Veanavite^® PiggyPower Piglet Milk is a premium quality high protein piglet milk replacer scientifically formulated to maximise lean muscle development and growth potential of modern pig genotypes. A quality blend of spray dried milk powders have been selected and fortified with vitamins, highly available organic trace minerals and antioxidants to meet the nutritional requirements of the young piglet. PiggyPower also contains:

• Fibosel exposed and activated B-glucans to assist natural self defence
• Organic Acids with antimicrobial properties to assist in the control of gut pathogens
• Betaine, a natural osmolyte for best performance during periods of heat and stress

Veanavite^® PiggyPower can be used as supplementation or substitution of sow's milk.

The supply of Veanavite^® PiggyPower as a supplement to sow's milk is an effective strategy to increase weaning weights. During supplementary milk feeding trials, it was discovered that despite the availability of an alternative source of milk, piglets kept suckling the sow. This suggests that the sow-piglet interactions override the potential nutritional response. Measurement of sows body weight loss, p2 (backfat thickness) and feed intake have shown no difference between litters with or without supplemental milk suggesting that the supplemental milk did not reduce the demands placed on the sow. This suggests that providing Veanavite^® PiggyPower to litters should not cause reduced milk yield in sows nor increased rates of mastitis that would be of concern to the pig producer. Instead Veanavite^® PiggyPower should act purely as a supplement to suckling piglets with the potential to greatly enhance the piglets' growth performance.

Alternatively Veanavite^® PiggyPower is an ideal substitute for sows milk in artificial rearing systems. Sows milk composition is primarily aimed at maximising the survival and not necessarily the growth rate of the piglets. The piglet is born with minimal body energy reserves and so relies on frequent supply of large amounts of high energy milk in order to deposit fat for an energy store and insulation to prevent hypothermia. Sow milk is high in fat but relatively low in protein which promotes deposition of fat but potentially restricts lean tissue deposition. Veanavite^® PiggyPower has been formulated to be high in protein to offset the protein shortfall in the sows milk. This will maximise lean tissue growth but will still allow for adequate fat storage for insulation and an energy store.

• Increases weaning weights
• Prevents growth check at weaning
• Decreases days to market
• Organic acids for antimicrobial effect
• Fibosel^® activated B-glucans to assist natural self defence
• Betaine as an aid in reducing heat stress

Two of the key indicators of production are days-to-market and the number of pigs sold per year. Weaning weight is a reliable predictor of both survival postweaning and days-to-market. Heavier piglets have less of a growth check at weaning than lighter piglets and so reach market weight sooner due to increased feed intake. Heavier piglets also have a higher survival rate than lighter piglets. Strategies aimed at increasing weaning weight may therefore have a greater impact on pig performance (growth rate and survival rate) than attempts postweaning. There are, therefore, both financial and welfare reasons for improving the weaning weight of piglets.

Suckling piglets have been reported to have a growth rate of 180-240 g/day between birth and weaning. Artificially reared piglets, however, can grow in excess of 300 g/day. Maximum growth rate in suckling piglets has been reported to occur at around 14 days of age and corresponds to a peak in the sows' milk production. After this peak, the milk production plateaus and the piglet growth rate declines. This suggests that the sow milk yield is limiting to the growth of the young piglet after about day fourteen of lactation. This is the time when the greatest benefits of Veanavite^® PiggyPower supplementation will be seen.

• Supplemental to sow's milk – feed unrestricted as liquid. Ensure that these piglets receive colostrum.
• Substitution of sow's milk or artificial rearing systems – feed unrestricted as a liquid or gruel (mixed with dry feed)
• Weaning transition – mixed as a gruel for all piglets for the first 2 days post weaning. Feed for 2-3 weeks post weaning for runt piglets.

• Provide clean and readily accessible feeders.
• Always dispense milk into a clean feeder.
• Provide a warm, dry environment for piglets.
• Provide fresh, clean water at all times to piglets.
• In the event of scouring remove Veanavite^® PiggyPower Piglet Milk and provide a quality electrolyte.