Birth weight threshold for identifying piglets at risk for preweaning mortality

Area of Science:

• Animal Science
• Veterinary Medicine
• Agricultural Science

Background:

• Piglet birth weight is strongly linked to preweaning mortality.
• Understanding this relationship is vital for improving piglet survival rates in commercial settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify a specific birth weight threshold associated with increased preweaning mortality in piglets.
• To provide data-driven insights for targeted interventions to enhance piglet survivability.

Main Methods:

• Pooled analysis of birth weight and survival data from 4,068 piglets across two studies on four commercial farms.
• Utilized a mixed effects logistic regression model to analyze the relationship between birth weight and preweaning mortality.
• Employed a piecewise linear predictor to model the non-linear association, identifying a critical change point.

Main Results:

• A significant birth weight threshold for preweaning mortality was determined to be 1.11 kg.
• Piglets with birth weights less than or equal to 1.11 kg (15.2% of the population) exhibited a 34.4% mortality rate.
• This subpopulation accounted for 43% of all preweaning mortalities, highlighting their disproportionate impact.

Conclusions:

• Interventions aimed at increasing the birth weight of piglets above the 1.11 kg threshold could substantially improve overall piglet survivability.
• The identified threshold provides a actionable target for swine producers to reduce preweaning losses.
• Further research is recommended to validate the 1.11 kg threshold and explore effective management strategies.