Ear surface temperature registration of sows prior to farrowing as a farrowing onset prediction tool
Farrowing is a stressful event for the sow that in some cases can result in piglet
intrapartum mortality due to e.g. unattended sows experiencing dystocia.
Stillbirths generally account for 3–8% of all pigs born. Ten percent die
shortly before farrowing, 75% during farrowing and the remaining 15%
immediately after farrowing. By the time of weaning, approximately 13 to 15% of the piglets born in Norwegian pig producing units will die. Farrowing supervision and assistance is of critical
importance for prevention of piglet mortality and piglet hypothermia. Supervision
of farrowing sows can contribute to reduce postpartum death by e.g. drying and
warming newborn piglets.
By measuring the temperature of the sows ear (skin temperature), our pilot study
has shown an increase of 5°C in a lapse of 12 hours with infrared auricular
thermography. This could be indicative of parturition in the following 6 hours.
The objective of this experiment is to repeat skin temperature measurements on fixed sows from approximately 1 week prior to farrowing until 24 hours post farrowing. The adverse effects on the sows are expected to be low. Some increased stress levels are expected, especially for young sows not having been fixed before. This increased stress level is expected to be transient.
The expected benefits of this study for the swine industry are that potentially the usage of infrared technology may help predict farrowing initiation and reduce the preweaning piglet mortality rates.
The trial will include 35 sows, including different parity groups. This study requires live sows and the researchers are not able to replace, reduce or refine the number of animals needed for this experiment.
intrapartum mortality due to e.g. unattended sows experiencing dystocia.
Stillbirths generally account for 3–8% of all pigs born. Ten percent die
shortly before farrowing, 75% during farrowing and the remaining 15%
immediately after farrowing. By the time of weaning, approximately 13 to 15% of the piglets born in Norwegian pig producing units will die. Farrowing supervision and assistance is of critical
importance for prevention of piglet mortality and piglet hypothermia. Supervision
of farrowing sows can contribute to reduce postpartum death by e.g. drying and
warming newborn piglets.
By measuring the temperature of the sows ear (skin temperature), our pilot study
has shown an increase of 5°C in a lapse of 12 hours with infrared auricular
thermography. This could be indicative of parturition in the following 6 hours.
The objective of this experiment is to repeat skin temperature measurements on fixed sows from approximately 1 week prior to farrowing until 24 hours post farrowing. The adverse effects on the sows are expected to be low. Some increased stress levels are expected, especially for young sows not having been fixed before. This increased stress level is expected to be transient.
The expected benefits of this study for the swine industry are that potentially the usage of infrared technology may help predict farrowing initiation and reduce the preweaning piglet mortality rates.
The trial will include 35 sows, including different parity groups. This study requires live sows and the researchers are not able to replace, reduce or refine the number of animals needed for this experiment.