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The Maternity Ring was developed as a free farrowing alternative to crates that preserved space whilst providing the sow with unrestricted movement. This experiment aimed to apply the Five Domains model to assess sow welfare in the Maternity Ring in comparison with the farrowing crate. Eighty-eight sows were housed in a farrowing crate (FC) and 83 in a Maternity Ring (MR), and measures collected focussed on nutrition, environment, health, behaviour, and mental state outcomes. MR sows consumed less feed than FC sows (total feed intake: 93.8  ±  3.06  kg vs. 111.2  ±  3.13  kg; p  <  0.001) but had reduced P2 backfat loss during lactation (0.0  ±  0.11 vs. 1.2  ±  0.11, p  <  0.001). Fewer frustrated and pain-related behaviours during farrowing were observed in MR sows (bar biting: FC 3.3  ±  2.12 vs. MR 0.5  ±  0.29 events, p  =  0.038, and back leg forward: FC 227  ±  50.7 vs. MR 127  ±  26.4 events, p  =  0.019), and a decreased proportion of MR sows had facial injuries after farrowing (10% CI [5, 20] vs. 67% CI [47, 95], p  <  0.001). More FC sows had udder damage at weaning (70% CI [48, 97] vs. 10% CI [6, 24], p  <  0.001), and their piglets were medicated more frequently when compared to those in MR (51% CI [40, 61] vs. 30% [21, 41], p  =  0.008). MR sows tended to have a higher reaction score to piglet processing (MR 2.0  ±  0.38 vs. FC 1.2  ±  0.27, p  =  0.094) and had more contact with piglets once the procedure was complete than FC sows (13.5  ±  2.55 vs. 6.9  ±  1.26 events, respectively, p  =  0.016). Whilst there was no difference in anticipation of a feeding event (p  >  0.05), MR sows displayed a reduced startle response to an aversive noise stimulus at day 18 (FC 2.8  ±  0.35, MR 0.7  ±  0.16, p  <  0.001). Using the Five Domains framework, sows housed in the MR during farrowing and lactation have improved welfare than those in FC and can be thought of as being in a positive affective state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Early life interactions with the sow or humans can have lifelong consequences on welfare and performance in pigs. It was hypothesised that piglets that received increased maternal contact and positive human contact would display improved responses to stressful events and improved performance. Methods: Ninety-eight litters were allocated to a 2 x 2 factorial design for maternal contact (MC+)/restricted maternal contact (MC-); and positive human contact (HC+)/no additional human contact (HC-). Modified farrowing crates were used to restrict maternal contact (MC-) and litters in the HC+ treatment received five minutes of daily positive human interaction (stroking). Behavioural and physiological responses were assessed during processing at three days of age and during a behaviour test in which piglets were introduced to an empty arena, novel object, human hand and human standing in the arena at 18 days of age. Observations of behaviour in the home pen and growth and survival of piglets to weaning were also assessed. Results: At processing, MC- piglets had more squeals (P = 0.015), tended to have more grunts (P = 0.063) and struggle attempts (P = 0.079), and had increased plasma cortisol concentrations (P = 0.009) after processing than MC+ piglets. During the behaviour test, HC+ piglets were more active (P = 0.014) and had more vocalisations (P < 0.05) in the empty arena than HC piglets. Furthermore, HC+ piglets were more likely to approach a human standing in the arena (P = 0.006) than HC- piglets. MC- piglets were less active (P = 0.008) and were less likely to approach the novel object (P = 0.049) than MC+ piglets. MC+ piglets tended to have higher weaning weights (P = 0.055) and more MC+ piglets were successfully weaned (P = 0.022) than MC- piglets. There was no significant effect of HC on piglet performance. Discussion: While positive handling did not affect behavioural and physiological stress response to processing, HC+ reduced fear of novelty and humans. These findings highlight the importance of early life experiences has on stress resilience early in life. [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]

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]