Thiamine Pyrophosphate Effects on Newborn Piglets as a Measure of Vitality and Survival Indicators

The objective of this study was to evaluate the prophylactic effect of thiamine pyrophosphate (TPP) on the vitality scores of piglets based on their behavior and survival. A total of 149 piglets born from 15 multiparous sows were evaluated. The sows were randomly divided into two groups, control and TPP, with treatments administered 24 and 12 h before the expected farrowing date. The duration of farrowing was recorded. Furthermore, for all newborns, the Apgar vitality scale, teat suckling, newborn weight and weight at weaning, piglet vitality based on behavior (at birth and at 24 h), and skin temperature (at birth and at 24 h) were evaluated. The results indicated that the sows treated with TPP presented a lower farrowing duration (p = 0.0060) and their piglets exhibited a higher percentage in the piglet vitality-based behavior score (>50%). In addition, the newborn piglets of TPP-treated sows, which exhibited higher scores in behavior parameters, also displayed higher scores (>80%) in the Apgar vitality scale (>8), suckled on the teat for longer periods of time, and had higher daily weight gain (p < 0.0001). Our findings suggest that administering TPP at the end of gestation may shorten labor while also increasing the vitality of newborns. Therefore, it could be considered that, in practice, the administration of this treatment could have an impact on the energy that sows need during the farrowing process for the initiation of uterine contractions and abdominal effort. Therefore, this treatment could have an impact on the productivity and well-being of sows with a history of dystocic farrowing, which can increase the incidence of endometritis, vulvar discharge, placental retention, or mastitis-metritis-agalactia syndrome-alterations that can result in the reduced growth of piglets and a higher mortality before weaning. Therefore, the application of this treatment could not only reduce the probability of sows presenting these problems but perhaps also increase the probability of their offspring surviving in the first days after birth.