Editor’s Note: Dr. Thomas G. Gillespie, DVM, is owner of Rensselaer (Indiana) Swine Services, P.C. Dr. Gillespie presented this paper at the 2009 American Association of Swine Veterinarians Annual Meeting. This is the first of a two-part series on Dr. Gillespie’s presentation:
Since the early 1990’s, the application of genetic selection and improved management technologies has led to an increase in total born levels reaching over 13 piglets, and in select high-performing herds, over 14 piglets per litter. This improvement has translated into herds achieving 28 to 29 good piglets weaned per mated female per year (PW/MF/Y). It is possible for producers to consistently achieve 30 PW/MF/Y since some are now reaching this goal for short periods of time. This new benchmark is within the grasp of North America’s top-producing herds, however, a number of aspects and a bit of history for each situation should be considered to reach a level of seven percent pre-weaning mortality. A low pre-weaning mortality reflects efforts of the entire program that each farm develops.
In general, the development and management of hyper-prolific sows has been associated with the dramatic increase in total-born levels, which has driven the need for different farrowing house technologies. One prominent management technique is called “bump fostering and bump weaning” (BFBW). This management technique started almost ten years ago, as total born levels surpassed 12 piglets per litter. The driving force to apply this technique was the desire to wean lots of piglets that were even in size. This goal was achieved by weaning litters with the larger piglets weaned early (bumped weaned), which “opens” the sow to accept a nurse litter that is “bumped fostered” from a younger farrowing room so the sow lactates a “normal” length of time. It was found after extensive analysis that intense BFBW programs could lead to over 50 percent of the litters being moved by ten days post-farrowing. However, the labor required to make this technology work well was a major limitation. The goal for the program was achieved, although additional understanding of the program’s effects of the sow did not come until later. The main result of the program was directed to the piglets and not the sow.
Sow Welfare and Management
More recently, a focus on sow welfare and management has become the heart of many discussions and new programs. Sow longevity, i.e. managing sows to stay in the herd to an older parity; achieving stability to major health challenges, and monitored nutritional intake levels are within a short list on the minds of staff members and owners. Although the components of litter size, i.e. ovulation rate, embryonic survival and uterine capacity, have responded in these new programs, a few negative effects have become known. High total born increases intra-uterine crowding; causes reprogramming of fetal development; creates less efficient post-natal growth performance; and can cause adverse effects on carcass quality at slaughter.1 The farrowing staff is challenged by a lower immune status in the piglets.2 In addition, litters with lower average birth weights have been documented to affect pigs throughout the grow-finish period, such as slower growth post-weaning and poorer carcass quality.3 As litter size increases, the number of piglets weighing less than 2.2 lbs (1 kg) increases from seven percent to 23 percent of the total born, and 17 percent die in the first 24 hours.4 All of this information would seem insurmountable for the farrowing staff, but top-performing herds have found methods and ways to wean lots of quality piglets.
Where to start
Management practices that impact the quality of piglets at birth starts prior to breeding. The following management and nutritional suggestions will improve sow longevity and reduce the impact of prenatal programming.5
• A target breeding weight of 300 to 330 pounds (135 to 150 kg) with a target farrowing weight of 400 to 420 pounds (180 to 190 kg).
• To achieve good first lactation feed intake, do not over condition parity 0 females during gestation. In addition, first litter females need to start nursing 12 or more piglets.
• In start up situations, an increased level of lysine to all females is beneficial for promoting improved body condition at weaning, due to less feed consumed during lactation.
• Maximize lactation feed intake by monitoring environmental factors, applying water to feed, monitoring water flow amounts, increasing frequency of feeding and maximizing the number of piglets nursing the sows.
In addition, there is increasing evidence that feeding relatively low levels of feed in early gestation is counterproductive in high performing females. High feed intake in the first 28 days of gestation has been shown to improve total born and decrease the number of sows culled due to low productivity.6
Get Pigs Out Alive
The first step is to use the past information on each sow to determine if there are any risk factors that each sow may present. For example, some sows are prone to producing more stillborn piglets. Particular sows will have longer gestation lengths, i.e. 116 days or longer, which is determined when sows farrow without inducing. Savaging of piglets is a frustrating aspect that can occur in young- to middle-age females. The list goes on but the important point is that it takes only a few minutes for the farrowing manager to make notations on each sow card for any key factor that the staff needs to consider.
An additional step is to monitor the birthing progress for each sow. The most common program is to document the time, i.e. hour/minute of the day, number of live born, stillborn, mummies and if assistance was needed. The frequency of documenting will be determined by the farrowing staff and the needs surrounding each sow.
Oxytocin is a hormone that, with judicious utilization, can improve induction of farrowing and reduce obstetrical assistance. The hormone can also have negative effects, either by itself or in combination. The combination of prostaglandin and oxytocin can increase the number of stillborns in a litter. Excessive use of oxytocin prior to the first 6 to 7 piglets born can also increase stillborn rate by causing a number of detrimental effects on the piglets. A consistent standard operating procedure must be developed and monitored for each farm with key points that include timing of induction, route of injection, dosage and frequency of use.
The decision by the farrowing personal to induce sows to farrow is not complicated; however, knowing the exact day of gestation and timing of the injection are key points to making the program successful. The average gestation length by time period is easily monitored by most currently used production record systems. The rule of thumb is to average from 114.6 to 115.5 days gestation length when an inducing program is utilized. Gestation length will average over 115 days when sows farrow without inducing. If the average gestation length is below 114.5, then too many sows are being induced early, which leads to weaker piglets at birth.
It has been known for several years that commercially available prostaglandin can be injected to influence when a sow will farrow. The products have been used to reduce labor on certain days of the week, i.e. holidays and weekends. Historically, the tendency was to utilize the products for convenience of the farrowing staff with little concern to the piglets. More recently, the importance of timing for the injection of prostaglandin has become the key component, as the live born levels have increased and average birth weight and viability concerns have occurred. The goal for more intense programs is to induce 65 percent or more of the sows so the farrowing staff can be present during the birthing process, and therefore; available if the sow needs assistance. If this program is too intense, a “selective” and non-aggressive program is to induce the majority of parity two and older females.
References
1. Foxcroft, G.R. and Town, S.; Prenatal programming of postnatal performance – the unseen cause of variance. Advances in Pork Production 2004, 15:269-279.
2. Harding, J.C., Auckland, C., Patterson, J. and Foxcroft, G.R.; Hidden ramifications of attaining 30 pigs per sow per year induced by adverse fetal programming. Pre-conference Symposium paper, AASV, Annual Conference Proceedings 2006, p. 7.
3. Foxcroft, G. R.; Pre-natal programming of variation in post-natal performance – How and When? Advances in Pork Production 2007, 18:167-189.
4. Cutler, R.S., Fahy, V.A., Cronin, G.M. and Spicer, E.M.; Preweaning Mortality, Diseases of Swine, 9 ed.: 993-1009.
5. Peet, B.; 30 pigs/sow/year – Impacts on the sow. Advances in Pork Production 2008, 19:239-245.
6. Sorensen, G. and Thorup, F.; Energy allocation in the implantation period. National Committee for Pig Production Research Report 618, 2003.
7. Tuboly, S., Bernath, S., Glavits, R.k and Medveczky, I.; Intestinal absorption of colostral lymphoid cells in newborn piglets. Vet Immunology and Immunopathology, December 1988, 20 (1):75-85
8. Williams, P.; Immunomodulating effects on intestinal absorbed maternal colostral leukocytes by neonatal pigs. Can Journal of Vet Res 1993: 75:1-8.
Editor’s Note: This commentary is sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc. For more information, go to www.bivi.com
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