Proper nutrition of the breeding sows plays a key role in maximizing herd productivity and profit. Nutrition is the key component that ensures the modern sow achieves her genetic potential for reproduction. During gestation the objective should be to feed the sow to ensure that: she produces an adequate number of piglets of acceptable body weight, the mammary glands are properly developed to safeguard optimum production of high quality colostrum and milk, the target body weight gain and body condition and composition at parturition are achieved without compromising performance during lactation or subsequently.