Effects of Creep Feed with Varied Energy Density Diets on Litter Performance (Report‪)‬

INTRODUCTION It is well suggested that creep feeding begins largely as an exploratory or social activity, and is then increasingly driven by nutrient demand as the piglets become mature and the sow's milk production declines (Pajor et al., 1991). English (1981) demonstrated that sufficient intake of creep feed during lactation may result in a more gradual transition at weaning and can reduce the occurrence of post-weaning disorders. Previously, study has suggest that piglets provided access to a high-complexity diet consumed more solid food than piglets fed on control diets pre-weaning (Fraser et al., 1994). Pajor et al. (2002) found a greater consumption in pigs fed the high complexity diet (high protein and fat) compared with a standard diet. Sulabo et al. (2008) also compared a simple creep diet with a complex creep diet, and observed that litters fed the complex creep diet consumed twice the total and daily creep feed intake of litters fed the simple creep diet. Therefore, creep diet composition could be a factor affecting piglet during lactation.