October 2024 - Journal F e - Flipbook - Page 8
Research
IMPACT OF WATER QUALITY
on Nursery Pig Performance
Erin Little
Director of Research Operations
Pipestone Research
Erin Little graduated from South Dakota State University with a B.S. in
Animal Science and an M.S. in Swine Genetics. She began her career
with PIPESTONE managing day-to-day activities in research barns.
Today, she serves as the Director of Research Operations, where she
helps organize the team, build and implement protocols, and analyze
and interpret data.
Roy Edler
BioStatistician
Pipestone Research
Roy Edler developed a passion for farming and livestock growing up in
Northeast Iowa and actively participating in 4-H and FFA. He earned
his M.S. degree from Iowa State University and brought his expertise to
PIPESTONE in 2017 as a Biostatistician for Pipestone Research.
Water quality is a critical but often underappreciated
factor in swine management. To better understand its
impact, Pipestone Research recently conducted a series
of trials comparing the performance of pigs raised
on rural water versus well water. These trials yielded
signi昀椀cant insights into how water quality can in昀氀uence
pig growth, health, and overall nursery performance.
Trial 1
Striking Differences Between
Rural and Well Water
In the 昀椀rst trial, pigs were divided into two groups:
one group was provided well water, and the other rural
water. The study aimed to evaluate key performance
indicators such as average daily gain, feed intake, feed
conversion, and survivability. The well water has been
the only water source for that barn since it was built.
The rural water was provided via a milk tanker and
a sump pump to match the 昀氀owability of the water.
Water samples were collected regularly and stayed
consistent within the water source. The results were
striking.
Pigs on rural water showed a 5% higher fullvalue rate and had a mortality rate of just 2.3%,
compared to a 6% mortality rate in the group on well
water. Additionally, the pigs on well water exhibited
signi昀椀cantly more diarrhea, leading to poor growth and
increased mortality.
The differences were visually apparent as well. Pens
with pigs on rural water were dry and clean, while
those on well water were wet and dirty, with pigs
showing signs of looseness and poor condition. The
8 | PIPESTONE JOURNAL
study highlighted the potential negative effects of
well water on pig health, raising questions about the
speci昀椀c water quality parameters responsible for these
differences.
