Author : Winai Yothinsirikul

Summary : Two experiments were conducted to find out milk production composition of lactating sows (Large White and Landrace breeds), nutrient intake of suckling pigs in cool and hot seasons, growth pattern of suckling pigs, backfat changes of lactating sows before and after lactation and the relationship between backfat thickness at the weaning to rebreeding interval. In the first experiment, forty purebred sows (20 Large White and 20 Landrace) which farrowed their third parity, were used in a Split-Split-Plot in a Completely Randomized Design. Main plot was the seasons (cool and hot season) and subplot was the breed (large White and Landrace). Subsubplot was the stage of lactation on day 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 fter parturition. After farrowing, all liters were standardized at nine to ten piglets. The results showed that season had no effect on milk production but had a significant effects on pH of milk; percentage of total solids, solids non fat and crude protein; daily creep feed intake, total daily intake of dry matter, fat, crude protein and energy of piglet; nutrient efficiency in terms of total dry matter intake per gain and total crude protein intake per gain in cool season were higher than in hot season. But milk temperature and fresh water intake of piglet were lower in cool season than in hot season. Breed had significant effect on milk production, percentage of lactose, daily milk intake, total daily intake of dry matter, water and energy; growth pattern of piglet, average daily gain during four weeks of lactation period and daily water intake of piglets per litter in Landrace breed were higher than in Large White breed. Stage of lactation had significant effect on milk production, number of sucking per day, sucking interval, pH of milk, percentage of solids not fat, crude protein and ash, nutrient intake both from milk and creep feed plus fresh water and nutrient efficiency except crude protein intake from milk per gain. Milk production of the Landrace White sows (P <0.05; 6323.39 vs 5981.33 g/day).