Gradual weaning during an extended lactation period improves performance and behavior of pigs raised in a multi-suckling system

Nieuwamerongen, S.E. van; Soede, N.M.; Peet–Schwering, C.M.C. van der; Kemp, B.; Bolhuis, J.E.

doi:10.1016/j.applanim.2017.05.005

Cited by 24 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 34 publications

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“…Their pigs were removed from the sow at 4–6 days of age, whereas other studies applied weaning at 4 weeks of age, comparable to standard commercial practice. Abrupt changes in neonatal environment have been shown to impact piglet development, resulting in increased behavioral and physiological signs of stress ( 48 , 49 ). Additionally, there was a considerable difference in stocking density.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Low Birth Weight Impairs Acquisition of Spatial Memory Task in Pigs

et al. 2018

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In commercial pig farming, an increasing number of low birth weight (LBW) piglets are born, due to selection for large litter sizes. While LBW piglets have a higher risk of pre-weaning mortality, a considerable number of these piglets survive to slaughter age. In humans, LBW is a risk factor for long-term cognitive impairments. In pigs, studies examining the post-weaning effects of LBW on cognition have reported contradictory results. Therefore, the current study aimed to assess the effects of LBW on cognitive development in pigs using an improved study design, by (1) testing a larger sample size than previous studies, (2) assessing acute and chronic stress responses to account for a potential altered stress response in LBW pigs, and (3) testing both female and male pigs to account for potential confounding effects of sex. Learning and memory of 20 LBW pigs and 20 normal birth weight (NBW) pigs, both groups consisting of 10 females and 10 males, were compared using a spatial holeboard task. In this task, pigs had to learn and remember the locations of hidden food rewards. After a pig had successfully acquired the task, it was presented with two successive reversal phases during which it was presented with a new configuration of reward locations. The holeboard allows for simultaneous assessment of working and reference memory, as well as measures of motivation, exploration, and behavioral flexibility. Mixed model ANOVAs revealed a transiently impaired reference memory performance of LBW pigs, implying they had more difficulty learning their reward configuration in the holeboard. Also, LBW piglets showed increased pre-weaning hair cortisol concentrations compared to their NBW siblings. No other effects of LBW were found. Sex had no direct or interaction effects on any measures of holeboard performance or stress. It is possible that the enriched housing conditions applied during our study had an ameliorating effect on our pigs' cognitive development. Overall, our results suggest LBW has a negative effect on post-weaning cognitive performance in pigs. This could have welfare consequences as cognitive skills are required for pigs to learn how to correctly respond to their environment.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Low Birth Weight Impairs Acquisition of Spatial Memory Task in Pigs

et al. 2018

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“…Data pertaining to indices of gut health, however, were not reported. Interestingly, group lactation systems, where there is freedom for sows to spend less time with the piglets and opportunity for piglets to socialize with non-littermates before weaning, seem to have longer-lasting improvements in performance with higher weight gains in pigs exposed to group lactation reported up to 5 weeks after weaning, compared with conventionally housed pigs ( Kutzer et al., 2009 , van Nieuwamerongen et al., 2015 , van Nieuwamerongen et al., 2017 ). Despite varying production benefits associated with sow-controlled housing, there is a risk that the variation in how much time sows chose to spend with their piglets may result in a failure to benefit from the system at all ( Pitts et al., 2002 ).…”

Section: Impacts Of Pre-weaning and Post-weaning Nutrition And Managementioning

confidence: 99%

Gastrointestinal tract (gut) health in the young pig

2018

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An optimally functioning gastrointestinal tract (GIT) clearly is of importance to the overall metabolism, physiology, disease status and performance of pigs of all stages of growth and development. Recently, the ‘health’ of the GIT (‘gut health’) has attracted much attention despite the lack of a clear definition to the term or its aetiology, although in broad terms, ‘gut health’ encompasses a number of physiological and functional features including nutrient digestion and absorption, host metabolism and energy generation, a stable and appropriate microbiota/microbiome, defence mechanisms including barrier function and mucosal immune mechanisms, and the interactions between these components. ‘Gut health’ in the newly-weaned (young) pig is of obvious interest due to changes in GIT structure and function associated with the post-weaning transition, and more recently to the upsurge in interest in different feed additives as dietary alternatives/replacements caused by bans/reductions in certain antimicrobial compounds being available in some parts of the world. In the presence of enteric disease(s) after weaning, a deterioration in ‘gut health’ may be synonymous to the overall health of the pig, and although some direct relationships can be drawn between pig performance and efficiency and a ‘healthy’ GIT, sometimes this connection is subtler and less obvious, especially in the absence of overt enteric disease(s). The factors and conditions involved in ‘gut health’ are multifactorial, complex, often poorly described and sometimes incorrectly interpreted, although it is evident that perturbations of the GIT can cause an imbalance and disturb the generalized homeostasis. In addition to any enteric diseases or conditions that might arise as a result of these disturbances, other influences will also impact such as the responses occurring in the GIT in the period immediately after weaning, any changes that might occur after a change in diet, and (or) disruptions to meal patterns and hence the flow of nutrients. Ultimately, ‘gut health’ represents the outcome of the GIT in response to its capacity and ability to respond and adapt to the insults and challenges it encounters.

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“…Bruininx et al, 2002Bruininx et al, , 2004. Consequently, piglets are predisposed to maldigestion and malabsorption, colonization by intestinal pathogens, growth stasis, diarrhoea (reviewed by Heo et al, 2013 andGresse et al, 2017) and maladaptive behaviour (Colson et al, 2006;Van Nieuwamerongen et al, 2017). A major contributor to these problems is the abrupt change in diet from sow's milk to solid feed (Bolhuis et al, 2009).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Apart from this nutritional challenge, as piglets are abruptly not able to suckle anymore, weaning also simultaneously involves social (maternal separation and mixing with unfamiliar peers) and environmental stressors (handling, transport and housing in a novel pen). These stressors together often lead to a low feed (energy) intake (reviewed by Le Dividich and Sève, 2000), gastrointestinal problems (reviewed by Heo et al, 2013), gut microbiota dysbiosis (reviewed by Gresse et al, 2017), reduced growth and behavioural disturbances (Colson et al, 2006;Van Nieuwamerongen et al, 2017) after weaning, thereby reducing health and welfare. Stimulating the consumption of solid feed prior to weaning, i.e.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In addition to the impact of weaning stress on feed intake, intestinal functioning and piglet health, weaning also adversely affects piglet behaviour, involving an increase in vocalisations and damaging behaviour directed at their pen mates, including belly nosing (reviewed by Widowski et al, 2008), ear and tail biting (Van Nieuwamerongen et al, 2017). Weaning not only induces transient effects on growth, intestinal development and behaviour, but there is also some evidence that weaning can induce long-lasting changes in the epithelial, immune and enteric nervous system functions of the gastrointestinal tract (reviewed by Moeser et al, 2017) and in penmate-directed behaviour and activity of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal cortex axis (reviewed by Telkänranta and Edwards, 2018).…”

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confidence: 99%

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Foraging in the farrowing room to stimulate feeding : getting piglets to eat is bittersweet

Middelkoop¹

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In common pig production systems, weaning happens early and abruptly, which contrasts the gradual transition from sow's milk to solid feed in nature. A significant proportion of commercially reared piglets is therefore poorly familiarised with the ingestion of solid feed before weaning, which together with concurrent changes in social structure and environment, result in a low feed intake and multiple health and welfare problems initially after weaning. The first aim of this thesis was to investigate the effects of solid feed provision during lactation (creep feed) on piglet development during the weaning transition. Piglets provided with creep feed (including fermentable fibres) during lactation increased their growth towards weaning, tended to be heavier at weaning, and were heavier and more uniform in body weight at two weeks after weaning compared to piglets reared on sow's milk only. This may partly be explained by a more developed gastrointestinal tract and more mature gut microbiota population at weaning of creep feed eaters within litters given creep feed. The second aim of this thesis was to explore whether piglets that were offered more opportunities to forage early in life increased their intake of creep feed before weaning and thereby improved their ability to deal with the weaning transition. Four strategies that could stimulate foraging in the farrowing room were tested: 1) enriching the pen with foraging materials on the floor and extra space, and by alternating chew objects, 2) presenting creep feed in a 'play-feeder' with foraging and playing materials attached, 3) providing diverse feeds in the feeder and 4) hiding feed in the feeder in sand. Enrichment with foraging materials on the floor, more space and alternating chew objects positively influenced feed intake of piglets before and after weaning until the end of the study at 2.5 weeks postweaning. Presenting the creep feed in a play-feeder stimulated feeder exploration and attracted more piglets than presenting the feed in a conventional feeder. Although the play-feeder did not enhance pre-weaning feed intake, post-weaning feed intake and growth were substantially improved and the incidence of diarrhoea, body lesions and damage were lower. Simultaneous provision of diverse feeds to suckling piglets resulted in more feed exploration and solid feed intake, and in a higher number of good eaters. Hiding feed in sand stimulated the number of good creep feed eaters within the litter, but did not increase exploration towards the feed. With the exception of the first feeding strategy, treatments were not reinforced after weaning and piglets thus experienced loss of these resources, which may have had a negative effect on post-weaning adaptation. This may explain the limited effects of dietary diversity on post-weaning adaption and the negative effects of hiding feed in sand on post-weaning feed intake, growth, manipulation and aggression. Lastly, it was shown that creep feed intake is not only driven by exploration, but also by a low energy intake fr...

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Gradual weaning during an extended lactation period improves performance and behavior of pigs raised in a multi-suckling system

Cited by 24 publications

References 34 publications

Low Birth Weight Impairs Acquisition of Spatial Memory Task in Pigs

Low Birth Weight Impairs Acquisition of Spatial Memory Task in Pigs

Gastrointestinal tract (gut) health in the young pig

Foraging in the farrowing room to stimulate feeding : getting piglets to eat is bittersweet

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