Technology and Food Sciences Unit, Institute of Agricultural and Fisheries Research, Burgemeester Van Gansberghelaan 115 bus 1, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.
Animal. 2013 Jul;7(7):1174-81. doi: 10.1017/S1751731113000232.
Lameness in sows is an emerging disease condition with major effects on animal welfare and economics. Yet the direct impact on reproduction results remains unclear. The present field study investigated the impact of lameness and claw lesions throughout the reproductive cycle on (re)production results of sows. In five farms, a total of 491 group-housed sows were followed up for a period of one reproductive cycle. Sows were assessed for lameness every time they were moved to another area in the farm. Claw lesions were scored at the beginning and at the end of the cycle. Reproduction results included the number of live-born piglets, stillborn piglets, mummified fetuses and crushed piglets, weaning-to-oestrus interval and the presence of sows not showing oestrus post weaning, returning to service and aborting. Sows that left the group were recorded and the reason was noted. A mean prevalence of lameness of 5.9% was found, although it depended on the time in the productive cycle. The highest percentage of lame sows (8.1%) was found when sows were moved from the post-weaning to the gestation stable. No significant associations were found between lameness and reproduction parameters with the exception of the effect on mummified foetuses. Wall cracks, white line lesions, heel lesions and skin lesions did have an effect on farrowing performance. Of all sows, 22% left the group throughout the study, and almost half of these sows were removed from the farm. Lameness was the second most important reason for culling. Sows culled because of lameness were significantly younger compared with sows culled for other reasons (parity: 2.6 ± 1.3 v. 4.0 ± 1.8). In conclusion, the present results indicate that lameness mainly affects farm productivity indirectly through its effect on sow longevity, whereas claw lesions directly affect some reproductive parameters. The high percentage of lame sows in the insemination stable indicate that risk factor studies should not only focus on the gestation stable, but also on housing conditions in the insemination stable.
母猪跛行是一种新兴的疾病状况，对动物福利和经济效益有重大影响。然而，其对繁殖结果的直接影响尚不清楚。本现场研究调查了繁殖周期中母猪跛行和蹄病对（再）繁殖结果的影响。在五个农场中，共有 491 头群养母猪在一个繁殖周期内进行了跟踪。每次母猪被转移到农场的另一个区域时，都会对其跛行情况进行评估。在周期开始和结束时，对蹄病进行评分。繁殖结果包括活产仔猪数、死产仔猪数、木乃伊化胎儿数和压死仔猪数、断奶发情间隔以及断奶后不发情、返情和流产的母猪数量。记录离开群体的母猪，并注意原因。发现跛行的平均患病率为 5.9%，但这取决于生产周期的时间。当母猪从断奶转移到妊娠稳定期时，跛行母猪的比例最高（8.1%）。跛行与繁殖参数之间没有发现显著的关联，除了对木乃伊化胎儿的影响。墙壁裂缝、白线病变、脚跟病变和皮肤病变确实对分娩性能有影响。在所有母猪中，有 22%在整个研究过程中离开了群体，其中近一半的母猪被从农场中移除。跛行是淘汰的第二大原因。由于跛行而被淘汰的母猪与因其他原因（胎次：2.6±1.3 比 4.0±1.8）而被淘汰的母猪相比，明显更年轻。总之，本研究结果表明，跛行主要通过其对母猪寿命的影响间接影响农场生产力，而蹄病直接影响一些繁殖参数。配种舍中跛行母猪的比例较高表明，风险因素研究不应仅关注妊娠舍，还应关注配种舍的饲养条件。
