Abrasions and lameness in piglets born in different farrowing systems with different types of floor

Background

The quality of the floor is essential to the welfare of piglets as abrasions often are recorded in newborn piglets, and such lesions may lead to lameness. Apart from animal suffering, lameness contributes to losses in form of dead piglets, decreased growth, and increased use of antibiotics and manual labour.

Methods

In a herd with three different farrowing systems, 37 litters (390 piglets) were studied until the age of 3 weeks with respect to presence of skin wounds and abrasions. Lameness was registered until the age of 7 weeks. Eight lame piglets were sacrificed before medical treatment and subjected to necropsy including histopathological and microbiological examinations. Isolates of streptococci, staphylococci and E. coli were tested with respect to antimicrobial resistance. Mastitis was observed in ten sows.

Results

The most severe abrasions at carpus and soles were seen in the system with a new solid concrete floor with a slatted floor over the dunging area. The lowest magnitude was observed in the deep litter system with peat. Sole bruising was more common in the systems with concrete floor compared to the deep litter system with peat, and the differce in prevalence was significant at all examination days. The lesions decreased with time and about 75% of the treatments for lameness were performed during the first three weeks of life. The overall prevalence of lameness was highest in the system with new solid concrete floor with a slatted floor over the dunging area (9.4%) followed by the old solid concrete floor (7.5%). A lower (p < 0.05) prevalence was seen in the deep litters system with peat (3.3%). No significant relationship between mastitis and abrasions or lameness in the offspring was observed.

Conclusion

There were large differences in the prevalence of abrasions and lameness between the floor types. The deep litter system with peat provided a soft and good floor for piglets. The overall prevalence of lameness was only diagnosed in every fourth litter in that system compared to in every second litter in the systems with concrete floor. In contrast, the incidence of mastitis in the sows during the first week after farrowing was higher than in the systems with concrete floor.     

Ethically chosen studies with early-weaned piglets during their raising in pens with different applications of straw. 1. The effects of different applications of straw and different floor conditions in areas of uniform size

In extension of earlier experiments in housing systems with perforated floors, utilization rates of solid floor with litter, straw in a rack and deep litter, as well as the behaviour and physical condition, especially of claws, were investigated. Each pen had an area of 0.45 m2/piglet. In further experiments the influences of race (DL instead of DL x Piétrain), kind of rearing (without straw instead of rearing with straw), lowering temperature and the effect of a preferred perforated floor in comparison with solid floor were investigated. Deep litter was preferred for activity and lying behaviour only in the case of low temperature (14-18 degrees C) whereas solid floor with litter was preferred in the case of higher temperature (19-25 degrees C). The perforated floor was equivalent to solid floor on the condition that the area dimension was sufficient, temperature 3 degrees C higher than in the other experiments and straw in a rack was offered. However, the utilization rates of solid floor increased in the case of lowering temperature by 4 degrees C. There was no significant influences of the different race or kind of rearing. In the experiments there were significant signs of a more harmonious condition of the animals and a shorter, respectively no period where the animals had to adapt to the housing conditions. These findings were in contrast to those of earlier investigations. The possibility of acting with straw led to an undisturbed circadian rhythm and to a higher rate of standing within the total activity which was as high as in earlier studies. Further social companions and environmental objects lost attractiveness.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

An electric dynamic katathermometer and the thermal environment in pig farrowing pens]

Temperature conditions were measured with an electric dynamic catathermometer (EDC) and thermometers in pig farrowing houses 13 and 90 cm above the floor of the central and side corridors, boxes for sows and in piglet pens, heated with electric infra-radiators (input 525 W). The heat flow density of the EDC sensor, characterizing the cooling properties of the environment, was higher near the floor, at the ends of stables, on the sides exposed to wind, and after turning on the fan. The thermal conditions in the farrowing houses were therefore highly variable. In the piglet pens the heat flow density was usually kept at a very low level, owing to the thermal radiation of the electric infra-radiators, with possible bad implications for production. However, these facts cannot be documented just by the current measurements of air temperature.     

Incidence of lameness in dairy cows

A survey of the number of treatments for lameness in 21,000 dairy cows from 185 herds in the University of Edinburgh/Dalgety Spillers dairy herd health and productivity service in England and Wales showed an average incidence of cases of 25 per cent. Veterinary surgeons treated 6.3 per cent and farmers 18.7 per cent and 1.4 per cent of cows were culled because of lameness. Monthly and regional variations were recorded. An assessment of the economic effects suggested that the average annual cost in a 100 cow herd was 1175 pounds with an overall cost to British farmers of more than 35 million pounds. The economic importance is such that research into specific factors affecting foot health should be carried out. Meanwhile, a broad approach to prevention and control of lameness on farms is recommended under the general headings of management/environment, nutrition and breeding.     

Genetic diversity of livestock-associated MRSA isolates obtained from piglets from farrowing until slaughter age on four farrow-to-finish farms

During a previous longitudinal study, performed on four farrow-to-finish farms (A to D), samples were taken from twelve sows, their offspring, and the environment on various occasions over six months to study the MRSA presence. During the present study, a selection of the obtained MRSA isolates were typed by multiple-locus variable-number tandem-repeat analysis (MLVA), Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE), spa typing, and SCCmec typing to study the genetic diversity of LA-MRSA isolates and to determine possible MRSA sources for pig(let)s. PFGE, spa typing, and SCCmec typing revealed the presence of one or few dominant genotype(s) per farm. In contrast, 212 MLVA types were detected on the four farms, forming one cluster on farm A, three on farm B, four on farm C and two on farm D. The genotype, found on farm A was unique for this farm. Farms B, C and D shared one cluster. In general, MLVA types from these clusters were isolated from piglets, sows, and the environment on various sampling events. Piglets carried MLVA types both related and unrelated to their mother sows’ MLVA types at farrowing and onwards. In conclusion, molecular typing revealed that within a farm one or a few dominant strain(s) are widespread. Potential MRSA sources for piglets were mother sows, the environment and other piglets.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13567-014-0089-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

The use of perches by broilers in floor pens

1. Small flocks of broilers, numbering between 160 and 240, were placed in two deep‐litter pens each 10.13 m² in area, one of which contained four perches each 3.05 m long and about 0.3 m above the floor. The presence of birds on the perches was noted. Body weights at 56 d were recorded and food intakes from 0 to 56 d measured.

2. In experiments 1 and 2, when 160 birds without perches were compared with 240 with perches, the latter gained slightly less weight but had an improved food conversion efficiency. At 8 weeks about 27% of the birds were observed on the perches at any one time.

3. In experiments 3 and 4 both pens contained about 200 birds. Those with perches gained slightly more weight and food conversion efficiencies were similar. At 8 weeks about 12% of the birds were observed on the perches.

4. Perch usage appeared to be governed both by the age and size of the birds and by their density. In all four experiments the numbers perching at 8 weeks seemed to be such that the density of birds on the floor was about 17 birds/m² (28 to 34 kg/m²).     

An electricodynamic cathethermometer and heat conditions in pens for piglets]

In the farrowing houses the electric dynamic katathermometer (EDK) was used to determine the thermal conditions in boxes for piglets heated by electric infraradiators (EIZ) with an input of 525 W. The density of heat flow of the EDK sensor in the boxes which characterizes the cooling properties of this environment was zero or only very low if the infraradiators were installed 60 to 70 cm above the floor of the boxes, i. e. so as to temper the air to a temperature recommended by the standard. This is apparently caused by the relatively great radiation from the infraradiator which is not registered by the mercury thermometer but is absorbed by the body surface of the piglets and may lead to their overheating. A desirable increase in the cooling properties of the box environment and of the other spaces of the farrowing house was achieved by decreasing the infraradiator input to 260 W and suspending them 50 cm above the floor of the boxes. Their fixation at a greater height allowed the further effective regulation of the heat conditions in the boxes while at the same time cutting down electric energy consumption by a half.     

The prevalence and risk factors associated with forelimb skin abrasions and sole bruising in preweaning piglets

The presence of skin abrasions and sole bruising in 264 preweaning piglets (1–30 days old) from 13 breeding units in south west England was investigated in 1995. The mean prevalence of forelimb skin abrasions among the pigs on the study farms was 36% (range 0–59%) and sole bruising was 50% (range 0–95%). Skin abrasions were located on three aspects on the front limbs: the carpus, the metacarpus and the digit. Lesions occurred early in a piglet's life; the modal ages for sole bruising was 4 days and for skin abrasions were 5 and 10 days. The presence of skin abrasions on the front limbs was significantly associated with the presence of sole bruising on the front feet. Logistic regression indicated that part-concrete, part-round-mesh (OR 56.4) and part-concrete, part-metal-rods floors (OR 15.9) and exposed aggregate (OR 4.6) were associated with an increased odds of sole bruising while the presence of sparse straw (OR 0.12) or deep straw (OR 0.12) in the pen was associated with lower odds of sole bruising. The same floor type (part-concrete, part-round-mesh) was associated with increased odds of forelimb skin abrasions (OR 2.2). A worn floor surface where the solid adjoined the perforated area (OR 4.6) and the presence of sparse shavings (OR 1.7) were also associated with an increased risk of skin abrasions.     

Ethological free-choice studies with early-weaned piglets kept in pens with different amounts of straw. 2. Effects of different amounts of straw in different-sized areas

In systematical continuation of our free choice experiments in housing systems with early weaned pigs, it has been investigated under the same conditions, whether there are any preferences for different area dimensions in using solid floor with straw or deep litter. For each floor type 0.3 m2, 0.45 m2 and 0.7 m2/animal have been used. Totally 6 experiments with 2 repetitions each have been carried out. Additionally the daily increase of live weight of the pigs has been calculated and their claws have been examined. In contrast to earlier experiments without straw (Marx and Schuster, 1984) the piglets didn't clearly differentiate between both possibilities but used them as one unit. For that reason the differences between the quantities of using the different areas in each experiment proved very little. But for lying behaviour there have been real distinctions between the different areas in dependence on the floor types. So piglets on solid floor with straw always preferred the area dimension of 0.3 m2/animal, while the animals on deep litter showed no clear preference. For activity all piglets always used the greater area in all experiments. An influence of the choice combination on the whole activity as well as on the whole lying behaviour could only been seen by the way, that the piglets were less active in the experiment with the greatest total area. The higher activity in the experiments with less total areas is traced back to the excrement areas, which increased during experimental time and so reduced the lying area, which led to more unrest among the animals.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

不同剂型吉他霉素对哺乳仔猪生产性能的影响

本研究选用体重相近,7日龄PIC哺乳仔猪240头,系统研究不同剂型吉他霉素对哺乳仔猪生产性能的影响。研究分为3个试验组,每组4个重复,每个重复20头仔猪。Ⅰ组为空白对照组;Ⅱ组为80g“吉他富500”（50%含量的普通吉他霉素颗粒制剂）组;Ⅲ组为60g微囊吉他霉素组（50%含量的微囊化吉他霉素）。试验时间为仔猪7日龄～24日龄。结果表明：哺乳仔猪日粮中添加吉他霉素能提高哺乳仔猪的采食量,但对日增重没有显著的影响,在采食量和日增重方面两种剂型之间没有显著的差异;吉他霉素能明显够降低哺乳仔猪腹泻率和死淘率,且在试验饲料中添加60g的微囊化吉他霉素效果与80g的普通颗粒型吉他霉素相当。     

Associations between types of lameness and fertility

Four hundred and twenty-seven cases of first-reported foot lameness were recorded in 17 dairy herds in Somerset during the winter housing period. Lameness was classified into three categories: sole ulceration, digital disease (white line abscess, foreign bodies in the sole and pricked or punctured sole), and interdigital disease (lesions of the skin between claws and heel including foul in the foot, interdigital fibroma and dermatitis). In addition, a 'clinical effect score' was calculated to take account of the severity of lameness, the structures involved and the time for which the cows were clinically affected. The fertility records of lame cows were compared with those of the healthy cows nearest in parity and stage of lactation. In the lame cows the interval from calving to first service was four days longer, and the interval from calving to conception was 14 days longer than in the control cows, the pregnancy rate to first service was 46 per cent (controls 56 per cent), 2.14 services were required per conception (controls 1.72) and 16 per cent of lame cows were culled (controls 5 per cent). Lameness, first reported in the period 36 to 70 days after calving, was associated with a significant (P less than 0.01) increase in the interval from calving to first service of eight days; and sole ulceration, in the period 71 to 120 days after calving, was associated with an increase of 11 days (P less than 0.05). Lameness in all periods up to 120 days after calving was associated with significantly increased intervals from calving to conception (P less than 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Four-year study of lameness in piglets at a research station

Lameness in piglets up to nine weeks old was studied in a research station herd for four years; 9411 piglets were born alive, of which 9.8 per cent were treated for lameness. In litters born to gilts, 9.9 per cent of the piglets were treated for lameness, in litters born to sows of parity 3, 11.4 per cent of the piglets were treated, but in litters born to sows of parity 4 to 7 the proportion of piglets treated for lameness decreased to about 8 per cent. Around 75 per cent of all cases were observed in piglets less than three weeks old; the incidence risk of lameness decreased from 2.7 per cent during the first week of life to 0.3 per cent after weaning. The average weight of affected piglets was reduced by approximately 8 per cent at nine weeks of age. There was no overall association between lameness and sex or birth weight within sex. The mortality among lame gilts was higher at all ages than among healthy gilts, but among barrows a higher mortality was observed only during the late suckling period. Litters with 12 or more piglets had a higher incidence of lameness. Clinical signs of disease in the sow and whether the piglets were given an intramuscular injection of 200 mg of iron on their second, third or fourth day of life had no effect on the incidence of lameness.     

Effects of farrowing crate floors on health and performance of piglets and sows

Three types of raised perforated floor were compared with floor-level concrete which had perforated flooring at the rear. Piglets on raised perforated floors grew faster (P less than 0.05) to 21 days than pigs on mainly solid floors (205 g/day and 198 g/day, respectively). The mortality in the first 21 days of all pigs born did not differ between raised (18.4 per cent) and mainly solid floors (18.7 per cent) and there were no effects of individual floor types on overall survival or on deaths due to crushing. The incidence of diarrhoea was not significantly less on raised than on solid floors (27 per cent and 34 per cent of litters, respectively) but antibiotic treatment time was shortened (0.9 days and 1.2 days, P less than 0.05). The incidence of splayleg was highest on fibreglass slats. Concrete floors caused most knee abrasions but the incidence of arthritis was unaffected. Approximately twice as many sows on mainly solid floors went off their feed or had a high rectal temperature compared with sows on raised perforated floors. No differences were observed between narrow or A-frame farrowing crates.     

Throughput capacity of large quantities of chopped straw in partly slatted farrowing pens for loose housed sows

Abstract

The aim of the present paper was to study the throughput capacity (i.e. the ability of straw to drain through slatted flooring) of 15 kg of chopped straw used around the time of farrowing. A cohort study including 96 sows was conducted in two commercial herds, comparing chopped wheat straw of three length categories (mass median length 39, 70 and 130 mm). Straw with short and medium chop lengths was completely absent in 83% (plastic slats) and 85% (cast-iron slats), respectively, of the pens on Day 4 after farrowing, compared to 7% and 6% of pens provided with the longest straw category. We conclude that it is technically feasible to have an efficient throughput of straw and to maintain good pen hygiene in partly slatted farrowing pens provided with 15 kg of chopped straw at farrowing. However, straw chop lengths need to be adjusted to the type of slatted flooring used.     

仔猪营养性贫血的发生与防治

仔猪营养性贫血(Nutritional Anemia of Piglet)是指5～28d内哺乳仔猪由于营养不足及微量元素缺乏，特别是铁的缺乏而引起的贫血，临床上以可视粘膜色淡，轻度黄染或苍白；循环血液中红细胞数量下降，血红蛋白显减少等为特征，又称为缺铁性贫血或小细胞低色素性贫血。多发生于寒冷的冬末、春初季节的舍饲仔猪，特别是猪舍以木板或水泥为地面而不采取补铁措施的集约化养猪场。本病在一定地区具有群发性，     

Adaptive capacity of faecal microbiota from piglets receiving diets with different types of inulin-type fructans

An in vitro experiment was conducted to assess the microbial activity of faeces from unweaned and weaned piglets. Diets of weaned piglets were supplemented with various fructans. Weaned piglets received a corn–soy based basal diet supplemented with either corn starch (control; CON), oligofructose (OF), chicory root (CHR), a mixture of chicory pulp and oligofructose (MIX; 60:40) or corn starch and antibiotic (CON_AB). Faecal inocula collected from unweaned (5 kg body weight (BW)) and weaned piglets (15 kg BW) were introduced in airtight 100-mL bottles containing 0.5 g of substrate (basal or mix) in pre-warmed buffered medium. The organic matter cumulative volume (OMCV) was measured for 48 h, and a mono-phasic model was fitted to the data. The concentration of volatile fatty acids (VFA) and ammonia (NH₃) was determined after fermentation. Incubation of substrate mix with the different inocula gave a significant higher OMCV compared to substrate basal, except for the inoculum from piglets of the CON_AB group. In addition, substrate mix gave a higher R_max and a lower T_max compared to substrate basal. With the exception of inoculum obtained from chicory root supplemented animals (CHR) no substrate effects were observed in fermentation end-products (VFA and NH₃). However, the proportions of acetic acid were significantly higher and those of butyric acid lower when inocula were incubated with substrate mix. Inocula from weaned pigs tended to show higher proportions of propionic acid when incubated with substrate mix, whilst inocula from unweaned piglets showed the opposite. The differences in fermentation kinetics between substrates after incubation with inocula from weaned and unweaned piglets in combination with an altered composition in VFA, points to a modified faecal microflora following weaning.