Search

Piglets are born wet, and evaporation of that moisture decreases body temperature, increasing the risk of mortality. The objective of this study was to compare the effect of two commercially applicable methods for drying piglets at birth on piglet rectal temperature over 24 h after birth. The study was carried out in standard commercial farrowing facilities with 52 litters, using a completely randomized design with three Drying Treatments: Control (not dried); Desiccant (dried at birth using a cellulose-based desiccant); Paper Towel (dried at birth using paper towels). Litters were randomly allotted to treatments at the birth of the first piglet. At birth, piglets were individually identified, and the treatment was applied. Rectal temperature was measured at 0, 10, 20, 30, 45, 60, 120, and 1,440 min (24 h) after birth. Data were analyzed using a repeated measures model with PROC MIXED of SAS, with litter as the experimental unit and piglet a subsample of the litter. The model included the fixed effects of treatment and time (as a repeated measure), and the interaction. There was no effect (P > 0.05) of treatment on temperature at birth, or 10 or 1,440 min after birth. Piglet temperatures between 20 and 120 min after birth were similar (P > 0.05) for the Desiccant and Paper Towel treatments, but were greater (P ≤ 0.05) than the Control. The effect of birth weight on the response to Drying Treatment was evaluated by dividing the data into Light (<1.0 kg), Medium (1.0 to 1.5 kg), or Heavy (>1.5 kg) piglet Birth Weight Categories. Piglet rectal temperature data at each measurement time were analyzed using a model that included the fixed effects of Birth Weight Category, Drying Treatment, and the interaction. Temperatures of Light piglets were lower (P ≤ 0.05) than those of Heavy piglets between 20 and 120 min after birth, with Medium piglets being intermediate and generally different to the other two weight categories at these times. The difference in temperature between Light as compared with Medium or Heavy piglets was greater for the Control than the other two Drying Treatments at 60 min after birth. These results suggest that drying piglets at birth is an effective method to reduce rectal temperature decline in the early postnatal period, especially for low birth weight piglets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Newborn piglets experience a rapid decrease in body temperature, increasing the risk of mortality. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of drying and/or warming at birth on piglet rectal temperature over 24 h after birth. The study was carried out at a commercial sow facility using a CRD with 4 treatments: Control (no drying or warming of piglets), Drying (piglets dried at birth using a cellulose-based desiccant), Warming (piglets placed in a box under a heat lamp for 30 min after birth), and Drying+Warming (piglets dried and warmed as above). Piglets were identified with a numbered ear tag. They were weighed at birth and rectal temperature was measured at 0, 10, 20, 30, 45, 60, 120, and 1440 min (24 h) after birth. Sows and litters were randomly allotted at birth to treatments. Data were analyzed using a repeated measures model with PROC MIXED of SAS. Litter was the experimental unit and piglet was a subsample of the litter; the model included the fixed effects of treatment and repeated time, and the interaction. Rectal temperature at birth was similar (P > 0.05) for all treatments. Subsequently, piglets on the Drying and Warming treatments had similar (P > 0.05) temperatures, which were greater (P 0.05) than the Control at all measurement times up to 120 min. Drying+Warming resulted in the highest (P < 0.05) rectal temperature overall and at most times of measurement between 10 and 120 min. Rectal temperatures were similar for all treatment at 24 h after birth. In conclusion, drying and/or warming piglets at birth significantly increased rectal temperatures between 10 and 120 minutes after birth with the combination of the two having the greatest effect. This research was funded by the National Pork Board. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Piglets are born wet, and evaporation of that moisture decreases body temperature, increasing the mortality risk. The objective of this study was to compare the effect of 2 commercially-applicable piglet drying methods on rectal temperature over 24 h after birth. The study was carried out at a commercial sow facility using a CRD with 3 treatments: Control (piglets not dried); Desiccant (piglets dried at birth using a cellulose-based desiccant); Paper Towel (piglets dried at birth using paper towels). Piglets were weighed at birth and individually identified with a numbered ear tag. Rectal temperature was measured at 0, 10, 20, 30, 45, 60, 120, and 1440 min (24 h) after birth. Sows and litters were randomly allotted to treatments. Data were analyzed using a repeated measures model with PROC MIXED of SAS. Litter was the experimental unit and piglet was a subsample of the litter; the model included the fixed effects of treatment and repeated time, and the interaction. There was no effect (P > 0.05) of treatment on rectal temperature at birth, or at 10 min or 24 h after birth. The Desiccant and Paper Towel treatments had greater (P < 0.05) temperatures than the Control at all times of measurement from 20 to 120 min after birth. Piglets on the Desiccant treatment had greater (P < 0.05) temperatures than those on the Paper Towel treatment between 30 and 120 min after birth. In conclusion, drying piglets at birth with either a desiccant or paper towels increases rectal temperatures between 20 and 120 minutes after birth, with the greatest effect being for the desiccant. Further research is needed to compare other methods of increasing piglet temperature and to determine if drying of piglets impacts pre-weaning mortality. This research was funded by the National Pork Board. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pre-weaning piglet mortality (PWM) is a substantial economic loss and a welfare concern. It is not a new issue; however, there is evidence that levels are increasing in US herds. Genetic improvements in prolificacy have been accompanied with lower average piglet birth weights, increased within-litter variation in birth weight, and an increasing proportion of low birth weight piglets. Low birth weight is a major pre-disposing factor for PWM. In a survey involving over 11,000 piglets (average birth weight 1.44 ± 0.390 kg), PWM for piglets weighing 1.5 kg was 44, 15, and 8%, respectively. However, the percentage of total mortality from these 3 weight groupings was 35, 42, and 23%, respectively. This suggests that efforts to reduce PWM should mainly focus on lightest 50% of piglets in a population. The major causes and timing of PWM have not changed over time. Crushing and starvation are predominant; the majority of losses occur in the first few days after birth. A substantial proportion of dead piglets have empty stomachs. Pre-weaning mortality is multifactorial in origin; reducing levels requires attention to all factors, starting with farrowing accommodation design and basic facility hygiene programs. Minimizing piglet body temperature decline after birth, and encouraging early colostrum and milk intake are critical. Strategies to reduce competition between piglets for access to the udder and/or supplementary feeding programs are important. Cross-fostering is central to maximizing piglet survival; however, there is a dearth of research-based information to use to design the optimum strategy. The potential influence of gestation nutrition on PWM requires clarification. Pre-weaning mortality is strongly influenced by the people managing the farrowing facilities; developing approaches for early identification of at risk pigs would have benefit. Ultimately, minimizing PWM requires systems-based approaches involving all components from genetic selection for survival through to facility and animal management practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of piglet birth weight and drying piglets at birth on post-natal rectal temperatures using a CRD with 2 treatments: 1) Drying (not dried vs. dried at birth with a desiccant); 2) Birth weight [4 within-litter birth weight quartiles (Q1: 1.13 ± 0.33 kg, Q2: 1.43 ± 0.28 kg, Q3: 1.62 ± 0.28 kg, Q4: 1.81 ± 0.28 kg)]. Sows (26) and litters (281 piglets) were randomly allotted to drying treatment and were housed in farrowing crates with a heat lamp; room temperature was set at 22.8°C. Piglets were weighed at birth and rectal temperature measured at 0, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, 120, 180, 240, and 1440 min after birth. Data were analyzed using PROC MIXED of SAS (SAS Inst. Inc. Cary, NC); the model included fixed effects of litter birth weight quartile and drying treatment and interaction, and time (repeated measure), and random effect of sow. Mean piglet birth weight and rectal temperature at birth were 1.49 ± 0.39 kg and 39.2 ± 0.43°C, respectively. There were no drying by birth weight treatment interactions. Temperatures were similar (P > 0.05) for the drying and birth weight treatments at birth and 240 and 1440 min (Table 1). Drying increased (P < 0.05) rectal temperature from 15 to 180 min; the greatest difference was at 45 min (2.4°C). Temperatures were similar (P > 0.05) for Q2, 3, and 4 from 15 to 180 min. Quartile 1 had a lower (P < 0.05) temperature than the 3 heavier quartiles from 15 to 180 min, except at 120 min when temperatures were similar for Q1 and 2. The lightest piglets exhibited the greatest post-natal temperature decline and drying of piglets at birth reduced the post-natal temperature decline in piglets of all weights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]