Impact of sow energy status during farrowing on farrowing kinetics, frequency of stillborn piglets, and farrowing assistance1

Abstract

Farrowing duration is rather long in sows most likely due to selection for large litters, and we hypothesized that prolonged farrowings would compromise sow energy status during farrowing and in turn the farrowing process. Two studies were performed as follows: 1) to evaluate whether sow energy status during farrowing compromise the farrowing kinetics (FK, i.e., farrowing duration and birth intervals) and 2) to study the underlying mechanisms potentially affecting stillbirth rate and farrowing assistance. In study-1, parameters affecting FK were characterized based on data from a total of 166 farrowings from 7 feeding trials focused on sow colostrum production. The data were screened for associations with FK using the CORR procedure of SAS. Traits that were correlated with the FK at P < 0.05 were included in a multivariate regression model. Time since last meal until the onset of farrowing greatly affected the farrowing duration (r = 0.76; n = 166; P < 0.001) and a broken-line model was fitted to describe that relationship. According to the model, farrowing duration was constant (3.8 ± 1.5 h) if the farrowing started before the breakpoint (3.13 ± 0.34 h after the last meal), whereas farrowing duration increased to 9.3 h if the farrowing started 8 h after the last meal. Subsequently, sows were divided into 3 categories based on that trait (≤3, 3 to 6, and >6 h) to evaluate the impact on birth intervals, farrowing assistance, and stillbirth rate. Birth intervals (P < 0.001), odds for farrowing assistance (P < 0.001), and odds for stillbirth (P = 0.02) were low, intermediate, and high when time since last meal was ≤3, 3 to 6, and >6 h, respectively. In study-2, blood samples were collected once or twice each week in late gestation and each hour during farrowing to measure arterial concentrations and uterine extractions of plasma metabolites. Time since last meal was strongly negatively correlated with arterial glucose 1 h after the onset of farrowing (r= -0.96; n = 9; P < 0.001). Glucose appeared to be the key energy metabolite for oxidative metabolism of gravid uterus. In conclusion, the present study strongly suggests that a substantial proportion of sows suffer from low-energy status at the onset farrowing and that this negatively affects the farrowing process. Transferring this knowledge into practice, the results suggest that sows should be fed at least 3 daily meals in late gestation.

Tools and Protocols for Managing Hyperprolific Sows at Parturition: Optimizing Piglet Survival and Sows’ Reproductive Health

“…Besides amount and composition of feed, the feeding intervals are important. A short time-lapse between the last meal prior to the onset of the expulsion stage and the onset considerably shortens the duration of farrowing [51]. Farrowing duration, odds for farrowing assistance, and odds for stillbirth were low, intermediate, and high when the time between the last meal and onset of parturition was less than 3, 3-6, and more than 6 h, respectively [51].…”

The challenge of large litters on the immune system of the sow and the piglets

“…Time lapse between the last feeding occasion prior to the onset of farrowing had no effect, if the time was short (<3 hr). However, if the time lapse exceeded 3 hr, a positive linear correlation for the time lapse and the duration of farrowing was reported (Feyera, Pedersen, Krogh, Foldager, & Theil, ). Glucose metabolism was considered to be of highest relevance behind this finding.…”

“…Glucose metabolism was considered to be of highest relevance behind this finding. Yet, other factors such as feeding fibre involving bacterial metabolism of the GI tract were thought to support farrowing to be more successful and less lasting, too (Feyera et al., ).…”

“…The humoral and cellular factors of maternal immunity in swine were reviewed by Salmon, Berri, Gerdts, and Meurens (2009). An increase F I G U R E 1 Relationship between litter size and the duration of farrowing in 20 studies from 1992 to 2018 (Björkman et al, 2017Canario, Roy, Gruand, & Bidanel, 2006;van Dijk, van Rens, van der Lende, & Taverne, 2005;Feyera et al, 2018;Gu et al, 2011;Guillemet et al, 2007;Hales, Moustsen, Devreese, Nielsen, & Hansen, 2015;Hansen, Hales, Weber, Edwards, & Moustsen, 2017;Kobek Thorsen et al, 2017;Madec & Leon, 1992;Oliviero, Heinonen, Valros, & Peltoniemi, 2010;Oliviero, Kothe, Heinonen, Valros, & Peltoniemi, 2013;Oliviero et al, 2008;Olsson, Botermans, & Englund, 2019;van Rens & van der Lende, 2004;Tummaruk & Pearodwong, 2015;Van Wettere, Toplis, & Miller, 2018;Yun et al, 2018;Zaleski & Hacker, 1993) F I G U R E 2 Relationship between litter size (total born) and the average piglet birthweight by litter (from Smit et al, 2013;Animal, Cambridge press, supplementary material) in production of mammogenic hormones, including oestrogen, relaxin and prolactin, accelerates mammary gland (MG) growth rapidly Since these cells were originally stimulated in the gut, they now produce sIgA of the same specificity as gut IgA, into milk. This is the basis of the so-called entero-mammary immune link (Salmon et al, 2009).…”

“…Relationship between litter size and the duration of farrowing in 20 studies from 1992 to 2018 (Björkman et al., , ; Canario, Roy, Gruand, & Bidanel, ; van Dijk, van Rens, van der Lende, & Taverne, ; Feyera et al., ; Gu et al., ; Guillemet et al., ; Hales, Moustsen, Devreese, Nielsen, & Hansen, ; Hansen, Hales, Weber, Edwards, & Moustsen, ; Kobek Thorsen et al., ; Madec & Leon, ; Oliviero, Heinonen, Valros, & Peltoniemi, ; Oliviero, Kothe, Heinonen, Valros, & Peltoniemi, ; Oliviero et al., ; Olsson, Botermans, & Englund, ; van Rens & van der Lende, ; Tummaruk & Pearodwong, ; Van Wettere, Toplis, & Miller, ; Yun et al., ; Zaleski & Hacker, )…”