Factors affecting piglet mortality in loose farrowing systems on commercial farms

Crating sows in farrowing systems greatly restricts their normal behaviour (e.g. movement, nest-building, leaving the nest site for defecation), which is usually justified by the assumption that piglet mortality is higher with loose-housed sows. Based on experiments showing that this is not the case, farrowing crates were banned in Switzerland in 1997, with a 10-year transitional period. Since then, many farms have introduced loose farrowing systems, enabling an analysis of risk factors for piglet mortality in crateless farrowing systems based on a large sample size. Data from a Swiss sow recording scheme (UFA2000) were analysed using generalised linear mixed-effects models with an underlying Poisson distribution. Average total piglet mortality for the years 2002 and 2003 on 99 farms (N = 12457 litters) with loose farrowing systems amounted to 1.36 liveborn piglets per litter. The number of crushed piglets was 0.64 piglets per litter, whereas the number of piglets that died for other reasons was 0.72 piglets per litter.Herd size, pen size, possibility of confinement of the sow, presence of piglet protection bars and year of data collection did not significantly influence total piglet losses, losses due to crushing and losses due to reasons other than crushing. With greater litter size at birth, significantly more losses occurred due to all reasons (total, crushed, others). Total piglet mortality and losses for reasons other than crushing were significantly higher in older sows. Losses were therefore mainly attributable to sow-related characteristics rather than to the design of the farrowing pen.     

皖南花母猪血清Am多态性及其与繁殖性能关系的研究

本研究采用垂直板聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳法对１１３头皖南花母猪血清淀粉酶（Ａｍ）多态性进行检测,并用二因素有互作的最小二乘模型对不同Ａｍ基因型与母猪繁殖力的关系进行分析。结果表明,皖南花猪Ａｍ位点受三个等位基因控制（Ａｍ＾Ａ、Ａｍ＾Ｂ、Ａｍ＾Ｃ）,Ａｍ位点基因的遗传多样性指数为０．４６８０,Ｓｈａｎｎｏｎ信息指数为１．２６９３。不同淀粉酶类型的皖南花母猪繁殖性能存在一定差异,其中Ａｍ＾ＡＢ型母猪繁殖性能     

Effect of Dietary Fibre on Digestibility and Energy Metabolism in Pregnant Sows

This study was undertaken to provide information on the effect of two levels of dietary fibre (DF) [184 vs. 407 g DF kg^-1 dry matter (DM)] on the digestibility of nutrients and energy metabolism in pregnant sows during different stages of pregnancy. The amount of DF in the high-fibre diet was supplied by dried sugar beet pulp (20%) and oats, wheat bran and grass pellets. The intake of metabolizable energy (ME) was similar for both the low-fibre and the highfibre diet, with an average daily intake of 30.74 MJ. Digestibility of DM, organic matter, protein, fat and energy was significantly decreased by a high DF level, but no effect of the diets was observed on the stage of pregnancy. A high fibre level significantly increased the digestibility of DF, indicating that fibre from sugar beet pulp is more fermentable than fibre from cereals. Protein utilization increased during the pregnancy, but at a very low level, indicating that the protein level in diets for pregnant sows could be lower. Inclusion of extra DF in the diet significantly increased the amount of energy excreted as CH₄. Heat production was affected by diet, although not significantly (28.77 vs. 29.72 MJ day^-1 in the low-fibre and highfibre diets, respectively). The utilization of ME for energy retention was lower for the high-fibre diet as a result of increased hind-gut fermentation. There was similar relation between the net energy of the standard and the high-fibre diet either calculated using the official Danish feed evaluation (0.77) or experimental estimated value (0.81).     

母猪子宫炎─乳房炎─无乳综合症

母猪产后子宫炎－ 乳房炎－ 无乳综合症在一些集 约化养猪场发病率高、危害严重，本 文介绍了国内外目前对该病的研究状况，在流行病学、发病机理、临床 症状、临床诊 断及防治等 方面作了综 合论述，特别在新药防治上作了详尽的阐述。     

Herd-related risk factors for decubital ulcers present at post-mortem meat-inspection of Danish sows

We quantified risk factors for the prevalence of decubital ulcers (noted in meat-inspection records) in the shoulder region of Danish cull sows. The potential risk factors (herd-owner characteristics, production facilities and management) were obtained through telephone interviews based on a questionnaire. Meat-inspection records were obtained from the Danish Bacon and Meat Council (DBMC). The prevalence of decubital ulcers was investigated in 23,794 sows from 207 sow herds undergoing mandatory post-mortem meat-inspection at the four Danish abattoirs under the DBMC slaughtering sows in the year 2000. Three factors were associated with decreased herd prevalence of decubital ulcers in the mixed model: using one’s own gilts for replacement, routinely using a hospital pen and production of pigs under certain welfare requirements. Two factors increased the prevalence: confined sows (stalled and tethered or tethered) and two persons working in the farrowing units instead of one.     

Feeding high fibre diets changes luminal environment and morphology in the intestine of sows

Sows were fed three diets varying in type and level of dietary fibre (DF). The low fibre diet (LF; 17% DF) was based on wheat and barley. In the two high DF diets (HF1, high in soluble DF and HF2, high in insoluble DF;  44% DF), the cereal part of the diet was substituted with different co-products (sugar beet pulp, potato pulp, pectin residue, pea hull, brewer's spent grain, and seed residue). The diets were fed for a four-week period to 12 sows (4 for each diet). Sows were stunned 4 h post-feeding, and digesta and tissue samples were collected from various parts of the small and large intestines. The carbohydrate load to the large intestine was 538–539 g/d when feeding the high DF diets and 190 g/d when feeding diet LF. Feeding sows the high DF diet containing large proportion of soluble DF resulted in a lower dry matter content of digesta (23 contra 28%), a higher tissue weight (2.9 contra 2.0 kg), and a higher crypt depth (492 contra 330 μm) and area (23,201 contra 15,751 μm²) in the colon compared with the low DF diet. In conclusion, increasing the amount of DF in the diet for sows resulted in an increased amount of digesta entering the large intestine which influences the functional properties of digesta. Furthermore, a high DF diet with a high proportion of soluble DF increases tissue weight, crypt depth and crypt area in the midcolon compared to a low fibre diet.     

母猪日粮纤维的营养研究进展

日粮纤维具有多种理化特性,日粮中添加适量的纤维可改善妊娠母猪的繁殖性能,降低刻板行为的发生率,防止便秘,降低无乳症的发生率,在养猪生产中具有重要的意义。本文主要介绍了日粮纤维的定义、理化特性及其对母猪的繁殖性能、行为和健康水平的有益作用、不利影响及可能的作用机制。     

Interactions between the associations of parity, lactation length, and weaning-to-conception interval with subsequent litter size in swine herds using early weaning

Sixteen farms having an average lactation length between 14.9 and 18.9 days were selected based upon producers' willingness to keep records of production and lactation feed intake. Data contained 9162 subsequent litter-size records abstracted from computerized production information-system files and lactation feed-intake records. Two-way interactions between the associations of parity and lactation length, and parity and weaning-to-conception interval with subsequent litter size were found in the same statistical model. Subsequent litter size did not increase in parities 1 and 2 as lactation length increased – but subsequent litter size in sows of parities 3–6 increased. In only parity 1, sows with weaning-to-conception interval 6–12 days produced 0.5 fewer pigs at subsequent farrowing than those with weaning-to-conception interval 1–5 days. However, in multiparous sows, no difference in subsequent litter size was found between weaning-to-conception intervals 1–5 and 6–12 days.     

矿物元素对母猪变形蹄的影响

[目的]为了给高产母猪变形蹄预防和治疗提供科学的理论依据。[方法]用原子吸收光谱法对母猪被毛、蹄角质及全血9种矿物元素(Mn、Zn、Cu、Co、Mg、Fe、Cd、Cr、Ca)的含量进行测定。[结果]结果表明:变形蹄母猪与正常蹄母猪比较,变形蹄母猪被毛Fe、Co、Cd、Cu、Mg含量升高,Zn、Mn、Ca含量下降;蹄角质中Mn、Cu、Co、Fe、Cd含量下降,Zn、Cr、Ca含量上升;全血Zn、Mg、Ca的含量上升,Mn、Cu、Co、Fe、Cd、Cr的含量下降。由于母猪体内微量元素的增减,导致物质代谢的紊乱,引发骨骼、蹄角质、被毛的异常生长。[结论]经过t检验及综合分析判定:低铜、低锰、低铁、低钴对母猪发生变形蹄具有一定的影响。     

猪周期下规模猪场如何使用终端轮回杂交踏准节奏快速增减能繁母猪

近期猪价的大幅持续下跌,让养猪企业再次尝到了持续亏损的痛苦。文章介绍了生猪价格周期（猪周期）的特点和产生原因,并说明了顺猪周期进行养殖规模的调整对于减少商品猪养殖企业亏损的重要性。举例说明了顺猪周期进行能繁母猪数的减少和增加,可减少低猪价期的亏损。介绍了如何利用终端轮回杂交繁育体系在四年一轮回的猪周期踏准节奏进行商品猪的生产。还比较了杜长大三级繁育体系与终端轮回杂交繁育体系的区别,介绍了终端轮回杂交繁育体系的优势、对猪育种的影响和应用前景。