THE LAND — FEBRUARY 7/FEBRUARY 14, 2020
www.thelandonline.com — “Where Farm and Family Meet”
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Factors in reducing sow mortality in the farrowing room Mortality rates are highest in the farrowing room, whether it be for pigs or sows. A lot of farrowing room focus is put on pre-weaning mortality, but reducing sow mortality also needs to receive producer attention. When we include stillbirths, it is not uncommon to see three-quarters of growing pig mortality showing up before weaning. If we take this risk on a daily basis, a pig is 20 times likely to die on a day in the farrowing room than a day subsequent to that. Based on this higher risk, the University of Minnesota has studied both stillbirth rates and pre-weaning mortality rates in great detail. We know there are factors such as birth weight, colostral intake, facility design and facility factors which lead to higher and lower pre-weaning mortality rates. The rates of mortality for sows are also much higher in the farrowing room than in breeding or gestation. We can see daily rates which are eight times as high in the farrowing room than in breeding and gestation. The difference is, there has not been a particular emphasis on the study of this aspect of sow mortality in the same way that pre-weaning mortality has been emphasized as a separate category of mortality vs. post weaning mortality. With the levels of mortality seen in the farrowing stall, it may be useful to understand the processes that lead to sow death, as well as leading to additional compromised sows at time of weaning. There are additional pressures on the sow through parturition and lactation that appeared to result in a proportion of sows unable to cope
with the added physical requirements. Moreover, it may be worth questioning whether the physical environment in the farrowing stall is too biased toward the SWINE & U piglet rather than the stall. Though By Dr. John Deen the studies are limited, it may be useful to start viewing the farrowing stall as a point of intervention to reduce sow mortality rates. Here are a few factors that are worth considering as we try to help the sow survive and thrive in the farrowing stall. Lameness — In our work, a sow that is lame at entry into the farrowing stall has a 40 percent higher mortality rate — even if the lameness appears to be minor. Moreover, these sows are also much more likely to be compromised at weaning so they are culled at a higher rate. Analgesia — Though it is particularly true in lame sows, there is a positive effect of long-acting pain control in sows. Behaviorally, these sows are more likely to get up and eat and drink shortly after farrowing. Unfortunately, here in the United States, no such product is registered for use in sows. Off-feed events — Even one day off feed can significantly increase the mortality rate and decrease the quality of sows at weaning. Heat — Hot, humid nights particularly result in higher sow mortality in
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the farrowing stall. Farrowing difficulties — Slow parturition is also an indicator of a sow having difficulty in coping and predicts higher levels of mortality. As any good herdsperson will point out, these are not independent subjects. The real problem is when these factors start coming together. A lame sow going into a farrowing stall during hot weather is much more likely to see those off-feed events and have trouble farrowing. It is in the multiplicative aspects where we truly identify at-risk sows. It is a cascade of events which leads to sow death in many cases, and catching sows in early stages of difficulty may be our best chance of providing an efficient intervention. However, there may be a need to also change some of our emphases in pig rearing. I would argue there is a greater emphasis on reducing preweaning mortality in the farrowing room than reducing sow mortality. An illustration I use in this argument is asking, “what is the optimal temperature for a farrowing room — especially when the sows are farrowing?” The answers I receive are usually more closely correlated with piglet comfort than with sow comfort. Sows would do best at a temperature of 60-65 F. Farrowing rooms are already places of intense activity and focus, and redi-
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recting some of that effort toward the comfort and well-being of the sow may have real returns. As an epidemiologist, I urge producers to start measuring and recording pathologies and seeing how they affect subsequent performance of the sow. Many think small sow size predicts small litter size. My argument is that there is something driving that small litter size which is common to both of those events. When we have studied lameness and when we have studied sow condition — especially skinny sows — we have seen that as a better predictor of poor litter performance. Understand the true cost of mortality and imagine what investments are justified. It’s not only a cost in terms of replacing the animal, there’s an opportunity cost because it results in empty space in the sow herd. Often these affected sows who are producing litters not only end up dying, but before that, they have progeny who have poor performance. Once we start adding up all of these factors and outcomes from a sow herd with high sow mortality, we see that there’s a huge opportunity to increase productivity and especially in the quality of progeny. John Deen is a Professor in the University of Minnesota’s College of Veterinary Medicine. He can be reached at deenx003@umn.edu. v
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