No abstract

No abstract

The effect of bovine colostrum, including its thermally labile compounds, on the survival and growth performance of local breed piglets reared by their mother, in Benin, was evaluated over a 49-day trial. Three groups of 16 piglets, stemming from two primiparous sows belonging to a unique traditional farm, were respectively fed for the first 48 h of life with either bovine colostrum heated to 85 °C for 30 min, or thawed bovine colostrum, or colostrum from the mother. Thereafter, the animals that received bovine colostrum turned back to their mother. At day 21, almost all piglets from the group that received heated colostrum died. The highest total weight gain was obtained in the group that received thawed bovine colostrum (P ˂ 0.01), followed by the group left with the mother. Corresponding average daily gains (ADGs) were 56, 34 and 2 g/day, respectively (P ˂ 0.05). At the end of the trial, the treatment effect was highly significant on the survival of piglets (100% in the thawed colostrum group vs. 00 and 50%, respectively, in the heated colostrum group and in the group left with the mother). At day 49, numerically higher weight and ADGs were obtained in the group that received thawed cow colostrum. Thawed bovine colostrum improved the growth performance and piglet survival in the local pig breed in Benin, probably owing to thermally labile components. Bovine colostrum may be used in our farms in order to reduce pre-weaning mortality, improve the profitability of livestock farmers, and ensure survival of traditional farms. The use of bovine colostrum on farms could be facilitated by collaboration between pig farmers and bovine farmers. It could also be facilitated by the creation of a colostrum bank.

In Benin, the effect of supplementation of newborn piglets from local breed with lyophilized bovine colostrum was evaluated over a 49-d trail on the survival, the growth performances and the absorption of bovine and porcine immunoglobulin G (IgGs). Three groups of 24 piglets, stemming from five sows (Parity 2) belonging to a unique traditional farm, were respectively fed for the first 7 d of life with only sow colostrum (SC group n = 9), shea butter in addition to suckling (SCB group; n = 7) and a mixture of lyophilized bovine colostrum and shea butter in addition to suckling (BCB group; n = 8). Risk of diarrhea was not affected by the treatments, but BCB treatment tended to reduce it (P = 0.09). Diarrheal and healthy piglets had similar average levels of serum porcine IgG at 10 d (13.9 ± 1.6 mg/ml vs 14.7 ± 1.4 mg/ml, P > 0.05). No bovine IgG was detected in the piglets serum at 10 d of age. Serum porcine IgG at 10 d was not affected by the treatments (P > 0.05). However, bovine colostrum improved serum IgG at 49 d (P < 0.05).

The objective of this study was to evaluate husbandry practices of pregnant sows, immunoglobulin G (IgG) concentration in colostrum of sow from local breed of Benin, their transfer to litter and the survival and growth of piglets until 42 days of age within traditional farms pig. Results showed that sows were raised according to traditional practices characterized by sustainable or precarious housing without any hygiene measures. They were fed with forages and by-products arising from traditional and industrial food-processing. Reproductive performance allowed by these farming practices remained weak. The litter size obtained was 5.5 piglets and was a feature of the small less prolific West African local pig. The observed number of piglets weaned at 42 days of age was 5 and the average mortality rate from birth to 42 days of life was 15%. The piglets were characterized by low average birth weight at 439 g, low average intra-litter weight gain at 24 h (38 g), body weight at 42 days of 2119 g, an Average Daily Gain (ADG) of 40 g/day and a Relative ADG (RADG) of 30 g/day.kg. The mortality was negatively associated (P < 0.05) with the birth weight and the weight gain at 24 h. The weight gain within 0-42 days was positively associated with the birth weight (r = 0.59; P < 0.001). The ADG from 0 to 42 days and from 1-42 days were positively correlated respectively with the birth weight (r = 0.55; P < 0.001) and the weight gain at 24 h (r = 0.41; P < 0.005). Despite weak growth performance of the piglets before weaning, the sows were characterized by adequate IgG concentration in the colostrum collected at 24 h after the onset of parturition (22 mg/ml). However, the serum IgG levels at 7 days of life of the piglets were low (2 mg/ml). Finally, the study demonstrated that sows from local breed produce colostrum with adequate IgG concentration. However, transfer of these antibodies to piglets was low. Feeding of sows with forages may be beneficial in improving the immunological quality of colostrum in local pig breed. Finally, both weight gain at 24 h and birth weight were important to predict survival and growth of suckling piglets.