Our Organisation Search
Quick Links
Toggle: Topics
Section menu

OPTIPIG

Optimising output per sow

Project Summary

Sow output in Ireland is below that in more efficient pig producing countries. If an Irish 500 sow unit could increase output to that achieved in The Netherlands (26.5 pigs/sow/year), net profit p.a. would increase by €35,650. This would further stimulate growth of the national herd. Welfare and ethical concerns mean that genetic selection for hyper-prolificacy has received negative publicity in other countries where large litters of light, marginally viable pigs are associated with increased mortality. Hence, increases in sow output in Ireland should be achieved in a more sustainable manner. The objective of this project is to increase sow output by:

  1. Improving sow nutrition (feed allowance, L-carnitine, L-arginine, fish oil, vitamin D supplementation, fermentable substrates) to maximise the sows’ genetic potential for large litters while also increasing the viability of the additional piglets born
  2. Improving colostrum quality to reduce piglet mortality
  3. Implementing pre-weaning interventions (nurse sows, rescue decks and energy supplementation) to keep weak piglets alive.

Archived databases from sow nutrition studies will be mined and animal experiments conducted. Best practice guidelines for optimisation of sow output will be prepared and results will be disseminated effectively to enable prompt adoption by stakeholders with the aim of realising Harvest 2020 targets.

Expected benefits

  • Benchmarking of Ireland compared to other EU countries regarding annual output per sow, and identification of areas where improvements can be made
  • Increasing the number of pigs produced/sow/year using nutritional and management strategies
  • Improving the chances of survival of live-born pigs, maintaining the industry mortality average.
  • image of the Irish pig industry as the project focuses on increasing sow output sustainably, by minimising piglet mortality and maximising health and welfare.
  • Increased profitability in the pig sector.

Publications & Presentations

  • Rooney, H.B., O’Driscoll, K., O’Doherty, J.V. and Lawlor, P.G. 2019. Effect of L-carnitine supplementation and sugar beet pulp in gilt gestation diets on gilt live weight, lactation feed intake and offspring growth from birth to slaughter. Journal of Animal Science 97(10):4208 – 4218. https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skz268
  • Rooney, H.B., O’Driscoll, K., O’Doherty, J.V. and Lawlor, P.G. 2019. Effect of increasing dietary energy density during late gestation and lactation on sow performance, piglet vitality, and lifetime growth of offspring. Journal of Animal Science 98(1): skz379. https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skz379
  • Rooney, H.B., O’Driscoll, K., O’Doherty, J.V. and Lawlor, P.G. 2020. Effect of dietary L-carnitine supplementation to sows during gestation and/or lactation on sow productivity, muscle maturation and lifetime growth in progeny from large litters. British Journal of Nutrition pg.1 – 14. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0007114520000811
  • Rooney, K., O’Driscoll, K., Lawlor, P. and O’Doherty, J. 2020. The challenges of rearing large litters. Tresearch Vol. 15 no.1, Spring 2020
  • OPTIPIG RDD 2018 (PDF)
  • Artificial rearing for piglets - TResearch Winter 2017 (PDF)
  • Arginine and carnitine supplementation for gestating sows – Tresearch Autumn 2018 (PDF)

Peer-reviewed

  1. Schmitt O. and O’Driscoll, K. Use of Infra-Red Thermography to non-invasively assess neonatal piglet temperature. Translational Animal Science. Accepted Jun 2020
  2. Rooney, B., O’Driscoll, K., Silacci, P., Bee, G. O’Doherty, J.V. and Lawlor, P.G. 2020. Effect of dietary L-carnitine supplementation to sows during gestation and/or lactation on sow reproductive performance, muscle maturation and lifetime growth in progeny from large litters. British Journal of Nutrition. 124:43-56 https://doi.org/10.1017/S0007114520000811
  3. Rooney, B., O’Driscoll, K., O’Doherty, J.V. and Lawlor, P.G. 2020. Effect of incremental sow dietary energy density during late gestation and lactation on sow lactation performance, piglet vitality and lifetime growth of offspring. Journal of Animal Science. 98:1. https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skz379
  4. Schmitt, O., O’Driscoll, K., Baxter, E. and Boyle, L. 2019. Artificial rearing affects the emotional state and reactivity of pigs post-weaning. Animal Welfare 28(4):433-442. https://doi.org/10.7120/09627286.28.4.433
  5. Rooney, H.B., O’Driscoll, K., O’Doherty, J.V. and Lawlor, P.G. 2019. Effects of L-carnitine supplementation and sugar beet pulp inclusion in gilt gestation diets on gilt live-weight, lactation feed intake and offspring growth from birth to slaughter. Journal of Animal Science 97(10):4208-4218 https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skz268
  6. Schmitt, O., Baxter, E., Lawlor, P., Boyle, L. and O’Driscoll, K. A single dose of fat-based energy supplement to light birth-weight pigs shortly after birth does not increase their survival and growth. Animals. 9:227 https://doi.org/10.3390/ani9050227
  7. Schmitt, O., O’Driscoll, K., and Baxter, E. 2019. Exploratory study of the effects of Intra-Uterine-Growth-Retardation and neonatal energy supplementation of low birth-weight piglets on their post-weaning cognitive abilities. Animal Cognition 22:373-385 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10071-019-01251-8
  8. Schmitt, O., Baxter, E., Boyle, L. and O’Driscoll, K. Nurse sow strategies in the domestic pig (Sus Scrofa): II. Consequences piglet growth, suckling behaviour, and sow nursing behaviour. Animal. 13:590-599https://doi.org/10.1017/S1751731118001702
  9. Schmitt, O., Baxter, E., Boyle, L. and O’Driscoll, K. Nurse sow strategies in the domestic pig (Sus Scrofa): I. Consequences for the selected measures of sow welfare. Animal. 13:580-589 https://doi.org/10.1017/S175173111800160X
  10. Lavery, A. Lawlor, P.G., Miller, H.M., and Magowan, E. 2019. The Effect of Dietary Oil Type and Energy Intake in Lactating Sows on the Fatty Acid Profile of Colostrum and Milk, and Piglet Growth to Weaning Animals. 9(12):1092 https://doi.org/10.3390/ani9121092
  11. Lavery, A. Lawlor, P.G., Magowan, E., Miller, H.M., O’Driscoll, K. and Berry, D.P. 2019. An association analysis of sow parity, live-weight and back-fat depth as indicators of sow productivity. Animal. 13:622-630 https://doi.org/10.1017/S1751731118001799
  12. Schmitt, O., O’Driscoll, K., Boyle, L. and Baxter, E. 2019. Artificial rearing affects piglets pre-weaning behaviour, welfare and growth performance. Applied Animal Behaviour Science. 210:16-25.

Teagasc Personnel

Funding body

  • Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, funded by the Irish Government under the National Development Plan 2007-2013

For More details contact