Hostname: page-component-745bb68f8f-grxwn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-01-26T09:42:11.208Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Thin sows: 2. Observations on the energy and nitrogen exchanges of thin and normal sows in environmental temperatures of 20 and 5 °C

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

F. D. DeB. Hovell ,
J. G. Gordon  and
R. M. MacPherson
F. D. DeB. Hovell
Affiliation:
The Rowett Research Institute, Bucksburn, Aberdeen AB2 9SB
J. G. Gordon
Affiliation:
The Rowett Research Institute, Bucksburn, Aberdeen AB2 9SB
R. M. MacPherson
Affiliation:
The Rowett Research Institute, Bucksburn, Aberdeen AB2 9SB
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

The experimental animals were sows which had been made thin by underfeeding for several parities (thin sows), and siblings which had received adequate energy (standard sows).

The energy metabolism of three thin anoestrous and three non-pregnant standard sows were measured at 20 and 5 °C. There were no differences between the two groups of sows. The fall in temperature increased the average maintenance requirement by 60% from 476 to 753 kJ/kg0·75/day (1192–1922 kJ/kg0·56/day).

The tissue insulation of the thin sows was 28% lower than that of the standard sows, although this difference was not statistically significant. The thin sows compensated by having a better external insulation. The average total body conductance was 306 kJ/m2/°C/day.

The standard sows were in positive nitrogen balance (+ 4·2 g/day, 95% confidence limits 1·5 to 7·0 gN) and the thin sows in negative nitrogen balance (– 4·4 g/day, 95% confidence limits – 2·1 to – 6·8 g N) at energy equilibrium. It is suggested that this difference might be explained if the total nitrogen requirement of the two groups of sows was similar, but that their requirement for energy was related to their body surface area.

There were no differences between the two groups of sows in their digestive efficiency, but the digestibilities of both energy and nitrogen were reduced at 5 °C.

It is concluded that the primary cause of the ‘thin sow syndrome’ is underfeeding, particularly in cold environments. Other features of the syndrome are probably a consequence of undernutrition and depletion of the body energy reserves.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 89 , Issue 3 , December 1977 , pp. 523 - 533
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1977

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

Agricultural Research Council (1967). Nutrient Requirements of Farm Livestock, No. 3 Pigs. London: Agricultural Research Council.Google Scholar
Anon, (1976). Mucosal immunity in malnutrition. Nutrition Reviews 34, 79–80.Google Scholar
Brody, S. (1945). Bioenergetics and Growth. New York: Reinhold.Google Scholar
Brouwer, E. (1965). Report of sub-committee on constants and factors. Energy Metabolism (ed. Blaxter, K. L.), pp. 441–3. London: Academic Press.Google Scholar
Christensen, J., Clifton, J. A. & Schedl, H. P. (1966). Variations in the frequency of the human duodenal basic electrical rhythm in health and disease. Gastroenterology 51, 200–6.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Christopherson, R. J. (1975). Effects of winter temperatures on digestibility in calves and steers. University of Alberta, Feeders Day Report No. 54, 58–61.Google Scholar
Daniel, E. E., Wachter, B. T., Moncur, A. J. & Bogoch, A. (1960). The relationship between electrical and mechanical activity of the small intestine of dog and man. Canadian Journal of Biochemistry 38, 777–801.Google ScholarPubMed
Fuller, M. F. & Boyne, A. W. (1972). The effects of environmental temperature on the growth and metabolism of pigs given different amounts of food. 2. Energy metabolism. British Journal of Nutrition 28, 373–84.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Fuller, M. F. & Cadenhead, A. (1969). The preservation of faeces and urine to prevent losses of energy and nitrogen during metabolism experiments. In Energy Metabolism of Farm Animals. Proceedings 4th Symposium, Warsaw, Poland, 1967 (ed. Blaxter, K. L., Kielanowski, J. & Thorbek, Grete), pp. 455–9. Newcastle upon Tyne: Oriel Press Ltd.Google Scholar
Hesby, J. H., Conrad, J. A., Plumlee, M. P. & Harrington, R. B. (1970). Nitrogen balance and serum protein response of gestating swine fed opaque-2 corn, normal corn and corn soya-bean meal diets. Journal of Animal Science 31, 481–9.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Holmes, C. W. & McLean, N. R. (1974). The effect of low ambient temperatures on the energy metabolism of sows. Animal Production 19, 1–12.Google Scholar
Hovell, F. D. DeB & MacPherson, R. M. (1977). Thin sows. 1. Observations on the fecundity of sows when underfed for several parities. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 89, 513–22.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ingram, D. L. (1964 a). The effects of environmental temperature on body temperatures, respiratory frequency and pulse rate in the young pig. Research in Veterinary Science 5, 348–56.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ingram, D. L. (1964 b). The effect of environmental temperatures on heat loss and thermal insulation in the young pig. Research in Veterinary Science 5, 357–64.Google Scholar
Irving, L., Peyton, L. J. & Monson, Mildrid (1956). Metabolism and insulation of swine as bare-skinned mammals. Journal of Applied Physiology 9, 421–6.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kleiber, M. (1965). Metabolic body size. New York and London: John Wiley & Sons Inc.Google Scholar
Lopez, V., Davis, S. D. & Smith, N. J. (1972). Studies in infantile marasmus. 4. Impairment of immunologic responses in the marasmic pig. Pediatric Research 6, 779–88.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
MacLean, C. W. (1968). The thin sow problem. Veterinary Research 83, 308–16.Google ScholarPubMed
MacPherson, R. M., Campbell, Rosa M. & Smart, R. I. (1973). The thin sow – observations on digestive efficiency, nitrogen balance and carcass composition. Animal Production 17, 287–93.Google Scholar
Mitchell, H. H. (1927). Report of the Illinois Agricultural Experimental Station, p. 155.Google Scholar
Mount, L. E. (1968). The Climatic Physiology of the Pig. London: Edward Arnold (Publishers) Ltd.Google Scholar
Mount, L. E. (1972). Environmental physiology in relation to pig production. In Pig Production (ed. Cole, D. J. A.), pp. 71–90. London: Butterworths.Google Scholar
Newborne, P. M. & Williams, G. (1970). Nutritional influences on the course of infections. In Resistance to Infectious Disease (ed. Dunlop, R. H. & Moon, H. W.), pp. 93–111. Saskatoon Modern Press.Google Scholar
Pond, W. G., Wagner, W. C, Dunn, J. A. & Walker, E. F. Jr (1968). Reproduction and early post natal growth of progeny in swine fed a protein free diet during gestation. Journal of Nutrition 94, 309–16.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pond, W. G. (1973). Influence of maternal protein and energy nutrition during gestation on progeny performance in swine. Journal of Animal Science 36, 175–82.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Pullar, J. D. (1969). Methods of Calorimetry (A) direct. In International Encyclopaedia of Food and Nutrition (ed. Cuthbertson, D. P.) 17, 471–90.Google Scholar
Sainsbury, D. W. (1972). Climatic environment and pig performance. In Pig Production (ed. Cole, D. J. A.), pp. 90–106. London: Butterworths.Google Scholar
Van Es, A. J. H. (1972). Maintenance. In Handbuck der Tierernahrung, Band 2, p. 44. Hamburg: Paul Parey.Google Scholar
Verstegen, M. W. A. (1971). Influence of environmental temperature on energy metabolism of growing pigs housed individually and in groups. Mededelingen van de Landbouwhoogeschool te Wageningen 71–2.Google Scholar
Verstegen, M. W. A., Van Es, A. J. H. & Nijkamp, H. J. (1971). Some aspects of energy metabolism of the sow during pregnancy. Animal Production 13, 677–83.Google Scholar
Webster, A. J. F. (1970). Environmental and physiological interactions influencing resistance to infectious disease. In Resistance to Infective Disease (ed. Dunlop, R. H. and Moon, H. W.), pp. 61–80. Saskatoon Modern Press.Google Scholar
Webster, A. J. F. (1974). Heat loss from cattle with particular emphasis on the effects of cold. Heat Loss from Animals and Man. Assessment and Control (ed. Monteith, J. L. and Mount, L. E.), pp. 205–31. London: Butterworths.Google Scholar
Westra, R. & Christopherson, R. J. (1975). Effect of cold exposure on digestive function in sheep. University of Alberta, Feeders Day Report No. 54, 56–7.Google Scholar
Zimmerman, D. R., Speer, V. C, Zimmermann, W. & Switzer, W. P. (1971). Effect of pyrantel salts on asoaris serum infection in growing pigs. Journal of Animal Science 32, 874–8.CrossRefGoogle Scholar