University of Cambridge, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0ES, UK.
J Anim Sci. 2013 Jul;91(7):3361-89. doi: 10.2527/jas.2012-5637.
Preweaning mortality varies greatly among herds and this is partly attributed to differences in farrowing house management. In this review, we describe the various management strategies than can be adopted to decrease mortality and critically examine the evidence that exists to support their use. First, we consider which management procedures are effective against specific causes of death: intrapartum stillbirth, hypothermia, starvation, disease, crushing, and savaging. The most effective techniques include intervention to assist dystocic sows, measures to prevent and treat sow hypogalactia, good farrowing house hygiene, providing newborn piglets with a warm microenvironment, early fostering of supernumerary piglets, methods that assist small and weak piglets to breathe and obtain colostrum, and intervention to prevent deaths from crushing and savaging. The provision of nest-building material and modifications to the pen to assist the sow when lying down may also be beneficial, but the evidence is less clear. Because most deaths occur around the time of farrowing and during the first few days of life, the periparturient period is a particularly important time for management interventions intended to reduce piglet mortality. A number of procedures require a stockperson to be present during and immediately after farrowing. Second, we consider the benefits of farrowing supervision for preweaning mortality in general, focusing particularly on methods for the treatment of dystocia and programs of piglet care that combine multiple procedures. Third, we discuss the need for good stockmanship if farrowing supervision is to be effective. Stockmanship refers not only to technical skills but also to the manner in which sows are handled because this influences their fearfulness of humans. We conclude that piglet survival can be improved by a range of management procedures, many of which occur in the perinatal period and require the supervision of farrowing by trained staff. Although this incurs additional labor costs, there is some evidence that this can be economically offset by improved piglet survival.
哺乳期前死亡率在畜群中差异很大，部分原因是产仔舍管理的差异。在这篇综述中，我们描述了可以采用的各种管理策略来降低死亡率，并批判性地审查了支持这些策略的证据。首先，我们考虑哪些管理程序对特定的死亡原因有效：产程中死胎、体温过低、饥饿、疾病、压死和咬死。最有效的技术包括干预难产母猪、预防和治疗母猪低乳症的措施、良好的产仔舍卫生、为新生仔猪提供温暖的微环境、早期寄养多余的仔猪、帮助弱小仔猪呼吸和获得初乳的方法，以及预防压死和咬死的干预措施。提供筑巢材料和对畜栏进行修改以帮助母猪躺下也可能有益，但证据不太清楚。由于大多数死亡发生在分娩前后和出生后的头几天，因此围产期是管理干预措施减少仔猪死亡率的特别重要时期。一些程序需要饲养员在分娩期间和分娩后立即在场。其次，我们考虑了分娩监督对哺乳期前死亡率的一般益处，特别关注治疗难产的方法和结合多种程序的仔猪护理计划。第三，我们讨论了分娩监督要有效，良好的饲养管理的必要性。饲养管理不仅指技术技能，还指母猪的处理方式，因为这会影响它们对人类的恐惧程度。我们得出结论，通过一系列管理程序可以提高仔猪的存活率，其中许多程序发生在围产期，需要经过培训的工作人员对分娩进行监督。虽然这会增加额外的劳动力成本，但有一些证据表明，通过提高仔猪的存活率可以在经济上得到弥补。
