Shortening sow restraint period during lactation improves production and decreases hair cortisol concentrations in sows and their piglets

Morgan, Liat; Meyer, Jerrold S.; Novak, Shiri; Younis, Ahmad; Ahmad, Wiessam Abu; Raz, Tal

doi:10.1016/j.animal.2020.100082

Cited by 12 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 37 publications

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“…One extreme outlier to this trend, which has been omitted from the figure, is a single extreme result for 14-day confinement, which reported a standardized mortality of 210% [( 43 ); non-significant effect with 19–30 sows per treatment group]. The trend in Figure 3 is also in contrast to the within-farm study of Morgan et al ( 45 ), who analyzed mortality data from a sample of 77 sows with confinement period ranging from 3 to 24 days. In their study, linear regression indicated that for every day of restraint, survival rate (the number of weaned pigs out of the number of live piglets at the age of 3 days) significantly decreased by 0.4%.…”

Section: Management Choices In Temporary Crating Systemsmentioning

confidence: 84%

“…Stress caused by crating may be transferred from the sow to her piglets by a combination of impaired maternal behavior and higher cortisol concentration present in milk. Morgan et al ( 45 ), who found a positive correlation between the duration of confinement (D3 to entire lactation) during lactation and hair cortisol concentrations in sows, reported a similar effect in piglets, suggesting increased stress levels in late lactation (D23) in piglets born to sows permanently crated.…”

Section: The Interpretation Of Pig Welfare In Different Farrowing Sys...mentioning

confidence: 85%

“…Overall, there are pens with a focus in the design on the loose sow and the litter and where temporary confinement is an add-on with the aim of reducing the risk of neonatal piglet crushing ( 26 , 27 ) ( Figure 1 ). Other pens have more similarities with traditional farrowing crates ( 45 – 47 ) ( Figure 1 ), with limited innovations to meet the sow and piglet behavioral needs ( 47 ). The main difference in these limited systems compared with traditional crates is that restrictive bars can be removed, making it easier for piglets to have access to the udder ( 49 ) and allowing the sow more room for movement.…”

Section: Pen Design Variability: From Crate To Temporary Confinement ...mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Four studies observed a decrease in piglet mortality in TC. Morgan et al ( 45 ) found a negative relationship between the duration of confinement and piglet survival, reporting that for any additional day in restraint of the sows (3–23 days, i.e., permanent crating), piglets' weaning rate (number of piglets weaned relative to number alive at D3) decreased by 0.4%.…”

Section: The Interpretation Of Pig Welfare In Different Farrowing Sys...mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, no differences were found when compared to other groups of crated sows (permanently crated) on D5, which makes this result inconclusive. Focusing on a later point in lactation, Morgan et al ( 45 ) reported lower cortisol concentrations before weaning at around D23 in sows subjected to a short period (up to D3–D10) of confinement compared to those confined for a longer period (up to D13–D23), but only in sows of parities 3–8. Investigating both short- and long-term effects of TC on cortisol concentrations, Goumon et al ( 26 ) reported no influence of crate opening on D3 on salivary cortisol concentrations 24 h after opening of the crate nor in later lactation (D25).…”

Section: The Interpretation Of Pig Welfare In Different Farrowing Sys...mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Review of Temporary Crating of Farrowing and Lactating Sows

et al. 2022

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Temporary crating (TC) provides lactating sows with the opportunity to move more freely after crate opening a few days after parturition. The aim of this paper was to evaluate whether TC gives overall welfare improvement when compared to permanent crating or free farrowing. This review shows that when pens with TC allow the sows to turn during the majority of time in the farrowing unit, it is the pen design and period of confinement in a crate within it that influence the extent to which different functional and motivated behaviors can be fulfilled. This review also indicates that there are at least short-term benefits to sows when confinement is reduced, as shown by reported increases in motivated behaviors such as exploration and interactions with piglets when not permanently crated. It remains unclear whether there are any longer-term beneficial effects (until or beyond weaning) due to the paucity of studies. Furthermore, it is uncertain whether the observed short-term benefits translate to other welfare indicators. Research findings indicate no reduction in the frequency of stereotypies or body lesions and do not provide a clear answer regarding sow stress response when released from confinement. Compared to free farrowing, TC appears beneficial for reducing piglet mortality. The impact of the time of onset of TC on the farrowing process and piglet mortality have been inconsistent. While confinement before farrowing prevents nest building behavior, consequences of this for sow physiology have been ambiguous. Confining the sow briefly after farrowing may be the best compromise, allowing the sow to perform motivated nest-building behavior, but the risks of crushing during the unconfined farrowing period may increase. Subsequent crate reopening seems to increase piglet mortality but only if done earlier than 3–5 days after farrowing. The review also provides methodological considerations, a proposal for consistent and accurate terminology when describing systems and highlights gaps of knowledge. In conclusion, TC is a step forward to better pig welfare compared to the farrowing crate, as it allows some freedom of movement for sows without impairing piglet welfare. However, more comprehensive research is needed to draw sound conclusions as to whether TC is a viable transition from permanent crating to free farrowing.

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Section: Management Choices In Temporary Crating Systemsmentioning

confidence: 84%

Section: The Interpretation Of Pig Welfare In Different Farrowing Sys...mentioning

confidence: 85%

Section: Pen Design Variability: From Crate To Temporary Confinement ...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: The Interpretation Of Pig Welfare In Different Farrowing Sys...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: The Interpretation Of Pig Welfare In Different Farrowing Sys...mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Review of Temporary Crating of Farrowing and Lactating Sows

et al. 2022

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Determination of hair cortisol in horses: comparison of immunoassay vs LC-HRMS/MS

et al. 2022

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The measure of hair cortisol concentration (HCC) is becoming an emerging approach to monitor mid-/long-term stress in animals, so it is more and more important to develop accurate and reliable methods. In the light of this, the aim of the present study was to compare mane HCCs of 47 horses with different managements, by means of an immunoassay (ELISA) and liquid chromatography coupled to hybrid high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS/MS). After the washing step, the ground hair was extracted with methanol. The extract was evaporated and redissolved in two different aqueous solutions, depending on the detection technique. The methods were validated according to EMA guideline for bioanalytical method validation, in the range 2–50 pg mg−1 (ELISA) and 1–100 pg mg−1 (LC-HRMS/MS). Satisfactory quantitative performances were obtained for both of the approaches, but this latter demonstrated better precision. The detected concentrations in real samples were encompassing the range 1.3–8.8 pg mg−1 and 2.0–17.9 pg mg−1 by means of LC-HRMS/MS and ELISA, respectively. Overall, HCCs measured with ELISA technique were 1.6 times higher. The overestimation of immunoassay results might be caused by cross-reactivity phenomena of laboratory reagents and other structurally similar hormones present in the mane. Graphical abstract

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