Table 3. Effects of feeding type and dietary energy level on litter size and piglet performance in sows during summer season

Item1) Feeding type Energy level (ME, kcal/kg) SEM p-value
CF FF 3,300 3,400 F E F × E
Litter size
 Initial litter size 11.68 11.74 11.67 11.75 0.23 0.997 0.541 0.361
 Piglets weaned 11.25 11.40 11.22 11.43 0.25 0.673 0.326 0.482
 Survival rate (%) 96.38 97.11 96.13 97.36 1.13 0.459 0.331 0.825
Litter weight (kg)
 Initial (d 1) 15.95 16.28 16.10 16.14 0.36 0.646 0.587 0.548
 Initial (kg/pig, d 1) 1.37 1.39 1.38 1.38 0.01 0.312 0.944 0.759
 Weaning (d 21) 69.01 73.92 69.88 73.05 1.61 0.006 0.033 0.833
 Weaning (kg/pig, d 21) 6.14 6.49 6.23 6.40 0.06 0.001 0.007 0.195
 Total weight gain 53.06 57.65 53.79 56.92 1.35 0.002 0.017 0.932
 Average weight gain (g/pig) 224.27 240.88 228.18 237.17 3.08 0.001 0.002 0.466
Data are means of seven replicates.
SEM, standard error of means; CF, conventional feeding; FF, free feeding; F, feeding type, E, dietary energy level, F × E, feeding type × dietary energy level.