Can we improve maternal care in sows? Maternal behavioral traits important for piglet survival in loose-housed sow herds1

Abstract

The primary objective of this survey was to investigate the relationship between qualitative maternal behavioral scores (nest building activities, sow communication, and sow carefulness), piglet mortality, and the number of weaned piglets on commercial farms with loose-housed lactating (Norsvin Landrace × Yorkshire) sows. Second, the impact of these scores on productivity compared with the physical condition of sows (movement disorders, body condition, and shoulder lesions) was assessed. Data on maternal care behaviors and physical condition were collected on 895 sows from 45 commercial farms. Farmers scored sows on their physical condition (movement disorders [MD], BCS, and shoulder lesions [SL]) and qualitative maternal care behaviors (nest building activities [NEST] prior to farrowing and sow communication [COM] and sow carefulness [CARE] after farrowing, while sows were standing and moving and just before lying down). There was a low positive correlation between NEST and COM ( = 0.10, = 0.026) and between NEST and CARE ( = 0.15, = 0.010) but a high positive correlation between COM and CARE ( = 0.57, < 0.001). Higher COM and CARE were associated with lower piglet mortality ( ˂ 0.001 and = 0.013, respectively), and a greater number of weaned piglets was associated with higher scores for NEST ( = 0.009), COM ( < 0.001), and CARE ( = 0.009). Maternal care behavior had a greater impact on piglet mortality and the number of weaned piglets than sow physical condition (MD, BCS, and SL). We tested 7 different models (combinations of behavioral scores) and compared their relative predictive accuracies using Akaike information criteria. The model including COM and CARE had the best predictive accuracy for piglet mortality/weaned piglets. There was between-sow variation in maternal care behaviors (COM and CARE), and both were unaffected by litter size. Because these behaviors were also easy to score for the farmers, combining COM and CARE has the greatest potential to be tested in nucleus herds for calculation of genetic variation and heritability and should be taken into account in future breeding programs for sows.

Sow communication with piglets while being active is a good predictor of maternal skills, piglet survival and litter quality in three different breeds of domestic pigs (Sus scrofa domesticus)

“…In mice ( Mus domesticus ), the degree of nesting pre-partum was positively related to offspring survival and growth until weaning [ 2 ]. According to our recent results [ 10 ], a high score for nest building behaviour was associated with a lower percentage of stillborn piglets and postnatal mortality.…”

“…Maternal care behaviours in domestic pigs are to a large extent similar to their wild ancestor [ 5 ]. Nest building activities are most intense during the last 12 h prepartum [ 9 ], but there is a large between-sow variation in the time devoted to nest preparation [ 10 ]. Sows that devoted more time to nest preparation are more likely to act carefully around piglets during [ 9 , 11 – 14 ] and after parturition [ 12 , 14 ] suggesting that the nest building process is crucial for maternal motivation.…”

“…Although sows do not establish bonds to their young by licking their offspring such as ruminants [ 15 – 17 ], the attachment is rather established by isolating from the conspecifics in a nest, and through communication by olfactory (sniffing), vocal (grunting) and tactile (nudging) cues [ 18 , 19 ]. Maternal communication strengthens offspring recognition and attention [ 20 ], and is crucial for keeping the piglets in close proximity and to protect them from danger [ 10 , 21 , 22 ]. In addition, awareness of the piglets’ presence can also aid the sow in being careful and protective while she is moving around, before lying down (without trampling or lying on the piglets), and while she is resting (rolling over/overlying the piglets).…”

“…Larger litters as a result of the breeding program in maternal lines are demanding too large body reserves from the sow at a young age [ 26 , 30 ]. In our recent field data, sows from one crossbred maternal line that weaned more of piglets, had a higher score for communication with their piglets and communication score decreased with increased parity [ 10 ].…”

Avaliação Do Impacto Do Peso, Da Área De Superficie E Do Volume Corporal Em Leitões Sobre a Capacidade De Sobrevivência Na Fase De Maternidade

“…Passou a ter-se como características primordiais a hiperprolificidade e deposição de carne magra na carcaça (MELLAGI, 2010;MAGNABOSCO, 2016). Embora a seleção para tamanho de leitegada resulte em maior número de leitões desmamados por ano a mortalidade de leitões ainda é preocupante na suinocultura, pois até 20% dos leitões morrem antes do desmame (OCEPEK et al, 2016;OCEPEK et al, 2017).…”