Colostrum Feeding in Piglets

PRESENTATION

BROCHURE ESSENTIAL GUIDES ON SWIN

HEALTH AND PRODUCTION

Colostrum Feeding in Pigl ts Walter L. Hurley Luis Sanjoaquín Romero

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PRACTICAL GUIDES IN SWINE PRODUCTION

Colostrum Feeding in Piglets

ESSENTIAL GUIDES ON SWIN

HEALTH AND PRODUCTION

Colostrum Feeding in Pigl ts Walter L. Hurley Luis Sanjoaquín Romero

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Because the prolificacy of sows can now be very high, piglets require special attention to ensure their survival. This book describes the importance of colostrum and its immediate ingestion after farrowing. The energy, immunity, and growth factors contained within make colostrum feeding essential for the optimal development of newborn piglets.

TARGET READERSHIP:

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RETAIL PRICE

✱ Production animal vets. Swine ✱ Animal production technicians ✱ Veterinary students FORMAT: 17 × 11 cm NUMBER OF PAGES: 82 NUMBER OF IMAGES: 28 BINDING: softcover, wire-o ISBN: 978-84-17640-22-4

€35

Authors LUIS SANJOAQUÍN ROMERO Cofounder of the international consultancy ThinkinPig. Speaker at national and international conferences, and author of technical articles and books on swine.

WALTER L. HURLEY Professor Emeritus at the Department of Animal Science of the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

Author or coauthor of more than 100 publications in scientific journals and several book chapters.

Specialist in the biology of lactation.

KEY POINTS: ➜ Includes an analysis of the immune and nonimmune functions of colostrum. ➜ Describes the importance of colostrum in determining the piglet’s health status and performance during lactation and in subsequent production phases. ➜ Analyzes the factors relating to the sow: vaccination, prolificacy, and feeding.

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Colostrum Feeding in Piglets

Overview The rapid progress in swine genetics seen in recent years has led to significant increases in production on swine farms. In particular, there has been a marked increase in litter size per sow and per farrowing, meaning that farms have to deal with more piglets and with greater birth weight variability. However, the amount of colostrum produced by each sow remains limited. Therefore, it is essential to provide the litter with the appropriate care during and immediately after farrowing, especially during the first 12 to 24 hours of life, and to ensure adequate ingestion of colostrum to provide the piglets with sufficient energy and adequate immunity, which they will retain for the duration of their life.

This book describes the importance of colostrum and of colostrum feeding immediately after farrowing. The energy, immunity, and growth factors contained within make colostrum feeding essential for optimal development of newborn piglets in both the short and long term.

Referencing the published literature, the book discusses the amount of colostrum produced and the recommended amount that newborn piglets should receive on the first day of life. Moreover, the book covers a variety of techniques that can be used to increase the sow’s colostrum production, and to increase and standardize the amount of colostrum ingested by the piglets of a given litter, prioritizing the smallest piglets, which consume less and have a higher mortality rate during the preweaning period. Correct colostrum feeding of these piglets can reduce the mortality rate and thereby increase sow productivity and the profitability of the farm.

Luis SanjoaquĂ­n Romero

The authors Luis Sanjoaquín Romero Luis Sanjoaquín Romero obtained his degree in veterinary science from the University of Zaragoza, Spain, in 1999. His professional career has been fully focused on the pig industry, of which he has acquired a wealth of knowledge from several different perspectives.

He began working for 2 years on a farm of 3,000 sows, where he acquired valuable experience about the realities of the swine industry. Subsequently, he spent several years working as a consultant and collaborating with the Agrupación de Defensa Sanitaria (Animal Health Protection Group) of the Sobarbe region in Spain.

In 2014 together with Antonio Vela he cofounded the swine industry consultancy ThinkinPig, which currently employs 6 people. ThinkinPig offers its services worldwide, providing each client with personalized advice to address their specific day-to-day needs, and also focuses on the development of new tools to facilitate further advances in the swine industry. Another speciality of the ThinkinPig team is the development of on-farm tests.

Luis Sanjoaquín Romero has participated in many conferences both as a listener (IPVS, ESPHM, AASV, etc.) and a speaker, giving talks worldwide, including Poland, Denmark, Austria, the United Kingdom, Brazil, Colombia, and Cambodia. He has published technical articles in specialist publications (e.g. Suis, Albéitar, 3tres3) and is the author of the book Manejo de la cerda hiperprolífica (Management of the hyperprolific sow) (Editorial Servet, 2014).

Colostrum Feeding in Piglets

Walter L. Hurley Walter L. Hurley pursued his academic career in the USA. He is currently professor emeritus in the Department of Animal Science of the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

He graduated and earned a master’s degree in dairy cattle at the University of Maryland and a PhD in animal science at the University of Kentucky. He was awarded a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Wisconsin (Madison), and subsequently joined the team at the University of Illinois.

Dr Hurley’s course, Biology of lactation, available via the free-access, online platform Coursera, includes more than 120 short videos that offer students fundamental information about the biology of lactation and the development and function of the mammary gland. The course also includes an extensive series of videos that specifically address lactation in swine. More than 1,000 active students from all over the world have availed of this learning opportunity via Coursera. Dr Hurley has received numerous awards for his teaching.

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His research focuses on the biology of lactation and the mammary gland, mainly in cattle and pigs. He has authored or coauthored over 100 publications in scientific journals and several book chapters. The results of his published research have helped to establish a fundamental base of knowledge about how the sow mammary gland develops and produces milk, and has furthered our understanding of the nature and composition of colostrum and milk. Moreover, his review articles and book chapters have brought much-needed attention to the unique characteristics of lactation in pigs.

Table of contents 1. Introduction 2. Physiology of colostrum production Colostrum formation and secretion Colostrum production Colostrum composition

3. Immunity Innate immunity Acquired immunity

4. Immunoglobulins in colostrum Structure Isotypes Amounts in colostrum Origins of colostrum immunoglobulins Gut–mammary gland axis

5. Transfer of passive immunity Transfer of immunoglobulins to the mammary gland Intestine closure Piglet serum immunoglobulins

6. Functions of colostrum Immune function Nutritional function Stimulating function

7. Sow vaccination and piglet immunity 8. Hyperprolificacy IUGR piglets Synchronized farrowing Piglet body temperature

9. Consumption of colostrum by the piglet Split-nursing Colostrum bank Consequences Conclusions and recommendations

10. Sow feeding References

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ESSENTIAL GUIDES ON SWIN

HEALTH AND PRODUCTION

Colostrum Feeding in Pigl ts Walter L. Hurley Luis Sanjoaquín Romero

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Consumption of colostrum by the piglet

Colostrum Feeding in Piglets

Colostrum production has been previously discussed, as well as the problems caused by the increase in prolificacy with respect to colostrum consumption per piglet farrowed and the increased variability of piglet birth weight.

Consumption of over 200 g of colostrum per day is necessary to ensure a survival rate of over 90 %. Consumption of less than 100 g results in a mortality rate of over 60 % (Quesnel, 2012).

Furthermore, the order of farrowing is an important factor to be taken into consideration: owing to differences in colostrum consumption, the first 13 piglets farrowed have higher levels of immunoglobulins (Igs) during the first 48 hours of life than those farrowed subsequently.

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Another important characteristic is birth weight: the higher the birth weight, the greater the consumption of colostrum and, therefore, the lower the mortality during the lactation phase.

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CONSUMPTION OF COLOSTRUM BY THE PIGLET

Split-nursing Split-nursing consists of separating heavier piglets for 1 to 1.5 hours (ensuring that they are kept in a warm and comfortable area) as often as possible during the first 12 hours of life (Fig. 1). This provides smaller piglets with access to the sow’s teats, ensuring that they consume colostrum during this period (without interference from larger, stronger littermates).

An alternative technique is to separate half of the litter (all of the larger piglets) and keep them in an enclosure for a similar duration (1–1.5 hours). Again, this provides the other half of the litter with unhindered access to the sow’s teats.

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Figure 1. Split-nursing technique. Larger piglets are removed to provide the smaller piglets with unhindered access to the teats and colostrum.

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Consumption of colostrum by the piglet

Colostrum Feeding in Piglets

A study carried out by ThinkinPig (2016) evaluated three Spanish commercial farms working with hyperprolific genetics and using the split-nursing technique. The research showed that during the first 24 hours of life, 12.84 % of piglets had lost weight. Undoubtedly, this percentage is higher if split-nursing is not performed. It is thus always recommended to ensure homogeneous intake of colostrum.

Weight loss on the first day of life is associated with the following negative consequences:

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◗ Impaired immunity: a higher mortality rate and greater incidence of disease, especially neonatal diarrhoea (study of 2,236 piglets). ◗ Lower body weight at weaning and consequent negative effects on production and health status during subsequent productive phases.

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CONSUMPTION OF COLOSTRUM BY THE PIGLET

Colostrum bank Before allowing smaller or weaker piglets access to the sow, they should be provided with colostrum or energy products to give them additional support, which will help them to locate and feed from the teat, thus reducing preweaning mortality (Declerck et al., 2016; Muns et al., 2017).

A colostrum bank is an essential facility on any swine farm. Colostrum is obtained by milking the sows and is then stored, frozen if necessary. Later, this colostrum will be administered to the smallest piglets.

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It is recommended to administer 20 ml of colostrum 2 to 3 times during the first 24 hours of life. This helps to reduce preweaning mortality.

Thus, the smallest piglets are helped on two fronts: administration of colostrum (artificial colostrum feeding) and greater access to the sow’s teats (split-nursing).

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Consumption of colostrum by the piglet

Colostrum Feeding in Piglets

Consequences The consumption of colostrum ensures effective passive immunisation, as well as a higher weaning weight. This is of paramount importance in pig production, which continuously demands greater bodyweight, and, above all, better quality at weaning and greater homogeneity among weaned piglets.

Homogeneity among piglets at weaning facilitates the tasks associated with the subsequent phases of transition and fattening (e.g., feed management, animal loading, treatments); the less variability there is between animals, the less the guidelines for management and feeding need to be adjusted (Fig. 2).

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Figure 2. Piglets with diarrhoea and marked stunting, possibly due to poor colostrum feeding.

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CONSUMPTION OF COLOSTRUM BY THE PIGLET

Table 1 provides a very good example of the above. At least for the initial stages of production, the data for piglets with a low birth weight that ingested sufficient colostrum are better than those corresponding to piglets with a high birth weight that consumed insufficient amounts of colostrum.

Table 1. Impact of piglet birth weight (BW) and colostrum consumption (CC) during the productive phase (Mark Knauer, 2017).

Treatment (groups) Variable

Low BW (0.925) Low CC (0.431) Weaning weight (kg) 4.536 Weight at 74 days (kg) 30.436 From 74 days of age to the time of commercialisation Daily weight gain (kg) 1.052 Mean daily consumption (kg) 2.980 Feed conversion rate 2.83 Market age (days) 158.3

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Under BW (1.061) High CC (0.166) 5.761 35.426

High BW (1.320) Low CC (0.049) 5.534 38.827

High BW (1.383) High CC (0.190) 6.532 38.827

1.080 3.030 2.81 153.2

1.102 3.035 2.76 150.4

1.120 3.103 2.76 147.2

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Colostrum Feeding in Piglets

Consumption of colostrum is also essential for the following reasons: ◗ The immune status of the piglet on the second day of life (passive immunity) is linked to the active immunity that the piglet develops at weaning. ◗ Low levels of colostrum consumption hinder development of the intestine, allowing the passage of pathogens from the intestine to the blood. Colostrum stimulates the growth of a healthy intestinal microbiota and the development of the intestinal wall.

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All work done during previous production phases (quarantine, adaptation of young sows, immunization of sows, vaccination plans, etc.) will not be reflected in piglets that are not correctly immunized.

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CONSUMPTION OF COLOSTRUM BY THE PIGLET

Conclusions and recommendations To improve the immunity of the piglet throughout its productive life, especially during the first moments of life, it is essential to fulfill the following conditions: ◗ Farm-related factors:

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◗ Appropriate population structure: neither too young nor too old. If possible, work with a replacement rate of 40–45 %, ensuring an appropriate percentage of sows (Fig. 3) in each production cycle. ◗ Correct cleaning and disinfection; drying of the facilities. ◗ Adequate environmental conditions (temperature and ventilation).

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Consumption of colostrum by the piglet

Colostrum Feeding in Piglets

20 %

0 1

2

3

4 5 Farrowing number

6

7

4 %

6 %

10 %

12 %

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14 %

5 %

16 %

10 %

18 %

15 % 20 %

Percentage of sows

25 %

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Figure 3. Appropriate percentages of sows by age (farrowing number) on a farm.

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CONSUMPTION OF COLOSTRUM BY THE PIGLET

◗ Sow-related factors: ◗ Intestinal health of the sows. ◗ Immune status of sows. ◗ Washing of sows. ◗ Calm and quiet environment; faster farrowing entails a lower percentage of hypoxia in piglets and in turn translates into increased vitality and colostrum consumption.

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◗ Piglet-related factors: ◗ Positioning of piglets to allow suckling: the results of recent studies indicate that it is better not to dry the piglets with paper, but to place them directly at the sow’s teats, thereby reducing mortality during the lactation phase. ◗ Optimal consumption of colostrum during the first hours of life (especially the first 12 hours).

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