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Management of Peri-Parturient and Lactating Sows and Piglets

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A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Pigs".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 October 2019) | Viewed by 32247

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Dr. Keelin O'Driscoll

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Pig Development Department, Animal & Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Teagasc, Moorepark, Fermoy Co. Cork. P61 C997, Ireland
Interests: animal health; animal production systems; animal welfare and stress; pigs
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Dear Colleagues,

The farrowing crate has been the predominant system for managing lactating sows and their piglets since the 1960s; it was developed to improve ease of management by the stockperson, allow higher stocking densities of sows on farms and to reduce piglet mortality. Although it serves an important purpose in maximising the numbers of pigs weaned per sow, there is increasing concern amongst the public and in the pig industry about the negative consequences that restrictive systems have for sow welfare. Confinement in a crate severely compromises the sows’ ability to move, perform nesting and mothering behaviour and exert control over her environment. Moreover, since the move to group housing during gestation in Europe, the effects of repeated transitioning between confinement and life in a group system, could have consequences for sow welfare that have not yet been extensively investigated.

Compounding the effects of crating during lactation, sows have become considerably larger over the past 30 years, and there has been a significant increase in the number of piglets born in a litter. This has been primarily due to genetic selection and a side effect is that many traditional crating systems are now too small to accommodate the animals as they were initially designed to do. There has also been a concurrent increase in the proportion of small and weak piglets being born, and in piglet mortality. Management strategies that promote the growth, survival and well-being of piglets are therefore of increasing importance.

There is growing scientific and political attention being paid to the concept of providing animals with a ‘life worth living’, and the promotion of positive experiences for animals. Thus, strategies that can optimise animal welfare while allowing for economic sustainability warrant investigation. This Special Issue welcomes submissions, including reviews or original research studies, on any aspect of sow and piglet management.

Dr. Keelin O'Driscoll
Guest Editor

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Keywords

Sow
piglet
welfare
lactation
peri-parturient

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 250 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Effect of Dietary Oil Type and Energy Intake in Lactating Sows on the Fatty Acid Profile of Colostrum and Milk, and Piglet Growth to Weaning

by Anna Lavery, Peadar G. Lawlor, Helen M. Miller and Elizabeth Magowan

Animals 2019, 9(12), 1092; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani9121092 - 6 Dec 2019

Cited by 18 | Viewed by 3685

Abstract

This study investigated the effect of salmon oil in lactating sow diets and offering these diets in a phased dietary regimen to increase the energy density of the diet in late lactation. Sow and piglet productivity to weaning, the fatty acid profile of milk, piglet blood and tissues at weaning were the main parameters measured. Multiparous sows (n = 100) (Landrace × Large White) were offered dietary treatments from day 105 of gestation until weaning. Dietary treatments (2 × 2 factorial) included oil type (soya or salmon oil) and dietary regimen (Flat 14.5 MJ/kg DE diet offered until weaning or Phased 14.5 MJ/kg DE diet offered to day 14 of lactation then a second diet containing 15.5 MJ/kg DE offered from day 15 until weaning). Salmon oil inclusion increased the total proportion of n-3 fatty acids in colostrum (p < 0.001), milk (p < 0.001), piglet plasma (p < 0.01), adipose (p < 0.001), liver (p < 0.001) and muscle (p < 0.001). Increasing sow dietary energy level in late lactation increased the total n-3 fatty acids in milk (p < 0.001), piglet adipose (p < 0.01) and piglet muscle (p < 0.05). However, piglet growth to weaning did not improve. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Management of Peri-Parturient and Lactating Sows and Piglets)

15 pages, 4281 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Pilot-Scale Assessment of a Novel Farrowing Creep Area Supplementary Heat Source

by Benjamin C. Smith, Brett C. Ramirez, Steven J. Hoff and Laura L. Greiner

Animals 2019, 9(11), 996; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani9110996 - 19 Nov 2019

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3578

Abstract

Pre-weaning morality (PWM) is attributed to a poor creep area microclimate and causes major economic and productivity losses for the US swine industry. Piglets need supplementary heat to overcome a high surface area to body weight ratio and minimal thermoregulation. A pilot-scale study was conducted to evaluate a semi-enclosed heated microclimate (SEHM) as a supplementary heat source for farrowing creep areas over six farrowing cycles (from January to July 2019) in two rooms with 24 farrowing stalls in each room. Six SEHMs (each SEHM covers two stalls) were randomly distributed to each room and compared to heat lamps (HLs) for productivity and electricity usage. Data from 113 (SEHM) and 101 litters (HL) showed no significant difference between treatments in average daily gain (p = 0.26), 252.4 ± 8.0 g hd⁻¹ d⁻¹ (SEHM) and 260.3 ± 8.1 g hd⁻¹ d⁻¹ (HL) and PWM (p = 0.08), 9.67% ± 0.82% (SEHM) and 12.04% ± 0.87% (HL). However, a significant difference (p = 0.02) was noted in the PWM attributed to over-lay mortalities, 4.05% ± 0.76% (SEHM) compared to 6.04% ± 0.78% (HL). The SEHM electricity averaged 3.25 kWh d⁻¹ (2.91, 3.59 kWh d⁻¹; 95% CI), which was significantly different (p < 0.01) from the HL equivalent (125 W bulb; 6 kWh d⁻¹). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Management of Peri-Parturient and Lactating Sows and Piglets)

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20 pages, 1072 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Mixing Sows into Alternative Lactation Housing Affects Sow Aggression at Mixing, Future Reproduction and Piglet Injury, with Marked Differences between Multisuckle and Sow Separation Systems

by Emma C. Greenwood, Jonathon van Dissel, Jessica Rayner, Paul E. Hughes and William H. E. J. van Wettere

Animals 2019, 9(9), 658; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani9090658 - 5 Sep 2019

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3465

Abstract

Alternative lactation housing could reduce aggression when sows are mixed. We aimed to compare the effects of mixing sows in lactation (with or without piglets), at weaning or after insemination, and determine the effects of lactation housing on the piglet. This study used 120 multiparous Large White × Landrace sows and 54 focal litters. The sows were mixed into groups of six and allocated to multisuckle from day 21 lactation (MS), separated from litter and housed in groups, with piglets left in the crate for seven hours daily from day 21 lactation (SEP), mixed at weaning (day 28 lactation) (WEAN) and mixed after artificial insemination (AI) (MAI; 4 ± 1 day after last AI). Behaviour, saliva for free salivary cortisol concentration and injury counts were taken on M-1 (before mixing), M0 (mixing), M1 and M6. Piglets were weighed, injury-scored and bloods taken for cortisol. There was reduced aggression, seen as fights, bites and knocks in MS compared to the other treatments on all days (p < 0.05). MS sows had no fights on M1 and M6 and had more piglets born in the subsequent farrowing. Piglet weight, cortisol and mortality were unaffected by treatment (p > 0.05). MS piglets had greater injury scores immediately after moving to multisuckle and lower injuries around weaning (p > 0.001). Multisuckle housing could decrease aggression and stress at mixing in sows, with changes in the time of peak piglet injury (at mixing rather than at weaning) but overall no negative effects on the piglets. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Management of Peri-Parturient and Lactating Sows and Piglets)

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16 pages, 260 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Enrichment with Lucerne Hay Improves Sow Maternal Behaviour and Improves Piglet Survival

by Lauren E. Edwards, Kate J. Plush, Cameron R. Ralph, Rebecca S. Morrison, Rutu Y. Acharya and Rebecca E. Doyle

Animals 2019, 9(8), 558; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani9080558 - 15 Aug 2019

Cited by 21 | Viewed by 4118

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of providing lucerne hay on the behaviour and the performance of sows housed in farrowing crates during farrowing and lactation. Seventy-two mixed parity sows received either 1 kg lucerne hay daily from entry into the farrowing crate (−2 d from expected farrowing date) until weaning at 17 d (lucerne group, n = 36), or received no additional enrichment (control group, n = 36). In the 18 h prior to farrowing, the sows in the lucerne treatment spent more time performing nest-building behaviour (14.8% lucerne vs 11.1% control, p = 0.0009) and less time sham-chewing (1.0% lucerne vs 1.9% control, p = 0.01) than control sows, and gave birth to fewer stillborn piglets/litter (0.1 lucerne vs 0.4 control, p = 0.027). After farrowing (Day 3), the control sows spent less time lying than the lucerne sows (26% control vs 43% lucerne, p < 0.05). The control sows also spent less time interacting with their piglets during early lactation compared to late lactation (25.5% Day 5 vs 47.3% Day 12, p < 0.05), suggesting reduced maternal behaviour in this group. The lucerne sows continued to interact with the lucerne throughout lactation, indicating that they still found the enrichment rewarding after the nesting period had ceased. Based on these results, lucerne enrichment was considered to improve sow welfare during farrowing and lactation and reduce the number of stillborn piglets. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Management of Peri-Parturient and Lactating Sows and Piglets)

17 pages, 808 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Effect of Sows’ and Piglets’ Behaviour on Piglet Crushing Patterns in Two Different Farrowing Pen Systems

by Thies Nicolaisen, Eyke Lühken, Nina Volkmann, Karl Rohn, Nicole Kemper and Michaela Fels

Animals 2019, 9(8), 538; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani9080538 - 7 Aug 2019

Cited by 29 | Viewed by 7081

Abstract

Pens with farrowing crate (FC) and two differently designed free-farrowing pens (LH-pens: 7.3 m², plastic flooring; GH-pens: 5 m², cast-iron and concrete flooring) were compared regarding piglet losses and postpartum sow behaviour (all treatments) and reasons for piglet crushing and postpartum litter behaviour (LH and GH). One-hundred-and-three crushing events were analysed in eight batches concerning sows’ posture changes that crushed piglets and age of crushed piglets. Posture change frequency, amounts of single posture changes and total time spent in different body postures were evaluated for 41 sows (14 FC-sows, 13 LH-sows and 14 GH-sows) in six batches. Litter behaviour (location, active/inactive scoring, resting behaviour next to the sow) was analysed during sows’ posture changes and piglet crushing. Piglet mortality was higher in LH (25.6%) and GH (19.9%) compared to FC (12.3%) due to higher levels of piglet crushing. Most crushing occurred during the three days postpartum in LH (92.7%) and GH (83.9%). However, crushing patterns differed between LH (rolling: 68.2%; sit-to-lie: 18.2%; stand-to-lie: 11.4%) and GH (rolling: 38.2%; sit-to-lie: 30.9%; stand-to-lie: 16.4%) and varying piglet behaviour may be the cause for this. The postpartum period was characterized by inactivity of the sow and behavioural differences were rarely seen between systems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Management of Peri-Parturient and Lactating Sows and Piglets)

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11 pages, 650 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Glucose Injections at Birth, Warmth and Placing at a Nurse Sow Improve the Growth of IUGR Piglets

by Maiken N. Engelsmann, Christian F. Hansen, Marlene N. Nielsen, Anders R. Kristensen and Charlotte Amdi

Animals 2019, 9(8), 519; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani9080519 - 2 Aug 2019

Cited by 19 | Viewed by 4686

Abstract

Intrauterine growth-restricted piglets (IUGR) have a lower rectal temperature, whole-blood glucose, and lower glycogen storages at birth than normal piglets, giving them less energy to maintain body temperature and compete at the udder. The present paper investigated the effects of giving an energy supplementation three times after birth on rectal temperature, glucose levels, and growth until weaning in an on-farm trial. Eighty-eight newborn piglets were classified as IUGR (based on head morphology), placed under a heating lamp for one hour and allocated to one of four treatments—warmed water (WATER), glucose injection (GLUC), colostrum bolus (COLOS; porcine colostrum), and colostrum bolus and glucose injection (GLUC + COLOS)—before being placed at a nursing sow. Weight differences were found at day 21, with GLUC and GLUC + COLOS groups being the heaviest. Piglets in GLUC + COLOS had higher glucose levels at t = 3, 6, and 9 h compared to the other treatments (p = 0.027), but from t = 24 h and onwards, no difference was observed. For rectal temperature, no differences were observed. Collectively, these findings suggest that glucose injections at birth (i.e., as an energy source), one hour’s exposure to warmth and the placement of piglets with a nurse sow to reduce competition, enhance the growth of IUGR piglets. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Management of Peri-Parturient and Lactating Sows and Piglets)

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15 pages, 1513 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Single Dose of Fat-Based Energy Supplement to Light Birth Weight Pigs Shortly After Birth Does Not Increase Their Survival and Growth

by Océane Schmitt, Emma M. Baxter, Peadar G. Lawlor, Laura A. Boyle and Keelin O’Driscoll

Animals 2019, 9(5), 227; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani9050227 - 9 May 2019

Cited by 24 | Viewed by 4966

Abstract

Low birth weight piglets are at high risk of mortality, because of the rapid depletion of their energy reserves after birth. At 3 h postpartum, 405 piglets weighing <1.1 kg were either dosed orally with 2 mL of (1) coconut oil (CO, 74 kJ/2 mL, n = 107 piglets), (2) commercial product (CP, 71 kJ/2 mL, n = 101 piglets), (3) water (W, 0 kJ/2 mL, n = 100 piglets) or (4) were sham-dosed (S, n = 97 piglets). Treatments were applied within litter (97 sows). Before treatment piglets were weighed, scored for vitality and blood glucose concentration (subset: CO = 45 piglets, CP = 38 piglets, W = 49 piglets and S = 44 piglets) and rectal temperature were measured. Rectal temperature was remeasured 1 h post-treatment (4 h postpartum). At 24 h post-treatment (27 h postpartum), vitality, weight and blood glucose were remeasured. Piglets were weighed on D5, D7, D10, D14, D21 and at weaning (27 ± 0.1 day old). Mortality rate and cause were recorded until 24h period post-treatment and until weaning. Data were analysed using Generalised Linear Mixed Models in SAS. There was no overall effect of treatment on any of the parameters measured. In conclusion, a single oral of fat-based energy supplement dose at birth did not improve growth, survival, rectal temperature or vitality of low birth weight piglets. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Management of Peri-Parturient and Lactating Sows and Piglets)

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