Management routines influencing piglet survival in loose-housed sow herds

Abstract

Piglet mortality is still a significant welfare and ethical matter in pig production, as well as an economical challenge for the farmer. Most of the mortality occurs early after farrowing, and previous studies have shown that the farm`s management routines, especially around farrowing, are important factors to reduce it. When sows are loose-housed at farrowing and in the following lactation period, it puts higher demands on management input from the farmer to keep piglet mortality low. The objective of this study was to assess the importance of different management routines around the time of farrowing, and other farm qualities for piglet survival in loose-housed herds. To study risk factors for herd piglet mortality, a cross-sectional field survey was carried out in Norway in the year 2013, and included 52 commercial herds with hybrid LY sows (Norwegian Landrace x Swedish Yorkshire). The farms were visited once, and the farmers answered a questionnaire about their management practices. The outcome was the average herd pre-weaning mortality in the years of 2012-2013. To include as many management factors as possible into the multivariable linear regression model, we generated a new variable based on 4 management routines: 3 routines at farrowing (presence at 80-100% of the farrowings, drying newborn piglets, and practice split suckling), and one concerning farmer´s contact with the sows. This variable was called "Management type" (M), and were divided into 4 categories with increasing effort; M1 herds without any of the 4 mentioned routines, M2 had contact with sows >2 times per day, M3 performed the 3 routines at farrowing, and M4 combined the high sow contact and the 3 routines. The predicted values of mean herd piglet mortality for M1, M2, M3 and M4 were 20.1%, 17.0%, 16.2% and 13.3% respectively. The farmer`s increased management effort was associated with lower piglet mortality (P<0.05). The farmer`s effort at critical times together with systematic and important routines, and having frequent contact with the sows, makes a huge difference for piglet survival. The farmers are credited for this work by having lower piglet mortality as a result.

Impact of Duration of Farrowing Crate Closure on Physical Indicators of Sow Welfare and Piglet Mortality

“…These proportions are even lower than the proportion of laid on piglets found in crated sows by Nicolaisen et al [ 24 ] who reported a total of 36.1% of deaths from being laid on. Rosvold et al [ 25 ] studied different management routines influencing piglets’ survival in loose-housed sow herds and identified the high degree of staff presence during farrowing as one of the important factors leading to reduced piglet mortality. Baxter et al [ 26 ] mention that when judging any farrowing system, it must be emphasized that the quality of stockpeople handling and the maternal characteristics of the sow will be integral to its success.…”

Piglet mortality – A parallel comparison between loose-housed and temporarily confined farrowing sows in the same herd

“…As mentioned in the introduction, piglet mortality is known to be a multifactorial complex rather than being solely influenced by farrowing system. Management is another important factor (Andersen et al, 2007(Andersen et al, , 2009Rosvold et al, 2017). Management procedures, such as drying and warming immediately after birth, litter equalization, use of nurse sows and/or supplemental milkers are important factors in reducing preweaning mortality.…”

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

“…Management Routines. The variation in the management routines among the farms could be divided into 4 groups reflecting increasing effort from the farmer, as published by Rosvold et al (2017). The variation in the management routines in the present study are representative for Norwegian commercial herds.…”

“…Although modern maternal sow breeding programs have resulted in more piglets weaned , piglet mortality is still a major welfare and economic issue because approximately 20% of piglets born are dead or eventually died before weaning (Ocepek et al, 2016a). Piglet survival until weaning depends on interacting factors such as the physical environment (Andersen et al, 2007), management routines (Andersen et al, 2007;Rosvold et al, 2017), piglet viability (Pedersen et al, 2011), and maternal behavior (Andersen et al, 2005;. Promoting maternal care behaviors in sows kept loose during farrowing and lactation can result in fewer piglet deaths and improve the welfare of pigs and, thus, contribute to more sustainable breeding.…”