Use of Cross-Fostering to Enhance Growth of Pigs That Are Predicted to Grow Poorly Based on Plasma α-1 Acid Glycoprotein Concentration

Abstract

Porcine α-1 acid glycoprotein (AGP) in newborn pigs can be used to predict growth rate through weaning and is a marker for growth impairment. This study examined whether nutritional support can improve the growth rate of piglets identified as having poor growth potential. Cross-fostering (CF) and CF plus a milk supplement (CF + MS) were used to attempt to improve the growth performance of pigs. Blood was collected at d1 post-parturition for measurement of plasma AGP for all pigs in 28 litters contributing to the experiment. Piglets with the highest plasma AGP level were weight and sex matched to a littermate with a low plasma AGP concentration and four pairs of these weight and sex matched pigs were grouped into four foster litters per treatment (control, CF, CF + MS). The control group was assembled by pairing littermates remaining in donor litters. Pigs stayed on treatment until weaning at 21 days of age. At 35 days of age, dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) was performed on CF and CF + MS pigs to evaluate carcass composition. Control pairs differed in weaning weight, with pigs with higher plasma AGP at 1 day of age having smaller weaning weights than their littermates of similar birth weight (P < 0.05). However, CF eliminated the difference in weaning weight between the slow growing pigs and their birth weight matched littermates. CF + MS produced a similar effect as CF (P > 0.05). At 35 days of age, body weights were still similar between CF littermates and between CF + MS littermates (P > 0.05). DXA analysis demonstrated that body composition was similar between CF or CF + MS treated pigs and their litter-