Abstract
Simple SummarySows may experience pain and discomfort whilst giving birth. Additionally, the birthing process is accompanied by an inflammation response. Administering anti-inflammatory compounds prior to birth may provide an opportunity to improve piglet survival and growth. The aim of this experiment was to assess the efficacy of both a non-steroidal (NSAID; meloxicam) and steroidal (SAID; dexamethasone) anti-inflammatory drug for improving farrowing house performance of sows. In younger sows, there was no impact of treatment; however, older sows from the NSAID treatment gave birth to fewer live piglets. Postnatal mortality was unaffected by treatment and no improvement in piglet growth was observed. Feed intake of both NSAID and SAID sows was improved when compared with the control group; however, there was a tendency for a delayed oestrus in the NSAID group. Administering NSAID to sows prior to farrowing is not recommended as it reduces piglet survival and subsequent reproduction.The aim of this experiment was to determine whether administration of an anti-inflammatory compound to sows prior to farrowing would, via reduced pain and inflammation, increase piglet survival and growth. At day 114 of gestation, multiparous sows were randomly allocated to one of the following treatments: Control (n = 43), which received 10 mL saline, NSAID (n = 55) which received 0.4 mg/kg meloxicam and SAID (n = 54) which received 0.1 mg/kg dexamethasone. Treatments were applied again on day 116 if farrowing had not occurred. There was no treatment effect on piglets born alive or dead from parity two to four sows but in those of parity five and older, NSAID administration reduced the number of piglets born alive and increased the number of piglets born dead (p < 0.05). Sow rectal temperature and incidence of mastitis were unaffected by treatment (p > 0.05). Lactation day two plasma concentrations of cortisol, prostaglandin F2 alpha metabolite and haptoglobin did not differ among treatments (p > 0.05). Treatment effects were not observed in liveborn piglet mortality at any age, or litter weight at day 21 (p > 0.05). Average feed intake during lactation was increased by both NSAID and SAID treatments (p = 0.001). The use of meloxicam prior to farrowing should be avoided as it reduced the number of piglets born alive and did not improve piglet survival and growth.
Highlights
There are life history stages where pain is unavoidable, and parturition is one of these times
There were no overall treatment effects on the total number of piglets born within a litter (13.4 ± 0.6), or the number of piglets born dead (0.8 ± 0.1), but there was a tendency for the number of piglets born alive to be reduced in the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) treatment (11.4 ± 0.5 versus Control 12.9 ± 0.6 and steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (SAIDs) 12.7 ± 0.5; p = 0.10)
Within parities 2 to 4, SAID sows presented with a lower score than Control, with NSAID sows intermediate (Figure 2; p < 0.05)
Summary
There are life history stages where pain is unavoidable, and parturition is one of these times. The way in which we house sows may act to amplify this pain. The crated environment in which sows are housed has been suggested to be uncomfortable and so may result in soreness and injury [2]. In the initial stages of parturition, confinement within a crate prohibits nest-building behaviour, reducing circulating oxytocin levels [3]. There is evidence that central oxytocin has analgesic properties [4], crated sows may experience amplified levels of discomfort, and behavioural indicators would support this notion [5]. Treatment with an opioid antagonist shortens parturition, while increased pain during parturition increases sow movements [8], the latter being potentially dangerous to neonatal piglets. If providing sows with pain relief prior to parturition accelerates the farrowing process, the provision of an anti-inflammatory compound may improve sow wellbeing and piglet survival
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