Feeding the weaned piglet

Tremendous progress has been made to understand the nutrient requirements and value of different feed ingredients for weaned pigs. This knowledge has allowed us to improve post-weaning growth performance. However, feeding weaner pigs is confusing to many producers and nutritionists because of the conflicting information in the literature and of how it often contrasts best practices in the field. The confusion is likely a result of the many different ways a feeding program for weaner pigs can be designed and implemented. Indeed, nutritionists and producers often have different goals and objectives with their nutritional program for weaner pigs. Therefore, it is essential to emphasize that feeding programs are not a ‘one size fits all’ scenario and understanding the relationships between diet and growth is important for both pig performance and economic success. Thus, the aim of this chapter is to discuss some of the major nutritional opportunities during the post-weaning period, including: effects of diet composition, nutrient requirements and ingredient value.