The effect of floor type in farrowing pens on pig injury. II. Leg and teat damage of sows

Edwards, Sandra A.; Lightfoot, A.

doi:10.1016/0007-1935(86)90045-x

Cited by 21 publications

(12 citation statements)

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“…Therefore, both floor material and its deterioration over time require consideration; repairing solid flooring and using specialised screed offering both grip and low abrasion properties has shown to decrease piglet injuries (Zoric et al, 2009). Any flooring needs to demonstrate these two properties (Tables 1 and 2); straw-bedding (Vellenga et al, 1983;Edwards and Lightfoot, 1986) or solid flooring covered with peat (Zoric et al, 2008) offer the lowest risk of injury. However, hygiene is an important consideration and slatted floors assist with hygiene (Rantzer and Svendsen, 2001), as well as thermal comfort for the sow during lactation in warm conditions.…”

Section: Flooringmentioning

confidence: 99%

Alternative farrowing systems: design criteria for farrowing systems based on the biological needs of sows and piglets

Baxter

Lawrence

Edwards

2011

Animal

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114

112

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The construction of a suitable farrowing environment is a continuing dilemma: the piglet's needs must be matched with those of the sow and the farmer during the main phases that constitute farrowing: nest building, parturition and lactation. Difficulties exist in resolving the various conflicts of interest between and within these three parties (e.g. sow v. farmer: space needed for nest building v. space needed to maximise the amount of farrowing accommodation, or sow v. sow: ensuring the survival of the current litter v. maintaining condition for future litters). Thus, the challenge is to resolve these conflicts and design a system that maximises sow and piglet welfare while maintaining an economically efficient and sustainable enterprise. In order to successfully design a farrowing and lactation environment, it is necessary to consider the biological needs of both the sow and her litter. The natural behaviour of the sow has been well documented and very little variation exists between reports of peri-parturient behaviour observed in extensively kept domestic sows and their wild counterparts. The failure for domestication to significantly alter these behavioural patterns provides evidence that they are biologically significant and that the commercial farrowing environment should attempt to accommodate this behavioural repertoire. In addition, the behavioural needs of the piglets, as well as the physiological needs of both sows and their offspring should be considered. This article aims to review the considerable body of literature detailing the behavioural repertoire of sows and their offspring during the different phases of farrowing, and the accompanying physiological processes. The focus is on identifying biological needs of the animals involved in order to synthesise the appropriate design criteria for farrowing and lactation systems, which should optimise both welfare and animal production.

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Section: Flooringmentioning

confidence: 99%

Alternative farrowing systems: design criteria for farrowing systems based on the biological needs of sows and piglets

Baxter

Lawrence

Edwards

2011

Animal

Self Cite

114

112

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“…However, in other studies most teat injuries and skin ulcerations were found at mammary complex pair number 1 or at pair numbers 5–7, but with the most profound ulcerations at pair numbers 4–6 (Edwards and Lightfoot, 1986; Persson, 1997; Hultén et al., 2003). An explanation of mammary complex pair number 7 being most often affected could be that the sows are lacerating themselves with their hind claws (Edwards and Lightfoot, 1986). The frequent laceration of pair number 7 could also be due to the fact that the caudal mammary glands give less milk compared with the cranial ones (Rosillon‐Warnier and Paquay, 1985).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 71%

“…We found mammary complex pair number 7 being significantly most frequently affected. However, in other studies most teat injuries and skin ulcerations were found at mammary complex pair number 1 or at pair numbers 5-7, but with the most profound ulcerations at pair numbers 4-6 (Edwards and Lightfoot, 1986;Persson, 1997;Hulte´n et al, 2003). An explanation of mammary complex pair number 7 being most often affected could be that the sows are lacerating themselves with their hind claws (Edwards and Lightfoot, 1986).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 81%

Pathology of Udder Lesions in Sows

Christensen¹,

Aalbæk²,

Jensen³

2007

Journal of Veterinary Medicine Series A

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In recent years an increasing frequency of sows with udder lesions has been observed during meat inspection. The frequency and pattern of affected mammary complexes were determined by inspection, palpation, and incision of udders of 640 sows at a local slaughterhouse. From representative lesions, tissue specimens were sampled for histological and bacteriological examination. Moreover, in seven problem cases immunohistochemistry was applied for the identification of Staphylococcus aureus and Arcanobacterium pyogenes. Udder lesions were recorded in 67 sows (10.5%), with mammary complex no. 7 being most frequently affected (39%). In most cases (81%), lesions were restricted to a single mammary complex. Gross lesions were characterized as focal or multiple abscesses, which most often (79%) were accompanied by dermal ulcerations. Based on histological observations and bacterial identification, two groups of lesions were identified: (I) pyogranulomatous lesions of the dermal and subcutaneous tissue caused by S. aureus; and (II) dermal and subcutaneous abscesses dominated by A. pyogenes. In neither group I nor group II lesions, the glandular mammary tissue was involved as demonstrated by immunostaining for cytokeratin, i.e. mastitis was not diagnosed in any of the cases. In conclusion, all udder lesions were caused by skin infections predominantly caused by A. pyogenes and S. aureus resulting in the development of dermal abscesses and pyogranulomatous lesions, respectively.

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“…Acute, chronic and gangrenous thelitis was found in the thoracic glands, while more udder skin lesions were observed in the abdominal glands (MEERMElER, 1987). In sows examined during lactation and at weaning (EDWARDS and LIGHTFOOT, 1986), the highest frequency of teat injury was demonstrated in teat pairs 5-7, while almost no injuries were found on teats belonging to the three cranial pairs of mammary glands. These contradictory results emanated from a study where the influence of different floor types was compared and the location of teat injuries towards the rear of the udder of the sow was caused by the back hoofs of the sows when struggling to stand on the perforated floor.…”

Section: Perssonmentioning

confidence: 90%

“…The results of exposure of the mammary glands and teats to different flooring in the farrowing pens have been investigated in some studies (SVENDSEN et al, 1984;EDWARDS and LIGHTFOOT, 1986). The frequency of teat injuries and teat cuts was increased if a perforated floor was used and tended to be greater at weaning (EDWARDS and LIGHTFOOT, 1986). Between 1988 and 1991 the DANISH 'RUU...ENDE AFPR0VNING' contributed results from testing of different perforated floor types in farrowing pens and their impact on teat injuries.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Clinical Assessment of Udder Health Status of Sows at Time of Weaning with Special Reference to Bacteriology and Cytology in Milk

Persson

1997

Journal of Veterinary Medicine Series A

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Summary The main objective of this study was to obtain data about the frequencies of teat injuries, udder skin lesions and abnormal palpatory findings of the mammary glands at the day of weaning and 7 days after weaning. Milk samples were collected from mammary glands and teats without clinical changes and from glands and teats showing abnormal clinical appearance. Bacteriological examination was performed and evaluated. The total cell content (TCC) and the polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PMNLs) were counted and used as indicators of inflammatory response. Sixty per cent of the lactations showed teat injuries and (or) udder skin lesions irrespective of lactation number. The prevalence of palpable changes increased gradually from the first to the second and subsequent lactations (15%, 30% and 60%), the increase from the first to the second and from the first to the third and subsequent lactations being significant or highly significant (P < 0.05 and P < 0.001). The average number of teats injured per ‘lactation with teat injuries’ showed a numerical but not significant decrease (3.0, 3.2 and 2.4, respectively). The average number of palpable changes per ‘lactation with palpable changes’ varied from 1.7 to 2.5. The teat injuries were numerically more frequent within the two thoracic and first three abdominal teat pairs, varying from 11% to 16%. The clinical appearance of the teat injuries and palpatory changes subsided rapidly, 76% and 49% being scored as clinically normal when the reexamination was performed 7 days after weaning. Irrespective of clinical group, the milk collected at the day of weaning yielded non‐ as well as α‐ and β‐haemolytic streptococci. The β‐haemolytic streptococci turned out to be more frequently isolated from milk collected from clinically abnormal glands and teats. The limited number of secretion samples obtained and cultured 7 days after weaning yielded staphylococci and Actinomyces pyogenes, which indicated a bacterial flora known to cause infectious mastitis. A cytological comparison between milk from clinically normal and abnormal mammary glands and teats revealed almost significantly or significantly increased levels of TCC and PMNLs (12.17 vs. 17.76 × 106 cells/ml and 1.40 vs. 2.77 × 106 cells/ml). A comparison between levels of TCC and PMNLs in milk collected from the two clinical groups of sows, but where the bacteriological growth turned out to be negative, also revealed significant increases in the levels of the two cell parameters emanating from clinically abnormal glands and teats. The individual sow, but not herd or lactation, showed a significant influence on the variation of TCC.

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The effect of floor type in farrowing pens on pig injury. II. Leg and teat damage of sows

Cited by 21 publications

References 0 publications

Alternative farrowing systems: design criteria for farrowing systems based on the biological needs of sows and piglets

Alternative farrowing systems: design criteria for farrowing systems based on the biological needs of sows and piglets

Pathology of Udder Lesions in Sows

Clinical Assessment of Udder Health Status of Sows at Time of Weaning with Special Reference to Bacteriology and Cytology in Milk

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