Related Experiment Videos
Factors associated with suckling piglet average daily gain
Markku Johansen1, Lis Alban, Helle Dodensig Kjaersgård
1The National Committee for Pig Production, The Danish Bacon and Meat Council, Vinkelvej 11, DK-8620 Kjellerup, Denmark. mjo@danishmeat.dk
Preventive Veterinary Medicine
|April 22, 2004
Summary
Low piglet weight at weaning negatively impacts farmer income and animal welfare. Key risk factors identified include piglet infections, sow leg weakness, and low birth weight, all reducing average daily weight gain.
Area of Science:
- Animal Science
- Veterinary Medicine
- Agricultural Economics
Background:
- Low piglet weight at weaning presents significant economic challenges for farmers.
- Poor piglet weight gain can negatively affect animal welfare.
- Identifying risk factors in the farrowing environment is crucial for improving piglet growth.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify risk factors within the farrowing section that are associated with average daily weight gain (ADG) in piglets from birth to weaning.
- To quantify the impact of identified risk factors on piglet ADG.
Main Methods:
- A cohort study was conducted across 3 Danish farrow-to-finish herds.
- Data included 581 sows, 277 pens, 814 farrowings, and 8241 piglets.
- A linear mixed model was used to analyze ADG, with sow and litter as random effects.
Main Results:
- Piglet treatments for arthritis, diarrhea, and other infections significantly reduced ADG.
- Factors such as sow leg weakness, poor sow milking, low birth weight, and male sex were also associated with lower ADG.
- Forelimb-skin abrasions on piglets also contributed to reduced weight gain.
Conclusions:
- Several factors in the farrowing environment significantly impact piglet average daily weight gain.
- Addressing piglet health issues, sow conditions, and birth weight are critical for improving weaning weights.
- Interventions targeting these risk factors can enhance both economic returns and animal welfare in swine production.