Pregnant sows from business pig farms might enjoy painful states, similar to lameness, an very important indicator in assessing sow welfare. We investigated the impact of lameness all the way through the closing 3rd of being pregnant on reproductive efficiency and placental glucocorticoid concentrations in sows. Periodic locomotion tests had been performed on two business pig farms the use of a validated 0–5 scoring device (from 0: standard locomotion; to five: a downer animal). Sows from each farms (N = 511) had been grouped in line with their moderate locomotion ratings. On Farm 1, 30 sows had been decided on and grouped as both No longer Lame or Lame. On Farm 2, 39 sows had been decided on and grouped as both No longer Lame, Quite Lame, or Significantly Lame. Reproductive information (gestation period, muddle weight, moderate piglet weight, muddle measurement, and the choice of piglets born alive/mummified/stillborn) had been recorded on each farms. Additionally, on Farm 2, piglet intrauterine enlargement restriction rating and the choice of piglets lifeless all the way through the primary week had been additionally recorded, and placenta samples had been accumulated to decide their cortisol/cortisone concentrations. A linear combined fashion used to be used to research the knowledge.
The percentage of lameness in pregnant sows (N = 511) used to be >40%, and the gestation period tended to lower with the presence of lameness in each farms. On Farm 2, reasonably lame sows had a better placental cortisol/cortisone ratio than now not lame and significantly lame sows.
In conclusion, lameness used to be top within the sows assessed, which might lower sow gestation period and scale back placental potency in protective the offspring from the sows’ pressure reaction.
Parada Sarmiento M, Lanzoni L, Sabei L, Chincarini M, Palme R, Zanella AJ, Vignola G. Lameness in Pregnant Sows Alters Placental Rigidity Reaction. Animals. 2023; 13(11): 1722. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13111722