Abstract
Simple SummarySome sows are known to develop shoulder lesions after giving birth, yet the pattern of development and healing as well as the welfare implications of these lesions is not well-understood. This study found that the size of the lesion when first noticed was related to the duration that the lesion was present and to the maximum size of the lesion before healing. This information has the potential to help guide the treatment of these animals and reduce the severity of their lesions. We monitored these sows throughout lactation and during gestation and found that the only significant behavioral difference between the sows that did and did not have lesions was that the sows without lesions were more likely to change their posture more frequently. We believe this means that more frequent posture changes may have a protective effect against lesion development. Together, the results of this study have added to our understanding of how long it takes these lesions to heal and reveal insight into the lack of behavioral alterations in sows with such lesions.Shoulder lesions can develop in sows during lactation and vary in severity, potentially leading to euthanasia of the sow. There are questions about how these lesions affect the sow’s welfare. Here, sows that were loaded into farrowing pens were monitored prospectively to elucidate the risk for lesion development. To determine whether the presence of shoulder lesions affected behavior, 44 sows with shoulder lesions (LES) were matched to controls (CON) and observed during farrowing for postures and during nursing and gestation for posture and location. Lesions were measured daily. A low weaning body condition score (BCS) increased the possibility of lesion development (OR = 4.8 ± 2.8; p = 0.01). There was no difference in behavior between LES and CON with the exception of a higher frequency of postural changes in CON sows (p = 0.01). A larger maximum lesion size was associated with larger initial lesion (p < 0.01), higher weaning BCS (p < 0.001), low parity (p < 0.001), and lameness (p < 0.001). Median time to healing (24 ± 2.2 days) correlated with maximum lesion size. A low BCS during weaning increased the risk for lesion development and there were multiple factors found which influenced maximum lesion size; however, we did not find behavioral indications that lesions impacted welfare.
Highlights
Sows developing shoulder lesions, or shoulder sores, after farrowing is a well-known condition that has been reported in up to 50% of animals on some farms [1,2] and is widely considered to be a multifactorial problem
Of the 221 sows enrolled in the study, 20% (n = 44) developed a shoulder lesion
We found that the presence of shoulder lesions did not significantly alter a sow’s behavior, as other studies have shown [5,6,9]
Summary
Shoulder sores, after farrowing is a well-known condition that has been reported in up to 50% of animals on some farms [1,2] and is widely considered to be a multifactorial problem. While there appears to be consensus about certain risk factors for lesion development, such as a low body condition score [2,3,4,5], other predisposing factors may include breed, parity, and weaning weight [5]. Sows with severe lesions often have their piglets weaned early, negatively impacting the litter. Little is understood about how the lesions progress and heal. To our knowledge, no studies have examined the daily changes lesions undergo throughout the development and healing process. In order to better implement potential treatment options and improve sow welfare, understanding factors that may affect the severity of lesions in terms of maximum size and lesion duration are essential
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