
removals/died,
%
%
Control Mat-­‐fed Differences
Mat Feeding Impact ( KSU, 2010)
Intensive Feeding Training

13. 5.14%
6.29%
3.14%
1.71%
y = -0.0134x + 0.0743
R2
= 0.7231
0.00%
1.00%
2.00%
3.00%
4.00%
5.00%
6.00%
7.00%
Control 2x 4x 6x
Treatments
Deathloss(%)Mat Feeding Impact
Treatments (General Population only) ; Control – no special feeding, Mat feeding 2x, 4x or 6x a day (8 oz./30 pigs), 350 pigs per treatment group.
Starting Wean Weights ; Average = 12.8 lbs, Range = 7.5 to 21 lbs.
Intensive Feeding Training

14. • Critical point for pigs with PED
and PRRS Challenges
• Use starter diets
• Clean bowl and mix fresh gruel
3 x per day (2-3 Days)
• 8 oz feed & 24 oz H2O/15 pigs,
consumed in 1 Hour
• 3 inches/Pig Bunk Space
29.70%
19.40%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
Mat Only Mat & Gruel
Treats
(%)
Treatments in Sort down pigs; Mat feeding 2x a day (8oz) vs
Mat feeding (2x a day) PLUS gruel 4x a day
Gruel Feeding Impact
in sorting pigs
Feeding Supporting- Gruel

15. Nursery (Example)
Day 1- max 3 70%
Day 4-7 50%
Day 7 to exit 40%
Market Pigs 35%
Reducing Competition- Feed
Pan Coverage
~70% first 1-3 days
Pan Coverage
~35% -Late Finishing

16. Short Feeders will restrict feed intake
Feeder Space
PIC Recommends
Nursery; 1 inch/pig
Stocking Density
PIC Recommends
Nursery; 2.80sqft/pig (50lb)
3.65sqft/pig (75lb)
Reducing Competition- Feed

17. Drinker/PigHeight Dirty PanFeeder Design
Reducing Competition - Water
• Critical point for pigs with PED and PRRS Challenges
• Pigs per Drinker (10 pigs/drinker)
• Water Flow (NRY 500ml/min)
• Height (Nipple; Pig shoulder level)

18. 8 12 25
ADG,
lb/Day 1.012 0.946 0.902
No
Visits/6h 13.88 10.60 10.32
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
0.84
0.86
0.88
0.90
0.92
0.94
0.96
0.98
1.00
1.02
1.04
#
Visits
in
6
hrs
period
lb/d
ADG
in
Nursery
Wean-­‐42
days,
Bowl
drinker.
Sandler,
2008
Drinker to Nursery Pigs Ratio. Effect on Drinking Behavior and Performance, Sadler et al, ISU 2008
0.4
0.42
0.44
0.46
0.48
0.5
0.52
0.54
0.56
200 400 700
ADG,
lb/d
(10-­‐20Kg)
ml/min
Water
Flow
Impact
in
Nursery
Pigs
(Brooks
&
Laibrandt
cited,
Gadd
2005)
$
1.79/pig
$
0.55/pig
Pig per Drinker Impact
Water Flow Impact
Reducing Competition - Water

19. Impact of the ADG in the First Week
Post Weaning vs WTF Performance
0 7 28 56 156
0
5
10
15
20
Weight Advantage, lb
Tokach et al., 1992
Day Postweaning
< 0 lb/d
0 - .33 lb/d
.33 - .50 lb/d
> .50 lb/d

20. 100.00
120.00
140.00
160.00
180.00
200.00
220.00
240.00
260.00
280.00
-­‐0.20 0.00 0.20 0.40 0.60 0.80 1.00 1.20
MarketWeight
First 21 Days ADG
Impact of Early ADG on End Weight
Impact of the ADG in the First 3 Weeks
Post Weaning vs Market Weight

21. • PEDv challenged pigs have decreased capacity for nutrient
absorption within the small intestine.
• Regeneration time for critical absorptive epithelial cells:
ü In young pigs, takes much longer than in mature animals.
ü As the pig ages it remains vulnerable to diarrhea, however expected mortality
rates decrease due to gut maturation.
• Presenting nutrients that are both absorbable and quickly
available to maintain energy is essential. Avoiding osmotic
diarrhea is key.
ü Simple sugars and electrolytes are critical to improve survivability.
ü Transitioning piglets off of a milk-based diet as quickly as possible is key to
mitigating losses.
Husbandry’s Goal
Assure hydration and maximize absorption while the
body repairs. Optimize pig comfort.
PED Post Weaning Challenge

22. Hydration
Electrolytes – Gruel
Ample Water
Activity
Stocking Density
Feed Intake
Feeding Space
Diet Design
Environment
Air Temperature
Mat Space
Mat Temperature
Piglet
Survival
PED Pig Care: 4 Keys

23. GRUEL FEEDING – EXTRA WATER
REDUCE COMPETITION FOR FLOOR AND FEEDER SPACE
GRUEL
FEEDING
INDIVIDUAL
TREATMENT
EXTRA TEMPERATURE
DESICCANTS FOR
PED PROBLEMS
Health Challenges; Additional Value
ELECTROLYTES
(3-5 DS)
ACID PAK

24. THANKS
QUESTIONS?