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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]

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]

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]

• 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]