Effects of energy supplementation to neonatal low birth weight piglets on mortality, daily weight gain, weaning weight and colostrum intake

Pre-weaning piglet mortality is an important economic and welfare problem in commercial pig industry and is mainly due to an energy deficit. Management strategies, such as energy supplementation to neonatal piglets, are needed to reduce pre-weaning mortality. Energy supplements may provide directly energy to neonatal piglets as well as improve their colostrum intake. In practice, energy supplementation can be easily implemented in the farrowing management. Therefore, the present study investigated the effect of a commercial energy supplement (Vigorol®) to neonatal low birth weight piglets on mortality, daily weight gain, weaning weight as well as the effect on colostrum intake.

Colostrum intake was calculated by the mechanistic model developed by Theil et al. (2014). In the treatment group, 165 low birth weight (LBW) piglets (≤ 1.2 kg) out of 332 total live born piglets from 25 litters were orally supplemented at birth and 8 to 12 h after birth. In the control group, 154 LBW piglets out of 349 total live born piglets of 25 litters were not supplemented.

In general, mortality was lower in the treatment than in the control group at day 3 (p = 0.02), day 7 (p = 0.03) and day 21 (p = 0.02). The mortality of LBW piglets was lower in the treatment than in the control group at day 7 (p = 0.03) and day 21 (p = 0.02). The mortality of very low birth weight (VLBW) piglets (< 1.0 kg) was lower in the treatment than in the control group at day 3 (p = 0.02) and day 7 (p = 0.02). There was no difference in mortality between the groups for the normal birth weight (NBW) piglets (> 1.2 kg). The overall daily weight gain and weaning weight were lower in the treatment than in the control group (p < 0.001). Regarding the (V)LBW and NBW piglets, there was no difference for daily weight gain nor weaning weight between both groups. Colostrum intake per piglet, per LBW, VLBW or NBW piglet did not differ between the treatment and control group (p > 0.05). Colostrum intake by the litter was numerically lower (p > 0.05), but more uniform (p > 0.05) in the treatment than in the control group.

This study clearly demonstrated that energy supplementation to neonatal LBW piglets is a practical measure to reduce (LBW) piglet mortality. As piglet mortality is an increasing welfare concern in addition to an economic problem, pig producers can implement this measure in their farrowing management to increase pre-weaning survival.

Disclosure of Interest: None Declared.