The WDOT suffers from requiring a high degree of skill in transrectal ovarian manipulation. There were more deaths and more pregnancies than with traditional spay methods. More experienced operators can be expected to achieve lower mortalities, better contraception and higher processing rates. Pregnancy will occur as a consequence of ovarian remnants unless care is taken to ensure removal of the entire ovary.

No abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of piglet birth weight and drying piglets at birth on post-natal rectal temperatures using a CRD with 2 treatments: 1) Drying (not dried vs. dried at birth with a desiccant); 2) Birth weight [4 within-litter birth weight quartiles (Q1: 1.13 ± 0.33 kg, Q2: 1.43 ± 0.28 kg, Q3: 1.62 ± 0.28 kg, Q4: 1.81 ± 0.28 kg)]. Sows (26) and litters (281 piglets) were randomly allotted to drying treatment and were housed in farrowing crates with a heat lamp; room temperature was set at 22.8°C. Piglets were weighed at birth and rectal temperature measured at 0, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, 120, 180, 240, and 1440 min after birth. Data were analyzed using PROC MIXED of SAS (SAS Inst. Inc., Cary, NC); the model included fixed effects of litter birth weight quartile and drying treatment and interaction, and time (repeated measure), and random effect of sow. Mean piglet birth weight and rectal temperature at birth were 1.49 ± 0.39 kg and 39.2 ± 0.43°C, respectively. There were no drying by birth weight treatment interactions. Temperatures were similar (P > 0.05) for the drying and birth weight treatments at birth and 240 and 1440 min (Table 1). Drying increased (P < 0.05) rectal temperature from 15 to 180 min; the greatest difference was at 45 min (2.4°C). Temperatures were similar (P > 0.05) for Q2, 3, and 4 from 15 to 180 min. Quartile 1 had a lower (P < 0.05) temperature than the 3 heavier quartiles from 15 to 180 min, except at 120 min when temperatures were similar for Q1 and 2. The lightest piglets exhibited the greatest post-natal temperature decline and drying of piglets at birth reduced the post-natal temperature decline in piglets of all weights.

Newborn piglets experience a rapid decrease in body temperature, increasing the risk of mortality. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of drying and/or warming at birth on piglet rectal temperature over 24 h after birth. The study was carried out at a commercial sow facility using a CRD with 4 treatments: Control (no drying or warming of piglets), Drying (piglets dried at birth using a cellulose-based desiccant), Warming (piglets placed in a box under a heat lamp for 30 min after birth), and Drying+Warming (piglets dried and warmed as above). Piglets were identified with a numbered ear tag. They were weighed at birth and rectal temperature was measured at 0, 10, 20, 30, 45, 60, 120, and 1440 min (24 h) after birth. Sows and litters were randomly allotted at birth to treatments. Data were analyzed using a repeated measures model with PROC MIXED of SAS. Litter was the experimental unit and piglet was a subsample of the litter; the model included the fixed effects of treatment and repeated time, and the interaction. Rectal temperature at birth was similar (P > 0.05) for all treatments. Subsequently, piglets on the Drying and Warming treatments had similar (P > 0.05) temperatures, which were greater (P 0.05) than the Control at all measurement times up to 120 min. Drying+Warming resulted in the highest (P < 0.05) rectal temperature overall and at most times of measurement between 10 and 120 min. Rectal temperatures were similar for all treatment at 24 h after birth. In conclusion, drying and/or warming piglets at birth significantly increased rectal temperatures between 10 and 120 minutes after birth with the combination of the two having the greatest effect. This research was funded by the National Pork Board.

Piglets are born wet, and evaporation of that moisture decreases body temperature, increasing the mortality risk. The objective of this study was to compare the effect of 2 commercially-applicable piglet drying methods on rectal temperature over 24 h after birth. The study was carried out at a commercial sow facility using a CRD with 3 treatments: Control (piglets not dried); Desiccant (piglets dried at birth using a cellulose-based desiccant); Paper Towel (piglets dried at birth using paper towels). Piglets were weighed at birth and individually identified with a numbered ear tag. Rectal temperature was measured at 0, 10, 20, 30, 45, 60, 120, and 1440 min (24 h) after birth. Sows and litters were randomly allotted to treatments. Data were analyzed using a repeated measures model with PROC MIXED of SAS. Litter was the experimental unit and piglet was a subsample of the litter; the model included the fixed effects of treatment and repeated time, and the interaction. There was no effect (P > 0.05) of treatment on rectal temperature at birth, or at 10 min or 24 h after birth. The Desiccant and Paper Towel treatments had greater (P < 0.05) temperatures than the Control at all times of measurement from 20 to 120 min after birth. Piglets on the Desiccant treatment had greater (P < 0.05) temperatures than those on the Paper Towel treatment between 30 and 120 min after birth. In conclusion, drying piglets at birth with either a desiccant or paper towels increases rectal temperatures between 20 and 120 minutes after birth, with the greatest effect being for the desiccant. Further research is needed to compare other methods of increasing piglet temperature and to determine if drying of piglets impacts pre-weaning mortality. This research was funded by the National Pork Board.