PSV-4 Effect of drying and/or warming piglets at birth on rectal temperature over the first 24 hours after birth

Abstract

Newborn piglets experience a rapid decrease in body temperature, increasing the risk of mortality. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of drying and/or warming at birth on piglet rectal temperature over 24 h after birth. The study was carried out at a commercial sow facility using a CRD with 4 treatments: Control (no drying or warming of piglets), Drying (piglets dried at birth using a cellulose-based desiccant), Warming (piglets placed in a box under a heat lamp for 30 min after birth), and Drying+Warming (piglets dried and warmed as above). Piglets were identified with a numbered ear tag. They were weighed at birth and rectal temperature was measured at 0, 10, 20, 30, 45, 60, 120, and 1440 min (24 h) after birth. Sows and litters were randomly allotted at birth to treatments. Data were analyzed using a repeated measures model with PROC MIXED of SAS. Litter was the experimental unit and piglet was a subsample of the litter; the model included the fixed effects of treatment and repeated time, and the interaction. Rectal temperature at birth was similar (P > 0.05) for all treatments. Subsequently, piglets on the Drying and Warming treatments had similar (P > 0.05) temperatures, which were greater (P 0.05) than the Control at all measurement times up to 120 min. Drying+Warming resulted in the highest (P < 0.05) rectal temperature overall and at most times of measurement between 10 and 120 min. Rectal temperatures were similar for all treatment at 24 h after birth. In conclusion, drying and/or warming piglets at birth significantly increased rectal temperatures between 10 and 120 minutes after birth with the combination of the two having the greatest effect. This research was funded by the National Pork Board.

Impact of sow lactation feed intake on the growth and suckling behavior of low and average birthweight pigs to 10 weeks of age

“…In this study, the rectal temperature of Low BW animals was 0.8 °C lower than Av BW counterparts, which indicates an increased susceptibility to potentially lethal conditions, such as postnatal hypothermia, starvation, and crushing ( Muns et al, 2016 ; Vande Pol et al, 2019 ). This finding is in agreement with previous work showing compromised pigs to be particularly at risk of low body temperatures in the immediate postpartum period, contributing to their increased mortality rate ( Malmkvist et al, 2006 ).…”

Are Larger Litters a Concern for Piglet Survival or An Effectively Manageable Trait?

“…One of the best management strategies for piglet survival in larger litters is adequate farrowing supervision [71]. If sows give birth during working hours, producers are able to effectively save piglets at risk by keeping neonates warm [72,73], rescuing overlain piglets from under sows [74], encouraging suckling behaviours [72], and assisting sows with farrowing difficulties [73].…”