Sow influence on piglet colostrum intake and neonatal survival

Abstract

The main cause of early postnatal deaths in piglets is hypothermia due to an inadequate intake of colostrum. Colostrum consumption is the outcome of complex interactions between the sow, the piglet, the litter and the environment. The sow and gestation process may have an impact on many factors that are determinant for colostrum intake and rates of survival, such as piglet weight, maturity and vitality at birth, or within-litter variation in birth weight. Colostrum intake also depends on the ability of the sow to produce colostrum in sufficient quantity to fulfill the needs of the whole litter. Ways to reduce neonatal mortality through maternal feeding during gestation have been largely investigated. Overfeeding strategies have generally failed to increase piglet birth weight or maturity. Specific fatty acid or amino acid modulations led to more promising results on piglet vitality at birth or acquisition of passive immunity. They should be tested on production farms. There is some evidence that maternal feeding during the peripartum period may influence both the quantity and the quality of colostrum; this definitely needs to receive further attention.