Neonatal Piglet Temperature Changes: Effect of Intraperitoneal Warm Saline Injection

Piglets are poor at thermoregulation immediately following birth and take up to 24 h to recover from their initial temperature drop. The present study aimed to determine if providing piglets with a 15 mL intraperitoneal injection of warm (45 °C) saline at birth would improve their internal temperature recovery to 24 h of age, and how the treatment interacted with birth weight (BWC = 1; ≤0.80 kg, BWC = 2; 0.81 kg to 1.10 kg, and BWC = 3; >1.10 kg), rectal temperature at 1.5 h (RC = 1; ≤32.0 °C, RC = 2; 32.10 °C to 35.0 °C, and RC = 3; ≥35.10 °C), and colostrum intake (CI = 1; <200 g and CI = 2, ≥200 g) to affect preweaning survival. Treated BWC1 piglets had improved rectal temperatures from 2 to 24 h. BWC3 piglets who consumed insufficient colostrum also had improved rectal temperature between 1 and 24 h post-birth. Colostrum intake was improved with saline injection in BWC2 piglets of RC1 and RC3 (p < 0.001) and BWC3-RC3 piglets (p < 0.001). Treated BWC1 improved survival to 20 d (p < 0.001). Irrespective of BWC, piglets from all RC had greater survival when injected with saline. The greatest difference was for piglets in RC1, likely due to all BWC1 piglets falling within this category. The results suggest that an intraperitoneal injection of warmed saline is an effective way to improve piglet temperature recovery to 24 h, colostrum intake, and survival in low-birth-weight piglets. These findings will be helpful for producers who have large numbers of low-birth-weight piglets born and are able to provide individual care.