High piglet mortality constitutes a welfare challenge in Danish organic pig production with almost one in three piglets dying before weaning. Piglet characteristics such as birth weight, rectal temperature and intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) affect piglet survival. Due to differences in breeding goals, these characteristics may be expected to differ between sow hybrids. Thus, the aims of the present study were (1) to investigate piglet characteristics in two highly prolific sow hybrids and (2) to study to which extent the aforementioned characteristics affect piglet mortality. Forty-nine sows (22 DanBred and 27 Topigs Norsvin) were followed in their first two parities. Sows were housed outdoors and gave birth in huts. On day 1 postpartum (pp) piglets were individually marked, weighed, their rectal temperature was recorded and they were scored for IUGR. Weight and rectal temperature were recorded again 3 days pp. Principal component analyses were conducted to explore relationships among variables. Early piglet death grouped with IUGR, lower rectal temperature and weight on day 1 pp. Late mortality grouped with increasing litter size and DanBred hybrid. Whilst, Topigs Norsvin hybrid grouped with increasing rectal temperature day 3 pp, longer crown to rump length, higher weight and more teats on the sow. Results of the statistical analyses showed that Topigs Norsvin piglets were heavier 1 and 3 days pp (p < 0.001) compared to DanBred piglets. Furthermore, Topigs Norsvin piglets had a higher rectal temperature than DanBred on day 1 pp (p = 0.023). The risk of IUGR depended on an interaction between sow hybrid and parity (p = 0.023). DanBred sows gave birth to more piglets (18.2 ± 0.6) than Topigs Norsvin sows (15.7 ± 0.5, p = 0.003), however, DanBred sows had fewer teats than Topigs Norsvin sows. Weight on day 1 pp affected both the odds of stillbirth (p < 0.001) and live born death (p < 0.001). Lower rectal temperature day 1 pp (p < 0.001) increased the odds of live born death. In conclusion, the investigated hybrids differed in several piglet characteristics related to piglet mortality. Use of sows giving birth to heavier and fewer piglets in the litter may thus be a useful tool to reduce piglet mortality in pig production with outdoor farrowing.
中文翻译:
两个高产母猪杂交种所产仔猪的特性。
高仔猪死亡率构成丹麦有机猪生产中的一项福利挑战,几乎三分之一的仔猪在断奶前死亡。仔猪的特征,例如出生体重,直肠温度和子宫内生长受限(IUGR)影响仔猪的生存。由于育种目标的差异,母猪杂交种之间的这些特性可能会有所不同。因此,本研究的目的是(1)研究两个高产母猪杂交种的仔猪特性,以及(2)研究上述特性在多大程度上影响仔猪死亡率。在头两个胎次中追踪了49头母猪(22头DanBred和27头Topigs Norsvin)。母猪被安置在室外,并在小屋中分娩。在第一天产后 (pp)对仔猪分别进行标记,称重,记录其直肠温度并为IUGR评分。3天再次记录体重和直肠温度pp。进行主成分分析以探索变量之间的关系。仔猪早期死亡与IUGR分组,第1天的直肠温度和体重降低pp。晚期死亡率与窝产仔数和DanBred杂种增加有关。同时,Topigs Norsvin杂种随着第3天直肠温度的升高而分组pp,更长的冠到臀长,更大的体重和更多的奶头。统计分析结果表明,Topigs Norsvin仔猪体重增加了1天和3天pp (p<0.001)与DanBred仔猪相比。此外,第1天Topigs Norsvin仔猪的直肠温度高于DanBredpp (p= 0.023)。IUGR的风险取决于母猪杂种与胎次之间的相互作用(p= 0.023)。DanBred母猪比Topigs Norsvin母猪(15.7±0.5)多出了仔猪(18.2±0.6),p= 0.003),但DanBred母猪的奶头少于Topigs Norsvin母猪。第一天的体重pp 影响了死产的几率(p <0.001)和活产儿死亡(p<0.001)。第1天降低直肠温度pp (p<0.001)增加了活产死亡的几率。总之,所研究的杂种在与仔猪死亡率有关的几种仔猪特性上有所不同。因此,使用母猪产仔较重且仔猪较少,可能是降低室外产仔猪生产中仔猪死亡率的有用工具。