Weight gain pattern in piglets during the first 24 h after farrowing

Abstract

Weight gain pattern in newborn piglets was investigated to gain a better understanding of how milk is consumed during and 24 h after farrowing. The first (A) and the sixth (B) piglet of 10 sows were weighed at 5-min intervals during the first 5 h and before and after the first observed suckling at 4-h intervals (the later periods) after the birth of the first piglet. On average, all piglets gained weight (12 g) in bouts with shorter intervals (14 min) during the first 2 h of litter age than during the following 3 h (20 min). On average, the weight gain during both the first and the second hour of piglet age was 45 g and during the following 3 h 25 g. Approximately 50% of the sucklings were successful during the later periods and the average weight gain per piglet was about 20 g per suckling. The interval between sucklings was on average 35 min. Piglets that were heavier at birth (> 1500 g) gained significantly more weight than the lighter piglets (< 1300 g) during the first 24 h. Newborn piglets seem to gain weight in bouts. This gain is larger during the first 2 h of piglet age than during the following hours.