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Measurements of heat production(HP; indirect calorimetry) and its partition between maintenance, physical activity, thermoregulation, and thermic effect of feed or energy gain were carried out in sows maintained in different situations: primiparous or multiparous; pregnant or nonpregnant; thermoneutral or cold conditions; varied feeding levels; and varied body weights (BW). Metabolizable energy requirements for maintenance average 420 kJ/kg [BW.sup..75] at thermoneutrality and moderate physical activity. This value is not significantly affected by parity, pregnancy, and stage of pregnancy. Physical activity is a major factor causing differences in energy balance between sows because activity is variable and its energy cost (27 kJ.kg [BW.sup.-.75][multiplied by]100 [min.sup.-1] standing) is four to five times higher than in other species. Lower critical temperature (LCT) is approximately 20 [degrees] C in pregnant and individually housed sows, and daily HP is increased by approximately 15 kJ/kg [BW.sup..75] for each degree Celsius decrease of ambient temperature below LCT. Efficiencies of utilization of ME for meeting energy requirements for maintenance, maternal gain, and uterine gain are 77, 75, and 50%, respectively. Equations for predicting energy deposition in the uterus and mammary gland are proposed. In addition to activity and thermoregulation, energy requirements of pregnant sows depend on body reserves of energy. Studies with newborn pigs indicate that they are quite sensitive to ambient temperature (i.e., +25 J[multiplied by]kg [BW.sup.-.75][multiplied by][min.sup.-1] for each degree Celsius decrease of temperature), and their LCT is 32 to 34 [degrees] C. The energy demand of pigs for thermoregulation just after birth relies mainly on carbohydrates from glycogen reserves or colostrum. Survival of newborn pigs is highly dependent on the supply of colostrum. Key Words: Sow Pregnancy, Neonates, Pigs, Energy Metabolism

The present study investigated the effect of 3 different durations of feeding a diet supplemented with defatted bovine colostrum (Col) on growth performance and sanitary status of the weaned piglet. At 28 d of age, piglets were weaned and fed 1 of the 2 following diets: a control (Ctrl) starter diet or a starter diet supplemented with Col. Two experiments were conducted. In Exp. 1, 310 piglets (12 pens consisting of 10 piglets/pen and 10 pens consisting of 19 piglets/pen) were allocated to 1 of the 2 dietary treatments for 12 d. In Exp. 2, 522 piglets (18 pens consisting of 10 piglets/pen and 18 pens consisting of 19 piglets/pen) were allocated to 1 of the following 3 dietary treatments: fed the Ctrl diet from d 1 to 12 (Ctrl), Col diet from d 1 to 4 and then the Ctrl diet up to d 12 (Col-4d), or the Col diet from d 1 to 6 and then the Ctrl diet up to d 12 (Col-6d). For both experiments, a commercial second-phase diet was fed to piglets from d 12 to 46. Feed intake, growth performance, and cleanliness of floor and hindquarters of animals were investigated during the first 7 wk postweaning. In Exp. 1, from d 0 to 12, ADFI, ADG, and G:F were 16 (P = 0.004), 23 (P < 0.001), and 5% (P = 0.069) greater, respectively, in Col piglets compared with Ctrl piglets. Thereafter, ADFI and ADG were 7 (P < 0.001) and 9% (P < 0.001) greater, respectively, in Col piglets than Ctrl piglets (d 12 to 46). On d 12 after weaning, piglets fed the Col diet had more normal feces (+13%) and less soft or liquid feces (−9 and −4%, respectively) than piglets fed the Ctrl diet (P = 0.06). Compared with Ctrl piglets, feeding the Col diet led to more days with normal feces for the floor cleanliness (+22%; P < 0.001) from d 7 to 11. In Exp. 2, compared with Ctrl piglets, ADFI, ADG, and G:F were 8, 23, and 13% greater (P < 0.05) in Col-6d piglets from d 0 to 9, whereas values for Col-4d piglets were intermediate and did not differ from the values of the other dietary treatments. On d 9 after weaning, piglets fed the Col-4d or the Col-6d diet had more normal feces (+6 and +4%, respectively) and less liquid feces (−4 and −3%, respectively) than piglets fed the Ctrl diet (P = 0.08). No long lasting effects were observed thereafter. In conclusion, there was a reduction of weaning-induced growth check and diarrheal episodes in weaned piglets fed the Col diet. The beneficial effects of the bovine colostrum were observed beyond the period of treatment when the supplementation covered the first 6 d postweaning, which corresponded to the acute phase of postweaning digestive disturbances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]