Milk supplementation using a milk line system

The objective of this project was to establish the benefits of the milk line system in a controlled scientific environment and provide producers with information of how it is best utilised. Three overall questions were addressed: 

1. Do the benefits of the milk line stem from the availability of milk from the time of farrowing?
2. Does the provision of liquid milk affect the creep intake or the sows milk output?
3. What are the post weaning benefits of the milk line and is there an overall economic benefit of the system? 

Findings

• The Milk Line system is easily managed and removes the need for early weaning alternatives by keeping piglets on the sow in the farrowing pen
• The Milk Line system is cost effective and does not add to the work burden when compared to alternative methods of keeping poor doers alive.

When averaged across the two trials the payback period for the equipment would be 12 months; in situations where parity structure is older, then the payback period would be less than 12 months.

* Assumes farm staff installation zero cost