Intensive care diet

The intensive care diet is typically fed to pigs from 8 to 12 lb of body weight. The purpose is to provide nutritional support for piglets that require intensive care, which typically are early-weaned, low-weight, or health-challenged piglets. These pigs represent approximately 10 to 12% of all nursery pigs. The intensive care diet can also be offered as a creep feed during the nursing phase.

The intensive care diet must provide high-quality feed ingredients to stimulate feed intake and match the digestive capabilities of weanling pigs. Typically, the intensive care diet contains high amounts of specialty protein sources such as fermented soybean meal, enzyme-treated soybean meal, soy protein concentrate, spray-dried plasma, or fish meal, among others. The level of lactose is also high, with at least 18% and up to 30% lactose.

Fact Sheet: Nursery Phase Feeding Program

Example Nursery Diets

Phase 1, phase 2, phase 3, and intensive care example diets are available at KSU Premix & Diet Recommendations