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The pork industry is willing to adopt practices that improve the welfare of pigs, but these practices should be evaluated appropriately to ensure success for all stakeholders. Nest-building is a highly conserved, innate behaviour that, despite many years of domestication, still exists in commercial sows. The behaviour is inhibited because of confinement within a crate and the absence of appropriate materials. Allowing the sow to perform some aspects of nesting will enhance welfare, as well as offspring survival through improved farrowing ease, reduced risky posture changes, and increased maternal bonding and colostrum/milk access. The aim of this review was to summarise outcomes from nesting investigations that utlise different substrates on piglet survival. The most commonly studied nesting enrichment material is straw, and it can be argued that straw has the most consistent and positive influence on piglet survival. However, in addition to using it to build a nest, sows will consume large volumes of straw, which increases dietary fibre intake. Fibre improves gastrointestinal health, energy release and satiety, all of which have been shown to offer similar benefits to piglet survival as allowing the sow to nest. So, to argue that straw is the most appropriate nesting substrate when using piglet survival as a benchmark is flawed. There may be an opportunity to exploit nesting materials other than straw that are easier for the industry to adopt in combination with high fibre peri-parturient diets, and such strategies should be considered. Sows are driven to build a nest before giving birth and require appropriate materials to do this. The advantage of allowing sows to nest-build is increased piglet survival; however, some materials cause blocked drains on the farm. Straw may be the best nesting material, but sows will also consume straw increasing dietary fibre intake. To limit drainage issues, alternatives to straw in combination with high-fibre diets should be explored for sows to improve welfare and piglet survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are sex differences in behaviour with males tending to be more aggressive and less fearful than females. When females are treated with androgens they display more aggressive, male like, behaviours and this suggests that androgen exposure has a role in the development of aggression. Female pigs born into litters that are more than 60% male (male biased) are likely exposed to greater androgen concentrations in utero than female pigs born into litters that are greater than 60% female (female biased). We hypothesise that the proportion of males in the litter in utero affects female pig behaviour. We predict that gilts from male biased litters will be more aggressive and less anxious than gilts from female biased litters. The behaviour of females from male biased (n = 24) and female biased (n = 30) litters was assessed at day 11 and day 21 of life with an arena test, at weaning (28 days of life) by assessing fight number and duration as well as injury scores and at 16 weeks of age with a resident intruder test. In the day 21 arena test, the pigs from female biased litters took longer to emerge into the arena than pigs from male biased litters (1.13 ± 0.05 (42.2 s) vs. 1.32 ± 0.09 (15.5 s) respectively, P = 0.016). At weaning there was a higher scratch score for piglets from male biased litter (0.84 ± 0.2 vs 0.69 ± 0.15, P = 0.015) and this continued as a trend on the day following weaning (1.76 ± 0.10 vs 1.57 ± 0.13, P = 0.080). At 16 weeks of age in the resident intruder test 48% of gilts from male biased litters initiated a fight compared to 24% of gilts from female biased litters (P = 0.08). Our data suggest that the sex ratio of the birth litter can affect behaviour of gilts, potentially having long term implications for sow aggression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Synthetic olfactory agonists mimic odours secreted by mammary glands in several mammal species and their application can reduce anxiety levels in both juvenile and adult animals. This investigation determined the effect of a commercially available synthetic olfactory agonist administration on behaviour, salivary cortisol secretion and level of injury after sows were mixed into groups. Within five days of mating sows were divided between two treatments according to parity: 24 control sows (CON), and 24 that received the synthetic olfactory agonist (SOA) by being housed with diffusing blocks. Sows were mixed in groups of six, with two replicate pens contained within each of the two rooms, allocated a space allowance of 2.4 m 2 and offered 2.7 kg/day of a dry sow diet. Sow behaviour, injury counts and saliva samples were collected on days 0, 1, 3 and 7 following the mixing event. In the afternoon of day 7, the SOA diffusing blocks were removed and measurements were collected again on days 8 and 14. On day 0, the mean ± SEM log 10 average number of aggressive events recorded per sow was reduced in the SOA (1.0 ± 0.08; back-transformed mean 10.6 events) when compared with CON treatment (0.8 ± 0.08; 5.9 events; P < 0.05). These results were mirrored on almost all other measurement days (P < 0.05), with the exception of day 14, when the incidence of aggression did not differ between treatments (P > 0.05). Sows were also observed to rest for a log 10 longer duration in the SOA treatment than in CON (4.14 ± 0.02; 230.1 min versus 4.10 ± 0.02; 209.8 min respectively; P < 0.001) on the day of mixing. When averaged across the experimental period, sows from the SOA treatment ate for longer (3.62 ± 0.03; 69.6 min) and more often (1.12 ± 0.04; 13.2 events) when compared with CON sows (3.52 ± 0.03; 54.7 min and 1.02 ± 0.04; 10.4 times respectively; P < 0.05), but there was no impact on weight gain (P > 0.05). After the diffusing blocks were removed from the SOA treatment, a rise in aggression was detected in SOA (2.2 ± 1.1 events per sow) but not CON sows (0.38 ± 1.0 events per sow; P < 0.05). No treatment effects were observed on injury counts, salivary cortisol concentrations, or conception rate (P > 0.05). These findings support the hypothesis that the provision of a synthetic olfactory agonist can reduce aggression in adult sows at mixing, providing a novel strategy to improve the welfare of group housed sows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Tail biting in pigs is an abnormal event where one pig engages in the biting, chewing, or oral manipulation of another pig's tail. The repeat biting of the wounded site can lead to pain, infection, and the possible mortality of the victim pig(s), which is why it is a serious issue in pork production. Tail biting is often difficult to prevent as there are various reasons why a particular pig may choose to exhibit this behavior. The aim of this review is to identify current decision support tools and other technological aids that can be used to predict the likelihood of a tail biting event. Additionally, we aim to understand how dependable these decision support tools are for predictive tail biting events by examining both the underlying model and data utilized for generating predictions. Tail biting (TB) in pigs is a complex issue that can be caused by multiple factors, making it difficult to determine the exact etiology on a case-by-case basis. As such, it is often difficult to pinpoint the reason, or set of reasons, for TB events, Decision Support Tools (DSTs) can be used to identify possible risk factors of TB on farms and provide suitable courses of action. The aim of this review was to identify DSTs that could be used to predict the risk of TB behavior. Additionally, technologies that can be used to support DSTs, with monitoring and tracking the prevalence of TB behaviors, are reviewed. Using the PRISMA methodology to identify sources, the applied selection process found nine DSTs related to TB in pigs. All support tools relied on secondary information, either by way of the scientific literature or expert opinions, to determine risk factors for TB predictions. Only one DST was validated by external sources, seven were self-assessed by original developers, and one presented no evidence of validation. This analysis better understands the limitations of DSTs and highlights an opportunity for the development of DSTs that rely on objective data derived from the environment, animals, and humans simultaneously to predict TB risks. Moreover, an opportunity exists for the incorporation of monitoring technologies for TB detection into a DST. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This experiment investigated whether allopregnanolone, a neurosteroid metabolite from progesterone, modulates the stress response during early pregnancy. Twenty-five nulliparous sows (Sus scrofa) were allocated to one of three treatments: pregnant, ovariectomized or ovariectomized administered daily intravenously with alfaxalone as a synthetic allopregnanolone analog. On days 5, 12 and 19 of pregnancy, all sows were subjected to social stress by submitting them individually to a resident-intruder test, acting as the intruder. Blood samples were collected to analyze plasma progesterone, allopregnanolone, cortisol and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) concentrations. On day 26, 10 sows across the three treatments were subjected to a dexamethasone suppression test followed by a corticotrophin-releasing hormone administration to test the functionality of their hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis through cortisol release. Pregnant sows returned more rapidly to baseline cortisol concentrations following the resident-intruder test (p = 0.006). However, there were no other differences in cortisol or ACTH concentrations according to treatment or day, or to the HPA responsivity test on day 26. Allopregnanolone concentration in pregnant sows was higher than in ovariectomized sows (p < 0.001), but stable during the first third of pregnancy. Allopregnanolone concentration was correlated with longer resident-intruder test duration (pregnant:r = 0.66,p = 0.0003; ovariectomized:r = 0.47,p = 0.03), reflecting lower aggressiveness, and with progesterone concentration (r = 0.25,p = 0.03). Alfaxalone administration raised plasma allopregnanolone concentration in alfaxalone-administered sows but resulted in little behavioral and physiological effects. These findings did not support the hypothesis that the stress response of the female pig changes in the first third of pregnancy. Allopregnanolone was associated with lower aggression in social encounters. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of parity and space allowance on selected measures indicative of welfare, and on reproductive parameters, in group-housed sows. Selected animals were at first parity or parity three or greater, and were housed with allocated space allowances per pig of 1.4 or 2.8 m 2 . Welfare outcome measures included: injury and lameness scores, plasma cortisol levels, neutrophil:lymphocyte ratios and reproductive performance. These values were recorded at a range of timepoints in the first 24 h after mixing, and at 28 days after the mixing event. In general there were few significant effects of space allowance and parity level on the measured outcomes. However, improved reproduction, as evidenced by increased litter size and born alive figures, was seen as a result of increased space allowance in older animals. A contrary response was observed in gilts. Cortisol responses also indicated that there was a rapid habituation to the stress of mixing with levels returning to baseline within 24 h. Cortisol levels remained low in older animals but unexpectedly showed a peak at 28 days in gilts. It is postulated that this may have arisen as a result of handling events associated with pregnancy testing. Our results suggest that at least at the chosen stocking densities, parity and space allocation have minimal effect on a number of commonly-used welfare measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aggression is at its highest when sows are first introduced to new animals and hierarchies are being established. Thus, methods to reduce aggression should focus on this period. The aggression that occurs during mixing results in physiological stress responses, which can have detrimental effects on sow welfare and reproductive parameters. In pigs, the short-term nature of this response means that these effects can be avoided with careful management. Many attempted aggression management techniques, such as sedation and boar presence, only lead to short term reduction of aggression at mixing. Other methods, such as high space allocation at mixing, same parity mixes and small group sizes, highlight that simple factors can reduce aggression, but optimum management has not yet been determined. The objectives of future studies should be to isolate the techniques which can be practically managed on commercial farms and aim to provide further and conclusive information on optimum mixing management. In the interim, management techniques such as providing as much space as practical at mixing and reducing the number of limiting resources can be implemented, until optimum management techniques can be defined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Investigations were made into the genetics of several temperament traits in Merino ewes, with particular emphasis on those aspects which might be associated with maternal behaviour at lambing and consequently, the postnatal survival of lambs. If a beneficial relationship between ewe temperament and lamb survival could be established, indirect selection for such a trait may result in increased gain in survival when compared to direct selection. Ewe mothering temperament was a subjective score based on the proximity of the ewe whilst her lamb was tagged and measured the ewes affinity to her lamb, agitation score measured the reactivity of a sheep whilst isolated from flock mates and lastly, flight time calculated the time taken for a sheep to cross two points 1.7m apart after release from a weight crate reflecting aversion to human handling. A data set from over 118 sires, approximately 2000 animals and more than 20,000 records was analysed for estimation of the genetic parameters for these traits and a set of economically important wool production traits. The heritability (±SE) of ewe mothering temperament was 0.35±0.02. Agitation score and flight time were less heritable (0.20±0.05 and 0.12±0.05, respectively). The heritability of litter survival was low (0.09±0.01) and the genetic correlations between this trait and ewe mothering temperament, agitation score and flight time were 0.18±0.08, 0.39±0.18 and 0.09±0.27, respectively. Estimated genetic correlations (r g) between temperament traits and wool traits overall were negligible, with the exception of staple length (wool growth since last shearing) which was negatively correlated to agitation score (r g =−0.26±0.03). The relationship between agitation score and litter survival is predicted to result in a smaller increase in lamb survival than compared to direct selection for the trait itself. Further, if selection is practised for low agitation score, the observed positive relationship would suggest that litter survival may be reduced in future generations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Simple Summary: Sows may experience pain and discomfort whilst giving birth. Additionally, the birthing process is accompanied by an inflammation response. Administering anti-inflammatory compounds prior to birth may provide an opportunity to improve piglet survival and growth. The aim of this experiment was to assess the efficacy of both a non-steroidal (NSAID; meloxicam) and steroidal (SAID; dexamethasone) anti-inflammatory drug for improving farrowing house performance of sows. In younger sows, there was no impact of treatment; however, older sows from the NSAID treatment gave birth to fewer live piglets. Postnatal mortality was unaffected by treatment and no improvement in piglet growth was observed. Feed intake of both NSAID and SAID sows was improved when compared with the control group; however, there was a tendency for a delayed oestrus in the NSAID group. Administering NSAID to sows prior to farrowing is not recommended as it reduces piglet survival and subsequent reproduction. The aim of this experiment was to determine whether administration of an anti-inflammatory compound to sows prior to farrowing would, via reduced pain and inflammation, increase piglet survival and growth. At day 114 of gestation, multiparous sows were randomly allocated to one of the following treatments: Control (n = 43), which received 10 mL saline, NSAID (n = 55) which received 0.4 mg/kg meloxicam and SAID (n = 54) which received 0.1 mg/kg dexamethasone. Treatments were applied again on day 116 if farrowing had not occurred. There was no treatment effect on piglets born alive or dead from parity two to four sows but in those of parity five and older, NSAID administration reduced the number of piglets born alive and increased the number of piglets born dead (p < 0.05). Sow rectal temperature and incidence of mastitis were unaffected by treatment (p > 0.05). Lactation day two plasma concentrations of cortisol, prostaglandin F2 alpha metabolite and haptoglobin did not differ among treatments (p > 0.05). Treatment effects were not observed in liveborn piglet mortality at any age, or litter weight at day 21 (p > 0.05). Average feed intake during lactation was increased by both NSAID and SAID treatments (p = 0.001). The use of meloxicam prior to farrowing should be avoided as it reduced the number of piglets born alive and did not improve piglet survival and growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Shoulder sores are a welfare issue primarily for breeding sows and are often associated with reduced movement and body condition loss during lactation. The occurrence of shoulder sores contributes to lactation failure, which in turn becomes a welfare issue for piglets due to the stress of early weaning. This experiment investigated the use of a thermal camera to detect hotspots caused by underlying tissue damage on the shoulder of sows, prior to wound formation. Infrared thermography (IRT) was able to detect hotspots in 88% of sows that developed sores, allowing for a lead in time to wound formation of 7 days. Once a hotspot was detected, we investigated the use of three commonly used topical commercial products, Repiderma®, Derisal®, Chloromide® and mānuka honey. All treatments, with the exception of Repiderma®, decreased the diameter of the sores by weaning. The results of this study provide evidence that the use of IRT provides a tool for early detection of shoulder sores in sows, allowing for early treatment that is likely to improve the longevity of the sow and welfare of the litter, due to a reduction in lesion related sow culling. Shoulder sores in sows cause pain, may lead to early weaning and resultant piglet distress, and premature culling. Early detection and intervention is key to avoid these substantial production and welfare imposts. In this experiment we tested infrared thermography (IRT) to identify shoulder sores before wound eruption, and effectiveness of four wound healing treatments; mānuka honey (n = 11); Derisal® (n = 11); Chloromide® (n = 13) and Repiderma® (n = 16), all of which contain no antibiotics. Three hundred and ten sows (parity 2.3 ± 0.2) were monitored daily from entry to the farrowing sheds until weaning using a thermal camera. IRT successfully detected 88% of shoulder sores as hot spots and provided a lead in time of 7 days. Sixteen percent of all sows had a hotspot detected and were randomly allocated to one of four daily treatment groups. At the end of the treatment period, sore diameter was significantly reduced for all treatments, except the Repiderma® group. Sow traits had little influence on susceptibility to shoulder sores. There may be a link between prewean mortality and shoulder sores, but this requires further investigation. The use of IRT to monitor for hotspots for early intervention is validated. Future work should concentrate on methods to prevent wound eruption after detection with IRT to improve the health and welfare of both the sow and her litter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Serum creatinine (SCr) in humans has proven to be a reliable biomarker of body protein breakdown and/or muscle mass change. This study set out to investigate the potential of SCr to indicate a loss in sow muscle mass over lactation, validated against 3 methyl histidine (3MH) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN), markers of dietary and/or body protein breakdown. A total of 40 sows were allocated to four treatment groups aimed to induce body weight changes by restrictively feeding sows using a stepwise percentage reduction model. Data were pooled and reallocated into three groups representing the 25th, 50th and 75th percentiles based on body weight change over lactation in the range −22.3 to −4.1% (treatment 25), −4.0 to 6.2% (Treatment 50), and 6.3–15.2% (Treatment 75). Indirect measures for the prediction of protein (3MH, BUN) or fat change (caliper, P2) were taken on entry into the farrowing house, day 5 of lactation, and at weaning. Serum was collected on these days, and SCr, 3MH and BUN were analysed. Piglet weaning weight and average daily feed intake did not differ between treatments (p >.05). There were no changes (p >.05) in indirect measures of body composition (sow caliper score, P2) and analytes (SCr, 3MH, BUN) over lactation. By day 20, those sows in treatment 25 had higher (p <.05) 3MH concentrations whilst changes from day 5 to 20 were not different (p >.05) and did not correlate with SCr change (p >.05) but were highly correlated to BUN change (R2 = 0.691, p <.001). The data suggested that concentrations of SCr and BUN may have been the result of dietary and/or body protein breakdown and/or changes in muscle mass. In the current testing conditions, SCr was not a reliable marker of changes in muscle mass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Seasonal infertility manifests in either pregnancy failure, or reduced litter size, or both in sows bred during summer. What is less clear is whether season influences piglet traits important for post-natal survival and growth, such as birth weight variation. Sows fed a diet with dextrose before ovulation gave birth to litters with reduced birth weight variation. Thus, this experiment had two aims: first, to identify if sows bred during summer would give birth to litters with higher birth weight variation, and second, to test if feeding sows dextrose before mating would reduce birth weight variation, especially during summer months. This experiment identified that there is evidence for increased birth weight variation in sows bred during the summer months despite the observed reduced litter size, suggesting that this is another way seasonal infertility can manifest. The 5% inclusion of dextrose in the pre-ovulatory sow diet increased litter size without compromising litter homogeneity at birth and resulted in higher piglet growth rates in those born to sows mated in winter (lactated in summer). Dextrose can be used successfully in a 'wean to mate' diet to boost the reproductive performance of sows. In this experiment, we proposed two hypotheses: birth weight variation would increase in litters from sows bred in summer, and dextrose supplementation during the wean to mate period would ameliorate this manifestation of seasonal infertility. Five hundred and ninety-one multiparous sows were allocated to Control; standard diet, or Dextrose; control +5% dextrose diets from weaning until insemination during summer and winter. Dextrose sows farrowed 1.0 and 1.4 more total pigs born and pigs born alive than Control sows, respectively (p < 0.05). There was a tendency for a higher co-efficient of variation (CV) birth weight in summer than winter (16.6 ± 0.4 versus 15.8 ± 0.4; p = 0.1), but no effect of treatment or interaction between treatment and season was observed. Piglet average daily gain was unaffected in those born to sows bred in summer, but when born to sows bred in winter, Dextrose piglets grew 23 g per day faster than Control (p < 0.05). This experiment identified evidence for increased birth weight CV in sows bred during the summer months despite the reduced litter size, suggesting that this is another way seasonal infertility can manifest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The aim of this project was to review previously published research with a focus on the effects of farrowing accommodation on piglet performance. The specific design features were analysed to determine whether animals in loose housed farrowing pens or crates from loading to weaning contribute to differences in litter performance obtained from different farrowing house accommodation types. This was the first systematic review and meta-analysis conducted towards the farrowing performance of crates and pens. The relative risk of piglet mortality was 14% higher in farrowing pens than farrowing crates, which indicated that non-confinement of sows compromises post-natal piglet survival. Overall, the type of farrowing accommodation did not affect the number of stillborn piglets. However, the rate of stillborn piglets was lower in farrowing pens that were not enriched when compared with farrowing crates, also with no enrichment. There was no effect of housing type on the number of piglets born alive or the number of piglets weaned, although the sample size for the later was much smaller. Producers should anticipate an increase in mortality when piglets are reared by sows that are unconfined in the pen designs that are currently available, which supports the wider belief that crates are successful for reducing pre-weaning piglet mortality. There are conflicting reports regarding the effect of farrowing house accommodation on piglet performance. The aim of this investigation was to use a systematic review and meta-analyses to summarise the results of publications that focused on direct comparisons between full confinement conventional crates and various designs of loose-housed farrowing pens from loading until weaning. Literature searches in Scopus, BIOSIS Previews, Cab Abstracts, and Web of Science identified 6695 articles. Twenty-two publications were retained for the systematic review and individual meta-analyses after screening for inclusion criteria. The random effects meta-analyses were performed on crate versus pen for number of piglets born alive, number of stillborn piglets, pre-weaning mortality, and number of piglets weaned. Additionally, the modifiers of confinement length (no confinement from loading until weaning or partial confinement for shorter periods of time in the early stages post parturition), enrichment (no enrichment or enrichment provided), and pen size (small, medium, or large) were examined. There was a 14% increase in the relative risk of piglet mortality in farrowing pens when they were compared with crates (p = 0.0015). The number of stillborns per litter was not different between the pen and crate. However, when providing enrichment in the pens, there was an increase in stillborns within farrowing crates versus pens (p = 0.009). There was no overall effect on piglets that were born alive or number weaned. As there is no difference between piglets born alive and mortality is significantly higher in farrowing pens, a reduction in the number of piglets weaned was expected but not observed, which was possibly due to the lack of weaning details provided in the publications. This was the first systematic review and meta-analysis conducted on the performance of farrowing accommodation and identified that farrowing pens do compromise post-natal piglet survival. Future efforts should focus on improving sow comfort in the farrowing crate to maximize both piglet and sow welfare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Piglets that experience a long labour are more likely to die during birth or immediately following birth, or to grow slowly during life. This is because the longer the piglet experiences contractions during labour, blood supply and oxygen delivery to the brain will be impaired. Even before the first piglet in the litter is born, sows that will have a delayed labour can be identified. This means that the key to saving piglets that are at risk of death because of long labours lies in managing the sow before she gives birth. The transition from an intra- to extrauterine existence is extremely challenging for the pig. This is evidenced by the fact that conservative estimates place intrapartum piglet death at between 5% and 10%. The main cause of this loss is the parturition process itself, with a long farrowing duration resulting in reduced oxygenation to the piglet via uterine contractions stretching, and in some cases, causing rupture of the umbilical cord. Sows that experience a long expulsive stage of parturition are likely compromised before the birth of the first piglet, and so any strategy to reduce stillbirth should be applied before this. Even in piglets born alive, 15% to 20% will have suffered asphyxiation because of a long cumulative farrowing duration. These individuals are significantly disadvantaged with regards to behavioural progression, colostrum intake, growth and survival extending past the lactation phase, and so require more labour and resources than littermates in order to make them viable. Given these immediate and longer-term impacts, identifying ways to correctly manage the sow before parturition leading to a reduction in farrowing duration should be a priority in order to maximise piglet performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: This study investigated how access to a high-value enrichment item (lucerne hay) impacted the welfare of sows in farrowing crates during nesting, farrowing and lactation. Compared to the control group (no nest building material), in which sows in farrowing crates were given 1 kg of lucerne hay daily, they performed more nest-building and less stereotypical behaviour in the 18 h prior to farrowing and gave birth to fewer stillborn piglets. Shortly after farrowing, the control sows performed less interactions with their piglets during early lactation than they did during late lactation, suggesting a reduction in early maternal behaviour for this group. The lucerne sows continued to interact with the lucerne during the 17-day lactation period, indicating that they still found this enrichment rewarding even after the nest-building period had finished. Based on these results, lucerne enrichment was considered to improve sow welfare during farrowing and throughout lactation. These results support the provision of lucerne enrichments under confined farrowing conditions that continue through lactation to improve both sow welfare and piglet survival. This study investigated the effects of providing lucerne hay on the behaviour and the performance of sows housed in farrowing crates during farrowing and lactation. Seventy-two mixed parity sows received either 1 kg lucerne hay daily from entry into the farrowing crate (−2 d from expected farrowing date) until weaning at 17 d (lucerne group, n = 36), or received no additional enrichment (control group, n = 36). In the 18 h prior to farrowing, the sows in the lucerne treatment spent more time performing nest-building behaviour (14.8% lucerne vs 11.1% control, p = 0.0009) and less time sham-chewing (1.0% lucerne vs 1.9% control, p = 0.01) than control sows, and gave birth to fewer stillborn piglets/litter (0.1 lucerne vs 0.4 control, p = 0.027). After farrowing (Day 3), the control sows spent less time lying than the lucerne sows (26% control vs 43% lucerne, p < 0.05). The control sows also spent less time interacting with their piglets during early lactation compared to late lactation (25.5% Day 5 vs 47.3% Day 12, p < 0.05), suggesting reduced maternal behaviour in this group. The lucerne sows continued to interact with the lucerne throughout lactation, indicating that they still found the enrichment rewarding after the nesting period had ceased. Based on these results, lucerne enrichment was considered to improve sow welfare during farrowing and lactation and reduce the number of stillborn piglets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Piglet preweaning mortality is a major economic loss and welfare concern for the global pork industry, with the industry average sitting at approximately 15%. As such, novel methods for reducing this mortality are needed. Since research into the intestinal microbiota has provided advances in human health, in particular the impact of early life factors, it was the logical next step to synthesise the existing literature to determine the potential relevance to the pig industry. It is evident from the literature that this area of research provides promising results. However, a large gap within the literature currently exists within the lactation period in pigs. Since optimal development within early life is proving to be critical for human infants, it is crucial that further research is invested into understanding the impact of early life events on a piglet's microbiome. It is hoped that this review will enable access to critical information for those interested in the microbiome and its potential for improving herd health on the farm. The intestinal microbiota has received a lot of attention in recent times due to its essential role in the immune system development and function. Recent work in humans has demonstrated that the first year of life is the most critical time period for microbiome development with perturbations during this time being proven to have long term health consequences. In this review, we describe the literature surrounding early life events in humans and mice that contribute to intestinal microbiota development and function, and compare this to piglets predominantly during their lactation period, which focuses on the impact lactation management practices may have on the intestinal microbiota. Although extensive research has been conducted in this area in humans and mice, little research exists in pigs during perceivably the most critical time period of development, which is the lactation period. The research reviewed outlines the importance of appropriate intestinal microbiota development. However, further research is needed in order to understand the full extent routine farm practices have on a piglet's intestinal microbiota. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the impact of early life interactions on stress resilience of weaner pigs. The hypotheses tested were that reduced maternal contact increases the stress response of pigs to weaning, and that positive human contact during lactation reduces, the stress response of pigs to weaning. Ninety-eight litters were allocated to a 2×2 factorial randomised block design for treatments maternal contact (MC+) / reduced maternal contact (MC-); and positive human contact (HC+) / control (HC-). Modified farrowing crates were used to reduce maternal contact (MC-). Litters in the HC+ treatment received five minutes of daily positive human interaction (stroking). Treatments ceased at weaning (22 days old). Forty-three pigs were mixed into pens of the same treatment at weaning. Behavioral observations were conducted for 2 hours post-weaning and for 4 hours at 2 weeks post-weaning, along with behavioural responses to humans and isolation at 3 and 4 weeks post-weaning, respectively. Cortisol, haptoglobin and IgA concentrations were collected the day prior to weaning at rest, two hours post-weaning, one hour following isolation and at 4 weeks post-weaning and at 5 weeks post-weaning at rest (basal). End weight and survival were also recorded. Results showed that in the first 90 minutes after weaning, HC+ pigs exhibited more inactive behaviours (P <0.05), and less aggressive and eating behaviours (P <0.05) along with more social behaviours (P <0.05) at 90–120 minutes compared to HC- pigs. These findings suggest a quicker stabilisation of behaviour following weaning. While maternal contact did not affect play, aggressive, social or drinking behaviours (P >0.05), MC+ pigs exhibited more eating and active behaviours (P <0.05) from 30 to 60 minutes post - weaning. There were no significant treatment effects (P <0.05) on the physiological measures except at 5 weeks post-weaning where the IgA concentrations of the MC-/HC+ pigs remained steady while those of the other pigs increased five fold (P =0.002). While there were no treatment effects (P <0.05) on the behaviour of pigs at rest at 2-weeks post-weaning, in response to isolation at 4 weeks post-weaning or on performance post-weaning, there was limited evidence that the MC- pigs were less fearful of humans in the test at 3 weeks post-weaning. Based on the behavioural response of pigs immediately following weaning, early positive handling assisted pigs to cope with the stress of weaning. While previous research provided evidence of maternal contact on stress resilience during lactation, the present study provides limited evidence of maternal contact on stress resilience of the weaned pig. • Positive human contact during lactation aids stabilisation of pig behaviours at weaning • Reduced maternal contact had limited impacts of stress resilience on weaned pigs • Cortisol had 3-fold increase at weaning in relation to other time points • No impact of early life influences at rest or in response to humans and isolation [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Simple Summary: Weaning stress in piglets often leads to intestinal damage, inflammation, and subsequent problems, including diarrhea and hindered growth. While antimicrobials have been utilized to mitigate these side effects, concerns regarding antibiotic resistance necessitate the exploration of alternatives. Purified seaweed extracts, notably fucoidan, exhibit promising antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of administering a preweaning highly purified fucoidan drench to piglets on post-weaning growth, immune response, and intestinal morphology. Results demonstrated that the preweaning fucoidan drench did not elicit adverse effects on piglets. However, neither preweaning fucoidan nor an antimicrobial drench improved growth, immune response, or intestinal morphology compared to the control-treated piglets. Further research should focus on refining preweaning administrative protocols and employing commercial models to comprehensively assess fucoidan's potential to promote the health and productivity of weaner piglets and, ultimately, reduce the industry's reliance on antimicrobials. Weaning stress imposes considerable physiological challenges on piglets, often manifesting in intestinal disturbances, such as inflammation and compromised barrier function, ultimately affecting growth and health outcomes. While conventional interventions, including antimicrobials, have effectively mitigated these sequelae, concerns surrounding antimicrobial resistance necessitate the exploration of alternatives. Fucoidan, derived from brown seaweed, offers promise due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Previous research has been limited to the in-feed supplementation of partially purified fucoidan extracted from brown seaweed. The focus of the present study is assessing the effect of a preweaning drench with highly purified (85%) fucoidan on piglet growth, immune response, and intestinal morphology post-weaning. Forty-eight male piglets at 17 ± 3 days of age (5.67 ± 0.16 kg) were assigned to a saline (control), fucoidan, or antimicrobial group, receiving treatment as a single 18 mL oral drench three days before weaning. Monitoring for seven days post-weaning included body weight measurements, blood sample collection for the inflammatory protein assay, and small intestine morphological analysis. The findings revealed that the preweaning fucoidan drench did not elicit adverse effects on piglets. However, neither fucoidan nor antimicrobial drenches significantly enhanced growth parameters, immune markers, or intestinal morphology compared to that of the control-treated piglets (p > 0.05). The lack of response may be attributed to the high health status of the experimental cohort and the limitation of a single dosage. Future research should consider a more challenging production setting to evaluate the viability and optimal application of fucoidan as an antimicrobial alternative in the pig industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is known that gilt progeny performance is reduced compared with sow progeny. Previous research suggests that the presence of maternal feces in early life improves the health and survival of offspring. Therefore, we aimed to determine whether contact with feces from multiparous (MP) sows would improve the growth and survival of piglets born and reared on primiparous (P1) sows and if so, whether these differences are associated with the gut microbiota. Four treatments were applied for 10 days: Donor (n = 29) piglets had limited access to maternal feces as, each morning, sow feces were removed and placed in the crate of a P1 sow (P1-FT; n = 30 piglets) and P1-Con (n = 29) and MP-Con (n = 33) piglets had access to their own mothers' feces. All piglets were weighed on days 1, 3, 10, and 18. Fecal samples were collected from a subset of sows (n = 10/treatment) 3 days post farrow and from two female piglets/litter on days 10 and 18 (n = 20/treatment) and subject to 16S rRNA amplicon analysis. Escherichia, Clostridium, Campylobacter, and Treponema were more abundant in MP sows, while P1 sows had a higher abundance of Lactobacillus and Prevotella. At 10 days, P1 progeny fecal microbiota differed, and growth and survival were reduced when compared with MP progeny. No treatment effect was observed for P1-FT piglets (P > 0.05). Donor piglets had a different fecal microbiota and improved weight and survival then all other treatments (P < 0.05). Overall, the removal of sow feces from the farrowing crate improved piglet microbiota development, growth, and survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In this experiment, intermittent suckling (IS) with or without the co-mingling (CoM) of piglets was studied as a method to stimulate solid feed intake and reduce post-weaning stress. Methods: Three weaning regimes using 30 multiparous sows were compared: (1) conventional weaning (CW) (n = 10 litters), where piglets had continuous access to the sow until weaning (d 0, farrowing = d -25 relative to weaning); (2) intermittent suckling (IS) (n = 10 litters), where piglets were separated from the sow for 8 h/d starting at d -7 (relative to weaning); and (3) intermittent suckling with co-mingling (ISCo) (n = 10 litters) where IS started at d -7 and two litters were housed together during separation and then returned to their original sow. Ad libitum creep feed was available from d -17. At weaning pigs were housed in pens of 11 pigs, 27 pens in total. The ISCo treatment was divided in half to examine effects of different mixing strategies after weaning. Half of the ISCo litters were kept in familiar groups (ISCoF, familiar, n = 4) and the other half were mixed within treatment resulting in groups of unfamiliar pigs (ISCoNF, not familiar, n = 5), the same as IS (n = 9) and CW (n = 9) treatments. Results: The ISCo piglets ate more creep feed in the week before weaning (P < 0.01), but also showed more aggressive and manipulative behaviour on first day of CoM compared with CW piglets (P < 0.05). IS with or without CoM increased exploratory and play behaviour on the first day of treatment intervention (P < 0.001) and increased sleeping behaviour on the last day of treatment intervention compared with CW (P < 0.001). Mixing strategy at weaning had an effect on performance data with the highest growth and feed intake seen in ISCoF pigs 2 to 8 d after weaning (P <0.001). IS and ISCoNF pigs also grew faster and ate more than CW pigs 2 to 8 d after weaning (P < 0.001). Post-weaning injury scores suggested reduced aggression in ISCo as evidenced by reduced redness (skin irritation) (P < 0.05), and a tendency for ISCo to have less scratches than CW (P < 0.1). The IS pigs slept the most and displayed less manipulative behaviours on the day of weaning and plasma haptoglobin levels remained low in IS pigs after weaning (P ≤ 0.01). Conclusions: Both intermittent suckling techniques improved production indices in the immediate post-weaning period. However, the addition of co-mingling before weaning in combination with grouping familiar pigs together after weaning improved performance in an additive manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enhancing stress resilience through the early life period in pigs could potentially improve pork quality. It was hypothesised that pigs receiving maternal contact or positive human contact during lactation would have improved carcass and pork quality. Seventy-nine mixed-sex pigs were selected from a 2 × 2 factorial randomised block design for treatments maternal contact (MC+) / reduced maternal contact (MC-); and positive human contact (HC+) / control (HC-). Modified farrowing crates were utilised to reduce maternal contact (MC-). Litters in the HC+ treatment received five minutes of daily positive human interaction (stroking). Treatments ceased at 22 days of age (weaning) and pigs were slaughtered after 21 weeks of age. The m. longissimus thoracis et lumborum pH was higher in HC+ than HC- pigs (P < 0.05) during chilling, from 90 min post slaughter. No HC effects (P > 0.05) were observed for cortisol or haptoglobin concentration, hot carcass weight, P2 backfat, carcass scratches, colour, drip loss, cook loss and shear force. MC+ tended (P < 0.086) to increase carcass weight, P2 and carcass scratch score compared to MC-, but no further impacts were observed. The impact of positive human contact during early life was observed 20+ weeks after treatment with reduced pH decline, potentially indicating a reduction in pre-slaughter stress, however there were no further impacts on pork quality. There is evidence that maternal contact is important for lifetime growth performance of pigs but the impacts on stress resilience are less apparent. • Evidence that positive human contact affected pork quality 20+ weeks after treatment. • Early life positive human contact increased pork pH. • Maternal contact tended to increase pork carcass weight and P2 backfat. • Implications for positive handling to improve lifetime stress resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The swine industry has evolved significantly in the recent decades, but this has come at considerable expense to piglet survival. Breeding sows for greater prolificacy has been accompanied by a greater proportion of piglets being born underweight, of lower vigor, and higher susceptibility to early mortality. Inducing sows to farrow during working hours has the potential to increase piglet survivability, but non-therapeutic injectable products are often discouraged on farms. We aimed to design and develop a novel vaginal drug delivery system (NVDDS) that could reliably trigger luteolysis and induce parturition. To achieve this, two vaginal tablets containing the luteolytic agent cloprostenol were formulated to be inserted together: one would release constituents immediately on insertion (immediate release; IR) and the other would release cloprostenol in a controlled manner (controlled release; CR). The two formulations (IR and CR) were evaluated for drug release, swelling and bio-adhesion in conditions simulating the sow vaginal environment. The IR tablet released the drug completely for 5 min whereas the CR tablet took 5 h to release 50% of the drug. Furthermore, the release kinetics were evaluated by fitting the dissolution profiles into different mathematical models. Both IR and CR tablets were best fitted by the Makoid–Banakar model which assumes release by summation of different mechanisms. The performance of the optimized formulations was studied in vivo with 161 Large White x Landrace sows of varying parity (0–5). The sows were assigned to five groups. Group 1 (SI) received a single vulval injection of cloprostenol at 0700 h (n = 32), group 2 (SDI) received the same dose split in two parts, at 0700h and 1300h (n = 33). Group 3 (IRT) animals were administered an IR tablet at 0700h (n = 32), while group 4 (IRCRT) received both IR and CR tablets at 0700 h (n = 33). Group 5 was untreated and served as a control (n = 32). The interval to farrowing was longer (p < 0.001) for controls than for treated sows, but there were no differences among cloprostenol treatments for timing of farrowing. The finding confirms the efficacy of the NVDDS for induction of farrowing in sows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sows undergo physiological stress during gestation and lactation, potentially leading to enteric dysbiosis and reduced reproductive potential. Phytogenic additives (PFs) may improve performance via their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties. This study determined whether the provision of a gestation/lactation diet containing PAs would alter the gastrointestinal microbiota of sows and their piglets, and improve performance. Sows received a commercial diet throughout gestation and lactation (CTR; n = 64), a commercial diet throughout gestation and a diet containing PAs in lactation (CTR-PA; n = 63) or a commercial diet containing PAs in gestation and lactation (PA; n = 90). Sows were weighed and backfat recorded after mating and at entry and exit from the farrowing house and piglets were weighed on days 1 and 21 of life. Faecal samples collected from sows at farrowing house entry and piglets at 21 and 35 d were subjected to 16 S rRNA gene amplicon analysis. The addition of PAs to sow diets resulted in more piglets born (P = 0.03), however, it did not improve the number of liveborn piglets (P = 0.14). There were no differences in sow weight, P2 backfat depth or lactation feed intake observed. PAs had no effect on piglet weight or survival to weaning but did alter the faecal microbiota of sows, and this change was observed in piglets at 21 and 35 d. PA supplementation to sows has the potential to increase litter size, while also potentially influencing gastrointestinal tract health of the sow and piglets reared. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Changes in our climate with global warming will translate to an expansion in the seasons and an increased incidence of extreme heat events, such that heat stress (HS) will become a major management issue. This poses particular challenges to the reproductive herd, as by virtue of their increased physical size and pregnancy, they are less resilient to environmental challenges. Recent work from our laboratory has quantified the performance of summer mated piglets on productivity, demonstrating that these litters are lighter at birth, have a lighter placenta weight and are more likely to be stillborn. These piglets also take longer to reach market weight and have increased carcass backfat, which can trigger market penalties. Collectively our studies demonstrate that summer conditions result in developmental abnormalities in piglets, potentially through placental insufficiency. Additionally, HS was challenging sows during the periparturient period, resulting in more stillbirths. Two subsequent climate-controlled studies quantified the effects of HS (cyclic 28 to 33 oC) during early to mid-pregnancy (d 40 to 60), when the placenta is undergoing rapid growth, as well as the effects of HS (cyclic 28 to 30 oC) in the periparturient period (d 110 of pregnancy to farrowing). In the first study, gestational HS did not influence the number or size of the piglets at mid-gestation but increased placental mass by 22% and reduced Longissimus muscle fiber hyperplasia by 16%. The apparent enlargement of the placenta at mid-gestation may reflect an adaptation to a reduction in uterine blood flow. In other species, HS is known to reduce blood flow to the splanchnic bed and reproductive tract organs, as blood is redistributed to the periphery and upper respiratory tract to augment heat dissipation. Therefore, the prioritization of placental growth by the piglet may represent an adaptation against a backdrop of insufficient nutrient supply. Whilst reductions in muscle fiber hyperplasia were associated with reduced vascularity, although it is not clear if this was a cause or effect. In the second study, the effects of periparturient HS resulted in a 30% increase in stillbirths, with surviving piglets having lower umbilical vein blood oxygen saturation and increased meconium staining. This supports the likelihood of HS restricting uterine and umbilical blood flows, resulting in increased periparturient fetal stress. Collectively these studies emphasize the challenges that climate change poses to swine production and that addressing these challenges will require a whole farm approach. In the near term, it is likely that advances in nutrition will form an important component in adjusting to a changing climate and minimize production losses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The effects of dexamethasone on sow and piglet performance were dependent on whether treatment was administered on the day before or the day of an induced farrowing. • Dexamethasone administered to multiparous sows the day before farrowing resulted in negative impacts on both birth and weaning weights. • When dexamethasone was administered on the day of farrowing (24 h after induction), there was evidence of improved piglet growth with no adverse outcomes on birth or weaning weights. There is a considerable gap in available literature regarding the use of prepartum steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (SAIDs) despite their ability to provide a targeted response to pain. The aim of this investigation was to determine whether prepartum administration of dexamethasone to sows would influence farrowing and/or lactation processes, with the prediction that it would affect both sow and piglet performance. Sows were induced to farrow on day 113 of gestation (2 days before their 115 day due date) and were treated with dexamethasone concurrent with induction (DexInd; n = 20), 24 h after induction (Dex24; n = 20), at induction and 24 h later (Dextwice; n = 19) or no steroid treatment (Control; n = 20). Treating with dexamethasone at induction reduced birth and weaning weights (P = 0.001), plasma total protein concentrations (P = 0.001), and colostrum intake of piglets of multiparous sows (P = 0.006). Treating with dexamethasone 24 h after induction did not adversely affect piglet weights or plasma total protein and improved average daily gain in piglets (P = 0.001). Although no differences were observed for farrowing duration or piglet survival (P > 0.05), further investigation is required using higher parity sows to qualify whether glucocorticoids can improve farrowing performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: In the swine industry, sows are selectively bred for larger litters so, theoretically, more pigs can be sold per year. As producers continue to increase the number of piglets born in a litter, it is necessary to review problems that can arise in larger litters, and whether these issues can be effectively managed and/or require pharmacological intervention. Additionally, this review will reflect on whether selecting sows for larger litter sizes is an ethical concern, regardless of how effectively it can be managed. As sows continue to be selected for greater prolificacy, it is important to review problems that arise in larger litters, and whether these issues can be appropriately managed. Although a proportion of piglets in larger litters can be born underweight, proper supervision around farrowing and adequate colostrum intake has the potential to improve the survival of low-birth-weight piglets and their ongoing growth to weaning. As larger litters can impart greater stress and discomfort on sows, implementing a low-stress environment leading up to parturition may improve sow performance and subsequent survival of piglets. Additionally, treating sows with anti-inflammatory compounds, either dietary or pharmacologically, shows some promise for alleviating sow discomfort and improving piglet survival in larger litters. Understanding that selecting sows for larger litters not only affects piglet survival but the well-being of the sow, the decision to continue selecting for larger litters, regardless of management strategies, remains a topic of ethical concern. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Sows housed in OPEN pens had a reduced incidence of pain-related behaviours during farrowing. • Sows housed in OPEN pens in the lead up to and during farrowing gave birth to fewer stillborn piglets. • Colostrum ingestion was higher in piglets born to OPEN penned sows. • Individual weight at weaning was increase in piglets from OPEN penned sows. • Postnatal mortality did not differ between treatments. To reduce piglet mortality from overlay, farrowing crates confine the sow, restricting nest building activities. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of confinement in the lead up to and during parturition on sow and litter characteristics. Sows (parity 1.6 ± 0.1) were housed in pens the size of a traditional crate with bars that allowed for temporary confinement. Two treatments were applied; OPEN (n = 36): pen was open until the sow stood following parturition, at which point they were closed, and CLOSED (n = 34): pen was closed through parturition. At d 10 of lactation the pens were opened for both treatments. A subset of sows (n = 12 CLOSED, n = 14 OPEN) were observed remotely during parturition and 18 h after parturition for behavioural analyses. Blood samples were collected hourly from −24 h until farrowing completion, and again at 24 h post farrowing. Piglet weights were collected at birth, 24 h and at weaning. OPEN sows displayed a reduced incidence of pain-related behaviours including tail flicks (8.4 ± 0.7 vs 27.6 ± 1.5; P < 0.001), movement of back leg forward (122.0 ± 3.0 vs 163.4 ± 3.7; P < 0.001) and strains (146.1 ± 3.2 vs 182.9 ± 3.9; P < 0.001) during farrowing. OPEN sows also nosed crate fixtures less frequently (4.1 ± 0.4 vs CLOSED 7.3 ± 0.8; P < 0.001) and performed more posture changes (23.2 ± 1.3 vs CLOSED 14.3 ± 1.1; P < 0.001) during farrowing. Confinement of sows did not impact plasma cortisol concentration at any point (P > 0.05). Sows from OPEN pens gave birth to fewer stillborn piglets than CLOSED (0.2 ± 0.1 vs 0.4 ± 0.1 piglets/litter respectively; P < 0.05). Colostrum ingestion was higher in piglets from OPEN sows (332.8 ± 7.8 g) than CLOSED (310.8 ± 7.0 g; P < 0.01). Individual weight at weaning was increased in piglets from OPEN sows (5.9 ± 0.2 kg) when compared with CLOSED (5.7 ± 0.2 kg; P < 0.01). Postnatal mortality did not differ between treatments (P < 0.05). Allowing the sow a greater freedom of movement exclusively in the lead up to and during parturition changes sow behaviour during this time and improves piglet growth whilst maintaining survival rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Piglet movement from one sow to another, or fostering, is required in modern pig farming but there is little available literature on the most effective strategy. In this review, we focus on the behavioural and physiological mechanisms responsible for piglet survival and growth, and have identified six key principles. (1) Colostrum provides piglets with warmth, energy and immunity. It is most accessible during the first 12 h from the birth sow, therefore no piglet should be moved before this; (2) To ensure even intake of birth sow colostrum, techniques such as split suckling prior to piglet movement should be implemented; (3) Udder assessment for functional teats should occur at farrowing, with number of fostered piglets not exceeding teat number; (4) Primiparous sows should receive as many piglets as the udder allows to maximise mammary stimulation, although older parities should be assessed for rearing ability; (5) Piglet fostering should occur between 12 and 24 h and movement kept to a minimum to prevent transfer of disease; Litter outliers should be moved and relocated to a litter of similar size; (6) Piglet movement after 24 h should be minimised. When required, strategies such as nurse usage should be employed. These principles will result in improved farrowing house performance by increasing the litter weight weaned per sow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study tested whether a gradual reduction in sow contact during lactation, achieved through housing the sow in a ‘sow only’ area, would influence piglet stress responses to weaning. Gradual reduction in sow contact was achieved by separating the sow from her piglets (SP, n = 30) for 5, 7, and 9 h per day on days 10–15, 16–20 and 20 to weaning, respectively. Litters from 20 sows were followed as controls (CON), remaining in full contact with one another until weaning. Weaning occurred on day 28 ± 1.3 of lactation. Piglet body weight, injury scores and evidence of creep ingestion were measured throughout lactation and after weaning. Continuous video footage was collected for 6 h on the days following weaning for behavioural analyses. After weaning, SP piglets were lighter than CON piglets (6.8 ± 0.22 versus 7.6 ± 0.16 kg); however, by day 7 post-weaning piglet weights were similar (P > 0.05) for the CON (8.6 ± 0.22 kg) and SP (8.4 ± 0.15 kg) treatments, possibly reflecting a reduced growth check in SP piglets. There was a significant effect of treatment (CON versus SP) on the duration of aggressive (6.5 ± 1.1 versus 4.2 ± 0.8 s) and belly nosing (6.3 ± 2.0 versus 2.4 ± 1.3 s) events post-weaning. Injury scores were higher for CON piglets on almost all days examined (P < 0.05). Plasma circulating cortisol concentrations following weaning were increased in CON piglets (18.7 ± 13.3 nmol/L), and decreased in SP piglets (−12.3 ± 14.1 nmol/L; F 1,127 = 4.425, P < 0.05). These findings imply sow separation during lactation provides welfare benefits for piglets around the highly stressful weaning period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Within intensive livestock industries, it is important to pursue the continual improvement of animal welfare. The farrowing crate design in most piggeries is currently the best way to optimize piglet welfare and reduce piglet mortality caused by being crushed by the sow. However, some studies have shown that restriction in a farrowing crate exacerbates sow distress at specific times during farrowing at lactation, which may compromise piglet survival. Therefore, there is a need to investigate strategies that may alleviate the stress experienced by the sow due to being confined. A synthetic olfactory agonist, a commercial product that mimics naturally occurring pheromones, previously reduced aggressive interactions in sows. Therefore, this product was investigated to determine its effectiveness at reducing sow stress and improving piglet survival during birth and lactation. We found no effect on the sow's stress hormone levels between treatments in response to a stressor. However, first-litter sows experienced a decreased farrowing duration, but this did not extend to improvements in piglet pre-weaning survival. This synthetic olfactory agonist does not appear to be a suitable tool to reduce sow distress around birth or improve piglet pre-weaning survival. The aim of the study was to investigate if the application of a synthetic olfactory agonist (SOA) would reduce indicators of stress in sows, in response to a stressor prior to parturition, and if it would improve farrowing house performance of sows and their piglets. Two studies were conducted: an intensive study with 47 sows, either having their first or second litter (Control n = 24; SOA n = 23); and a commercial validation study with 418 sows, either having their first litter or have had multiple litters (Control n = 210; SOA n = 208). Within the intensive study, sows were housed with or without a synthetic olfactory agonist suspended in the creep area of the farrowing crate, whereas within the commercial validation study, sows were housed with or without a synthetic olfactory agonist suspended over the adjoining creep area of two farrowing crates. Within the intensive study, despite a discernible increase in cortisol concentration in response to a stressor (snout rope test), cortisol response was not different between treatments (p > 0.05). Farrowing duration in first-litter sows exposed to the SOA was decreased (p < 0.001) whilst there was no impact on farrowing duration in second litter sows. Piglets were not attracted by the SOA to increase their utilisation of the creep area and spent more time in proximity to the sow (p < 0.05). Within the commercial validation study, no impacts were seen on piglet production measures (p > 0.05). Largely the use of an SOA within the farrowing house did not impact the sow or her piglets in either the intensive study or commercial validation study. Based on these current results, the use of SOA within the farrowing house is not supported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Initial enteric microbial colonisation influences animal health and disease, hence an understanding of the first microbial colonisers within the piglet is important. The spiral colon of piglets that were stillborn (n = 20), born-alive (n = 10), and born alive and had sucked (n = 9) were collected from 28 sows to investigate whether initial microbial colonisation occurs pre- or post-partum and how it develops during the first 24 h post-partum. To examine this, DNA was extracted and 16S rRNA amplicon analysis was performed to allow analysis of microbial communities. The results indicate that microbial colonisation of the spiral colon had occurred in stillborn pigs, suggesting microbial exposure prior to birth. Alpha diversity metrics indicated that the number of taxa and community richness were higher in piglets that sucked (p < 0.001) and community evenness was lower in stillborns in comparison to born-alive (p < 0.001) but was not affected by colostrum consumption (p < 0.001). Additionally, when compared with stillborn piglets, the bacteria colonising the spiral colon during the first 24 h post-partum included the potentially pathogenic bacteria Escherichia coli, Clostridium perfringens and Clostridium celatum, and potentially beneficial bacteria Lactobacillus reutueri and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii. The relative presence of Archaea was high in stillborn piglets but decreased with post-natal environmental exposure. It is evident that stillborn piglets have bacteria present within their spiral colon, however further studies are needed in order to determine the time at which colonisation is initiated and the mechanisms determining how colonisation occurs. Additionally, as expected, the immediate post-natal environment largely influences the microorganisms colonising, while colostrum consumption further contributes to the microbial community enrichment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Weaning is a stressful time for piglets, often leading to weight loss and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. A leading cause for these post-weaning problems is enteric dysbiosis and methods to improve piglet health at this crucial developmental stage are needed. This study aimed to determine whether an enteric dysbiosis caused by weaning could be corrected via a faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) from healthy piglets from a previous wean. Two or four focal piglets per litter were assigned to one of two treatments; FMT two days post weaning (n = 21; FMT) or a control which received saline two days post weaning (n = 21; CON). FMT consisted of homogenised donor faeces administered orally at 3 mL/kg. Weaning occurred at 18 days of age and weights and faecal samples were collected on days 18, 20, 24 and 35. 16S rRNA amplicon analysis was used to assess the faecal microbiota of piglets. FMT increased Shannon's diversity post weaning (p < 0.001) and reduced the scratch score observed at 24 days of age (p < 0.001). The bacterial populations significantly differed in composition at each taxonomic level. In FMT pigs, significant increases in potentially pathogenic Escherichia coli were observed. However, increases in beneficial bacteria Lactobacillus mucosae and genera Fibrobacteres and Bacteroidetes were also observed in FMT treated animals. To our knowledge, this is the first study to observe a significant effect on piglet faecal microbiota following a single FMT administered post weaning. Therefore, FMT post weaning can potentially alleviate enteric dysbiosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antimicrobial use in animals and the potential development of antimicrobial resistance is a global concern. So, non-antimicrobial techniques for animal disease control are needed. This study aimed to determine whether neonatal ceftiofur (CF) treatment affects piglet faecal microbiomes and whether faecal microbiome transplantation (FMT) can correct it. Two focal piglets per sow were assigned to treatments as follows: cffresh (n = 6) received CF (3 mg/kg intramuscular) at 7 d and fresh FMT at 13 d; cffrozen (n = 7) received CF at 7 d and frozen FMT at 13 d; CF (n = 8) received CF at 7 d and no FMT; and no CF (n = 5) received no CF or FMT. DNA was extracted from faecal samples collected on days 7, 13, and 18 for 16S rRNA amplicon analysis. All faecal blends used for the FMT consisted of pooled donor pig faeces at 1:2 ratio with saline, delivered orally at 3 mL/kg. Alpha and beta diversity metrics increased with age (p < 0.05). However, no effect of antibiotic or FMT treatment was evident in 13 and 18 d old piglets (p > 0.05). Although no effect of treatment was observed, information regarding microbial membership during lactation was gained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: In most intensive pig production systems, pigs are often mixed into new groups. Sows are important to a production system, as they are the driver behind the farms' productivity. The aggression that results from sows being mixed into new groups and formation of hierarchy can detrimentally affect production and welfare. This study aimed to determine the effect of providing access to materials on aggressive and play behaviors in gestating sows. Play behaviors were observed in the 'enhanced' pen and no play was observed in standard housing (without materials present). Aggression measures, salivary free cortisol concentrations, and injury counts were unaffected by treatment. The provision of point-source materials to sows at mixing had no impact on aggression; however, their presence maintained sow interest over the course of the experiment. Additionally, play behavior was observed in their presence, which may suggest that a more positive affect was induced when the materials were provided. When sows are mixed into groups, hierarchies form and resulting aggression and stress can affect production and welfare. This study determined the effect of providing point-source materials on aggressive and play behaviors in gestating sows. Large white cross Landrace sows were mixed after insemination; six pens of 12 sows were housed in 'standard' pens, and six pens of 12 sows were housed in 'enhanced' pens. The 'enhanced' pens each contained two rubber mats, eight strands of 24 mm-thick sisal rope and two yellow plastic disks, suspended from the roof. The sows remained in these pens until pregnancy confirmation. Salivary cortisol concentration, injury counts, and sow behaviors were recorded the day before mixing (day 1), mixing (day 0) and post-mixing day 1, day 4, day 7 and day 20. At farrowing, reproductive outcomes were obtained. Play was observed (including locomotor and object play) in the 'enhanced' pen, and percentage of time spent playing was greater on d4 (1.48 ± 0.3 Square root transformed data (2.84% non-transformed adjusted mean)), d7 (1.43 ± 0.3 (2.97%)) and d20 (1.64 ± 0.3 (3.84%)), compared to d0 (0.56 ± 0.3 (0.70%)) and d1 (0.87 ± 0.3 (1.67%) (p < 0.05)). No play was observed in standard housing. Aggression, salivary free cortisol concentrations and injuries were unaffected (p > 0.05). The provision of materials had no impact on aggression, although their presence maintained sow interest and play behavior, suggesting a positive effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The number of pigs sold per sow per year is a key determinant of productivity and therefore, profitability of pork production. This is currently limited by high levels of piglet mortality prior to weaning, with lack of oxygen during the birth process a primary cause of piglet death and failure to thrive. This experiment investigated the effect of adding magnesium sulphate to sow diets fed during the last five days of pregnancy on piglet survival and measures of viability at, and soon after, birth. The addition of magnesium sulphate to sow diets resulted in piglets which showed signs of increased viability and vitality immediately after birth, with the beneficial effects most evident in 'at risk' piglets. These data suggest that magnesium sulphate supplementation at the end of gestation represents a commercially viable solution to reduce the negative effects of the birth process on piglet viability, which may in turn improve survival. Piglet hypoxia during farrowing is common and can lead to increased stillbirth rates, reduced piglet vitality, and an increased risk of preweaning mortality. Magnesium sulfate (MgSO4) has successfully been used as a neuroprotectant and readily crosses the placenta in humans. Based on this human data, the aim of this study was to determine if maternal dietary supplementation with MgSO4 prior to farrowing would reduce the impact of piglet hypoxia during the peri-natal period. Five days prior to farrowing, Large White × Landrace sows were fed either standard lactation sow diet (Cont; n = 30) or lactation diet supplemented to deliver 21 g/day MgSO4 (Mg; n = 31). There was no effect of treatment on the percentage of stillborn piglets (p > 0.05). However, Mg piglets tended to have higher vitality scores immediately after birth (p < 0.10), were quicker to suck, and had higher day one blood glucose concentrations when compared with Cont piglets (p < 0.05). Furthermore, hypoxic piglets born to Cont sows did not gain weight from birth to 24 h, but Mg piglets did (p < 0.05), suggesting improved colostrum ingestion. In conclusion, MgSO4 may reduce the negative impacts of birth hypoxia, improving piglet vitality, and colostrum intake during the peri-natal period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]