Managing lactation with hyperprolific sows

With the current high prolificacy, the breeding goal is shifting from as many piglets born as possible to as many living pigs as possible a few days after birth. The key: maximising sow colostrum and milk production. To achieve this, there is much to learn from sow physiology in peripartum. Over the last 10 years, sow prolificacy has significantly increased and, with it, total milk production. But, when viewed as the milk available per piglet, this quantity is falling as litter sizes increase