Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-fscjk Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-27T11:37:57.924Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Influence of colostrum intake on piglet survival and immunity

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 May 2011

N. Devillers ,
J. Le Dividich  and
A. Prunier
N. Devillers*
Affiliation:
INRA, UMR1079 Systèmes d’Élevage Nutrition Animale et Humaine, F-35590 Saint-Gilles, France Agrocampus Ouest, UMR1079 Systèmes d’Élevage Nutrition Animale et Humaine, F-35000 Rennes, France
J. Le Dividich
Affiliation:
INRA, UMR1079 Systèmes d’Élevage Nutrition Animale et Humaine, F-35590 Saint-Gilles, France Agrocampus Ouest, UMR1079 Systèmes d’Élevage Nutrition Animale et Humaine, F-35000 Rennes, France
A. Prunier
Affiliation:
INRA, UMR1079 Systèmes d’Élevage Nutrition Animale et Humaine, F-35590 Saint-Gilles, France Agrocampus Ouest, UMR1079 Systèmes d’Élevage Nutrition Animale et Humaine, F-35000 Rennes, France
Get access

Abstract

Colostrum intake from birth to 24 h after the onset of parturition (T24) was estimated for 526 piglets from 40 litters. Plasma concentrations of immunoglobulin G (IgG), lactate, glucose and cortisol were determined at T24 for six piglets per litter. Plasma IgG concentration was also assayed at weaning (28 days) on the same piglets. Rectal temperature was measured at T24 on all piglets. Mortality was recorded until weaning and comparisons were made between piglets that died before weaning and those that were still alive at weaning. The piglets that died before weaning had lower birth weight, lower colostrum intake, lower weight gain between birth and T24, and had a lower rectal temperature, higher plasma cortisol concentration and lower plasma IgG and glucose concentrations at T24 than piglets still alive at weaning. In addition, a higher proportion of piglets that died before weaning had difficulty taking their first breath after birth and were affected by splayleg. Considering all piglets, colostrum intake was positively related to rectal temperature and plasma glucose concentration and negatively related to plasma cortisol concentration at T24. Plasma IgG concentration at T24 was explained by colostrum intake, IgG concentration in the ingested colostrum, birth weight and birth rank (P < 0.0001). Plasma IgG concentration at weaning was related to plasma IgG concentration at T24 (r = 0.54; P < 0.0001) and to colostrum intake (r = 0.32; P < 0.0001). Finally, body weight was explained by colostrum intake, birth weight and age until 6 weeks of age (P < 0.0001). These results show that colostrum intake is the main determinant of piglet survival through provision of energy and immune protection and has potential long-term effects on piglet growth and immunity.

Keywords

pigletcolostrum intakemortalitybirth weightimmunoglobulin G
Type
Full Paper
Information
animal , Volume 5 , Issue 10 , 26 August 2011 , pp. 1605 - 1612
Copyright
Copyright © The Animal Consortium 2011

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Association of Official Analytical Chemists 1990. Official methods of analysis. AOAC, Washington, DC, USA.Google Scholar
Bate, LA, Hacker, RR 1985. The influence of the sow's adrenal activity on the ability of the piglet to absorb IgG from colostrum. Canadian Journal of Animal Science 65, 77–85.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bland, IM, Rooke, JA, Bland, VC, Sinclair, AG, Edwards, SA 2003. Appearance of immunoglobulin G in the plasma of piglets following intake of colostrum, with or without a delay in sucking. Animal Science 77, 277–286.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Curtis, J, Bourne, FJ 1973. Half-lives of immunoglobulins IgG, IgA and IgM in the serum of new-born pigs. Immunology 24, 147–155.Google ScholarPubMed
de Passillé, AM, Rushen, J 1989. Using early suckling behavior and weight gain to identify piglets at risk. Canadian Journal of Animal Science 69, 535–544.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Devillers, N, Farmer, C, Mounier, AM, Le Dividich, J, Prunier, A 2004a. Hormones, IgG and lactose changes around parturition in plasma, and colostrum or saliva of multiparous sows. Reproduction Nutrition Development 44, 381–396.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Devillers, N, van Milgen, J, Prunier, A, Le Dividich, J 2004b. Estimation of colostrum intake in the neonatal pig. Animal Science 78, 305–313.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Devillers, N, Farmer, C, Le Dividich, J, Prunier, A 2007. Variability of colostrum yield and colostrum intake in pigs. Animal 1, 1033–1041.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Edwards, SA 2002. Perinatal mortality in the pig: environmental or physiological solutions? Livestock Production Science 78, 3–12.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Frenyó, VL, Pethes, G, Antal, T, Szabó, I 1981. Changes in colostral and serum IgG content in swine in relation to time. Veterinary Research Communications 4, 275–282.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gardner, IA, Hird, DW, Franti, CE 1989. Neonatal survival in swine: effects of low birth weight and clinical disease. American Journal of Veterinary Research 50, 792–797.Google ScholarPubMed
Gordon, GO, Whittier, EO 1965. Proteins of milk. In Fundamentals of dairy chemistry (ed. BH Webb and AH Johnson), pp. 54–90. Avi Publishing Company, Westport, CT, USA.Google Scholar
Gourmelen, C, Marouby, H 2007. La situation économique des élevages de porcs français: résultats 2006. Techni-Porc 30, 3–13.Google Scholar
Herpin, P, Le Dividich, J, van Os, M 1992. Contribution of colostral fat to thermogenesis and glucose homeostasis in the newborn pig. Journal of Developmental Physiology 17, 133–141.Google ScholarPubMed
Herpin, P, Le Dividich, J, Hulin, JC, Fillaut, M, De Marco, F, Bertin, R 1996. Effects of the level of asphyxia during delivery on viability at birth and early postnatal vitality of newborn pigs. Journal of Animal Science 74, 2067–2075.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Herpin, P, Hulin, JC, Le Dividich, J, Fillaut, M 2001. Effect of oxygen inhalation at birth on the reduction of early postnatal mortality in pigs. Journal of Animal Science 79, 5–10.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Herpin, P, Damon, M, Le Dividich, J 2002. Development of thermoregulation and neonatal survival in pigs. Livestock Production Science 78, 25–45.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jensen, AR, Elnif, J, Burrin, DG, Sangild, PT 2001. Development of intestinal immunoglobulin absorption and enzyme activities in neonatal pigs is diet dependent. Journal of Nutrition 131, 3259–3265.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Klobasa, F, Werhahn, E, Butler, JE 1981. Regulation of humoral immunity in the piglet by immunoglobulins of maternal origin. Research in Veterinary Science 31, 195–206.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Klobasa, F, Werhahn, E, Butler, JE 1987. Composition of sow milk during lactation. Journal of Animal Science 64, 1458–1466.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Le Cozler, Y, Guyomarc'h, C, Pichodo, X, Quinio, PY, Pellois, H 2002. Factors associated with stillborn and mummified piglets in high-prolific sows. Animal Research 51, 261–268.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Le Dividich, J, Noblet, J 1981. Colostrum intake and thermoregulation in the neonatal pig in relation to environmental temperature. Biology of the Neonate 40, 167–174.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Le Dividich, J, Rooke, JA, Herpin, P 2005. Nutritional and immunological importance of colostrum for the new-born pig. Journal of Agricultural Science 143, 469–485.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lepine, AJ, Boyd, RD, Welch, J 1989. Effect of colostrum intake on plasma glucose, non-esterified fatty acid and glucoregulatory hormone patterns in the neonatal pig. Domestic Animal Endocrinology 6, 231–241.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Milligan, BN, Fraser, D, Kramer, DL 2002. Within-litter birth weight variation in the domestic pig and its relation to pre-weaning survival, weight gain, and variation in weaning weights. Livestock Production Science 76, 181–191.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pettigrew, JE, Sower, AF, Cornelius, SG, Moser, RL 1985. A comparison of isotope dilution and weigh-suckle-weigh methods for estimating milk intake by pigs. Canadian Journal of Animal Science 65, 989–992.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Quiniou, N, Dagorn, J, Gaudré, D 2002. Variation of piglets’ birth weight and consequences on subsequent performance. Livestock Production Science 78, 63–70.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Randall, GC 1972. Observations on parturition in the sow. II. Factors influencing stillbirth and perinatal mortality. Veterinary Record 90, 183–186.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rooke, JA, Bland, IM 2002. The acquisition of passive immunity in the new-born piglet. Livestock Production Science 78, 13–23.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rooke, JA, Carranca, C, Bland, IM, Sinclair, AG, Ewen, M, Bland, VC, Edwards, SA 2003. Relationships between passive absorption of immunoglobulin G by the piglet and plasma concentrations of immunoglobulin G at weaning. Livestock Production Science 81, 223–234.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rydhmer, L 1992. Relations between piglet weights and survival. In Neonatal survival and growth (ed. MA Varley, PEV Williams and TLJ Lawrence), pp. 183–184. British Society of Animal Production, Edinburgh, UK.Google Scholar
SAS 2002. Statistical Analysis System, release 9.1. SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, USA.Google Scholar
Salmon, H, Berri, M, Gerdts, V, Meurens, F 2009. Humoral and cellular factors of maternal immunity in swine. Developmental and Comparative Immunology 33, 384–393.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sangild, PT, Fowden, AL, Trahair, JF 2000. How does the foetal gastrointestinal tract develop in preparation for enteral nutrition after birth? Livestock Production Science 66, 141–150.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Thompson, BK, Fraser, D 1988. Variation in piglet weights: weight gains in the first days after birth and their relationship with later performance. Canadian Journal of Animal Science 68, 581–590.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tuboly, S, Bernath, S, Glavits, R, Medveczky, I 1988. Intestinal absorption of colostral lymphoid cells in newborn piglets. Veterinary Immunology and Immunopathology 20, 75–85.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Tuchscherer, M, Puppe, B, Tuchscherer, A, Tiemann, U 2000. Early identification of neonates at risk: traits of newborn piglets with respect to survival. Theriogenology 54, 371–388.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Tyler, JW, Cullor, JS, Thurmond, MC, Douglas, VL, Parker, KM 1990. Immunologic factors related to survival and performance in neonatal swine. American Journal of Veterinary Research 51, 1400–1406.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Weary, DM, Pajor, EA, Thompson, BK, Fraser, D 1996. Risky behaviour by piglets: a trade off between feeding and risk of mortality by maternal crushing? Animal Behaviour 51, 619–624.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Werhahn, E, Klobasa, F, Butler, JE 1981. Investigation of some factors which influence the absorption of IgG by the neonatal piglet. Veterinary Immunology and Immunopathology 2, 35–51.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Xu, RJ, Wang, F, Zhang, SH 2000. Postnatal adaptation of the gastrointestinal tract in neonatal pigs: a possible role of milk-borne growth factors. Livestock Production Science 66, 95–107.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zaleski, HM, Hacker, RR 1993. Variables related to the progress of parturition and probability of stillbirth in swine. Canadian Veterinary Journal 34, 109–113.Google Scholar