Costa Annamaria, Salvagnini Cecilia, Buoio Eleonora, Palmeri Fabio, Salvagnini Andrea, Mazzola Silvia Michela
Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via dell'Università 6, 26900 Lodi, Italy.
Department of Biotechnology, University of Verona, Strada Le Grazie 15, 37134 Verona, Italy.
Animals (Basel). 2022 Mar 16;12(6):745. doi: 10.3390/ani12060745.
In the present study, we aimed to determine the effect of lift farrowing crates on piglet mortality by crushing and on sow welfare. Eighty-four sows were considered in the one-year experiment in three monitoring sessions. In each session, 14 sows were housed in a room with conventional crates (CC), and 14 sows were lodged in a room equipped with lift crates (LC). The sows, of the same genetics, with parity ranging from 2 to 9, were randomly distributed in CC and LC rooms. No primiparous sows were considered in the study to avoid sows unexperienced with the dynamics of lift crates. The numbers of crushed piglets, assessed by the farm’s veterinarian, within 48 h, 72 h, and at weaning (28th day), were recorded. Hair cortisol concentration (HCC) was measured upon entry and exit from farrowing to evaluate stress level variation. Feet diseases and backfat thickness were evaluated to assess sows’ potential diseases induced by lift crates and metabolic problems. The results show that the number of crushed piglets per sow was higher in the CC rooms than in the LC rooms in the first two days after delivery (0.39 vs. 0.15, p < 0.05) and up to weaning (0.50 vs. 0.37; p < 0.05). Mean values of HCC variation in sows during farrowing were significantly different in the two housing systems and higher for the LC sows (0.53 pg/mg vs. 0.22 pg/mg; p < 0.05). No significant differences were detected for backfat variation and feet disease scoring between LC and CC sows. In conclusion, LC sows evidenced an increase in hair cortisol values during farrowing, probably caused by a higher stress status induced by the lift crate, along with the benefit of the higher survival rate of piglets before weaning.
在本研究中，我们旨在确定升降式产仔栏对仔猪压死死亡率以及母猪福利的影响。在为期一年的实验中，分三个监测阶段对84头母猪进行了研究。每个阶段，14头母猪饲养在配有传统产仔栏（CC）的房间，另外14头母猪安置在配备升降式产仔栏（LC）的房间。这些遗传背景相同、胎次在2至9胎的母猪被随机分配到CC和LC房间。本研究未纳入初产母猪，以避免母猪对升降式产仔栏的动态情况缺乏经验。记录了农场兽医评估的在48小时、72小时以及断奶时（第28天）被压死的仔猪数量。在母猪分娩前后测量毛发皮质醇浓度（HCC），以评估应激水平的变化。评估足部疾病和背膘厚度，以评估升降式产仔栏引发的母猪潜在疾病和代谢问题。结果显示，在分娩后的前两天（0.39对0.15，p<0.05）以及直至断奶时（0.50对0.37；p<0.05），CC房间每头母猪的仔猪压死数量高于LC房间。在两种饲养系统中，母猪分娩期间HCC变化的平均值存在显著差异，LC母猪的平均值更高（0.53 pg/mg对0.22 pg/mg；p<0.05）。LC和CC母猪在背膘变化和足部疾病评分方面未检测到显著差异。总之，LC母猪在分娩期间毛发皮质醇值升高，这可能是由升降式产仔栏引发的较高应激状态导致的，同时断奶前仔猪存活率更高。
