Farrowing disorders in the sow: a field study.

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Medicine
• Animal Science
• Reproductive Biology

Background:

• Post-farrowing complications in sows can impact animal welfare and farm productivity.
• Understanding risk factors for farrowing disorders is crucial for improving swine management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To prospectively evaluate the prevalence of common farrowing disorders in intensive swine farms.
• To identify sow-specific risk factors and physical indicators associated with increased farrowing complications.
• To develop a scoring system for farrowing disorders based on clinical parameters.

Main Methods:

• A prospective study involving 150 sows monitored from 20 days pre-farrowing to 5 days post-farrowing.
• Data collection included rectal temperature, appetite, vulval discharge, mammary health, and parturition duration.
• A composite score was developed by combining five key farrowing disorder parameters.

Main Results:

• Prevalence rates: fever (15.3%), anorexia (20%), vulval discharges (64.5%), mammary disorders (3.3%).
• Average parturition duration was 197 minutes; 10% of sows exceeded 300 minutes.
• Older, heavier sows, and those with urinary or locomotor issues exhibited higher disorder scores.
• Affected sows tended to have larger litters for their parity.

Conclusions:

• Specific clinical signs and sow characteristics are predictive of farrowing disorders.
• Early identification of at-risk sows can aid in proactive management strategies.
• Farrowing disorder scoring may help in assessing and mitigating risks in swine production.