Relationship between piglets' survivability and farrowing kinetics in hyper-prolific sows

Alexandra Schoos; Bruno Bracco Donatelli Muro; Rafaella Fernandes Carnevale; Ilias Chantziaras; Evelien Biebaut; Geert Paul Jules Janssens; Dominiek Maes

doi:10.1186/s40813-023-00332-y

Relationship between piglets' survivability and farrowing kinetics in hyper-prolific sows

Porcine Health Manag. 2023 Aug 28;9(1):37. doi: 10.1186/s40813-023-00332-y.

Authors

Alexandra Schoos^#¹, Bruno Bracco Donatelli Muro^#², Rafaella Fernandes Carnevale², Ilias Chantziaras¹, Evelien Biebaut¹, Geert Paul Jules Janssens³, Dominiek Maes⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Internal Medicine, Reproduction and Population Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium.
² Department of Nutrition and Animal Production, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, University of São Paulo (USP), Campus Pirassununga, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
³ Department of Veterinary and Biosciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium.
⁴ Department of Internal Medicine, Reproduction and Population Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium. dominiek.maes@ugent.be.

^# Contributed equally.

Abstract

Background: Prolonged farrowing and more piglets born with low birth weight are undesirable consequences of genetic selection for increased litter size. The objective of the present observational study was to evaluate the relationship between piglets' survivability and farrowing kinetics in hyperprolific sows. A total of 58 sows of different parities and 1190 piglets were included. The entire farrowing process was monitored and the following parameters were recorded: inter-piglet birth interval, birth order, total born, live born, dead born, and mummified piglets, obstetric intervention, weight at birth and 24h, colostrum yield and intake.

Results: The sows included in this study had on average 20.6 ± 0.6 total piglets born, of which 16.4 ± 0.6 were live born, 3.3 ± 0.4 were stillborn and 0.9 ± 0.2 were mummified piglets. The average farrowing duration and average birth interval were 411.3 ± 31.6 and 20.6 ± 1.7 min, respectively. Farrowing duration was positively associated (p < 0.05) with parity, number of stillborn and mummified piglets. Piglet mortality 24h after birth was negatively affected (p < 0.01) by birth weight and positively affected (p < 0.01) by cumulative birth interval. The last tercile of piglets born (birth order ≥ 17) had the highest (p < 0.01) inter-piglet birth interval (IPBI) (43.4 ± 4.17 min) compared to piglets born in the first (birth order between 2 and 7) (26.5 ± 3.8 min) and second (birth order between 8 and 16) terciles (21.9 ± 3.8 min). Cumulative birth interval, birth weight, occurrence of stillborn piglets and manual intervention were positively associated (p < 0.05) with IPBI. Piglet birth weight was also positively associated (p < 0.01) to individual colostrum intake. Piglets ingesting more colostrum had lower (p < 0.01) mortality from 24h after birth until weaning. Sow's parity and cumulative birth interval were positively associated with the presence of stillborn piglets (p = 0.02 and p < 0.01, respectively).

Conclusion: Reducing farrowing duration may be crucial to decrease stillbirth rate and neonatal mortality in hyperprolific sows. Moreover, special care must be provided to the lighter piglets within a litter to increase their colostrum intake and minimize piglet's mortality throughout lactation.

Keywords: Colostrum; Hyperprolific sow; Inter-piglet birth interval; Mortality; Survivability.

Abstract

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