Blood variables and body weight gain on the first day of life in crossbred pigs and importance for survival

Abstract

Improving survival is a continuous objective in swine breeding. The aim of this study was to record 22 blood variables and BW gain on the first day of life in Landrace-Yorkshire-Duroc crossbred piglets and to find associations between these variables and survival at weaning. All live piglets from 18 litters were weighed and blood sampled at birth and on d 1 and were monitored to weaning at the age of 5 wk. A total of 261 piglets were born, of which 8.8% were stillborn. Additionally, 15.1% died before weaning. The blood variables glucose, immunoglobulins, and white blood cells increased from birth to d 1 (P < 0.001), whereas α(1)- and β(1)-globulin, red blood cells, hemoglobin, and hematocrit decreased (P < 0.001). At birth, concentrations of lactate (P = 0.004), pH (P = 0.007), red blood cells (P = 0.017), hemoglobin (P = 0.018), and hematocrit (P = 0.052) were associated with survival to weaning. Also, concentrations of lactate increased (P = 0.030) and pH decreased (P < 0.001) when piglets were born in the last third of a litter. On d 1, concentrations of glucose (P = 0.015), hemoglobin (P = 0.025), and BW gain (P = 0.001) were all decreased in piglets that did not survive to weaning. Body weight gain also decreased (P = 0.005) when piglets were born in the last third of a litter. Concentrations of IgG on d 1 was not associated with survival at weaning (P = 0.230) but decreased (P < 0.001) when piglets were born in the last third of a litter. We conclude that several blood variables recorded at birth and on d 1 and BW gain on d 1 were highly associated with survival at weaning and that piglets born in the last third of the litter had less favorable vitality.

Relationship between birth order, birth weight, colostrum intake, acquisition of passive immunity and pre-weaning mortality of piglets

“…From this, the probability of dying is not increased in lastborn piglets despite their lower intake of IgG than the earlier born piglets. Present findings agree with the observation of Tyler et al (1990), and Rootwelt et al (2012) which state that serum IgG concentrations at 24-60 h of age is a poor predictor of piglet survival. However, in the present study, piglets were sampled at 2 d of age when the largest part (51%) of mortality had occurred, and it is not known whether insufficient passive immunity was the real cause of these deaths.…”

“…In addition to obtaining less immune protection, late-born piglets are reported to be at greater risk of hypoxia and of death during or just after birth (Randall, 1972). In this study, this is illustrated by the fact that 43% of stillbirths were born in the last quarter of RBO, which is in accordance with the previous results of Herpin et al (1996), Pedersen et al (2011) and Rootwelt et al (2012). However, post-natal mortality was similar across deciles suggesting that mortality of live born piglets was evenly distributed in the birth order which is in agreement with Cabrera et al (2012) and Charneca et al (2015).…”

“…Late born piglets are reported to have a higher mortality rate after birth than earlier born littermates (Hartsock & Graves, 1976;Tuchscherer et al, 2000;Rootwelt et al, 2012;Panzardi et al, 2013). In addition to obtaining less immune protection, late-born piglets are reported to be at greater risk of hypoxia and of death during or just after birth (Randall, 1972).…”

Colostrum production of Alentejano and Large-White × Landrace sows: consumption, passive immunity and mortality of piglets

“…In our study there was no influence of IgG2 on the mortality of the piglets suggesting that serum IgG concentrations at 2 d of age are a poor predictor of the piglet survival (Tyler et al, 1990;Rootvelt et al, 2012). Yet, piglets dying before 21d of age have been reported to have lower serum IgG concentrations (Blecha & Kelley, 1981;Devillers, 2004).…”

Post-mortem findings and piglet mortality in relation to strategic use of straw at farrowing

“…Viability is also closely related to the progress of farrowing, as is the number of stillborn piglets. Piglets born late in the birth order and piglets born after a long inter birth interval often have low viability scores and elevated concentrations of lactate in the blood due to hypoxic stress (Rootwelt et al, 2012;Pedersen et al, 2011). So although it is possible that some piglets were misclassified, it seems likely that strategic use of straw will positively affect the farrowing process with fewer piglets at risk of being stillborn or weak at birth.…”