Pre-weaning Mortality Research Articles

Effects of pre-farrow feeding time on the farrowing time and duration in sows and litter outcomes

The objective of the study was to determine the effect of time of feeding pre-farrow on farrowing time and duration. Two hundred and ninety-eight (298) mixed parity sows were assigned to morning (0700 h) or evening (1900 h) feeding upon entry into the farrowing room until farrowing. More sows from the morning-fed group farrowed between 0700 and 1500 h than the evening-fed group (51.43 vs. 21.95%, P < 0.001). There were no differences (P > 0.10) in farrowing duration. Number of piglets born alive, stillborn, and mummies did not differ (P > 0.10) among treatments. Evening-fed sows had an increased number of pigs weaned, resulting from reduced preweaning mortality compared to the morning-fed sows (P < 0.05). Morning feeding may be beneficial for maximizing the number of farrowing events that start during working hours and evening feeding may improve litter outcomes.

Effect of Tonisity Px™ Administration on Pre-weaning Mortality Under Field Conditions: A Meta-Analysis

Effect of Tonisity Px™ Administration on Pre-weaning Mortality Under Field Conditions: A Meta-Analysis

The Effect of Dietary Plant-Derived Omega 3 Fatty Acids on the Reproductive Performance and Gastrointestinal Health of Female Rabbits.

This study examined the effects of extruded linseed and algae Padina pavonica extract on the reproductive performance, milk production, and gastrointestinal health of female rabbits. Thirty-six nulliparous New Zealand White female rabbits were randomly assigned to three groups (n = 12) with different diets. The control group (CNT) received a standard diet, while the other two groups received modified isoenergetic diets in which part of the CNT diet ingredients were replaced with 5% extruded linseed (L5%) and 5% extruded linseed plus 0.2% Padina pavonica algae extract (L5%PP). The rabbits were monitored from artificial insemination until the weaning of the rabbit kits, evaluating different reproductive parameters. Our results indicate that extruded linseed and alga Padina pavonica extract did not affect the feed intake or body weight of female rabbits. Additionally, no clinically significant histological changes were observed at the gastrointestinal level. The reproductive parameters, including litter size, litter weight, and milk yield, showed no significant differences among groups. Notably, perinatal and pre-weaning mortalities were reduced in litters born to females receiving omega-3 integrated diets (p < 0.05). While these findings are promising, further studies are needed to confirm these results and explore the specific mechanisms by which omega-3 affects reproductive function and litter health.

PSII-4 How to define good mothering ability using computer vision of free farrowing sows?

Abstract In modern swine production, most of the sows are housed in a cage system in the farrowing unit. Although this system is intended to reduce preweaning mortality, the welfare of the sow might be compromised as it greatly restricts their natural behavior. Free farrowing systems allow sows to move around in the farrowing pen, which might stimulate their nesting behavior, shorten the farrowing duration and improve locomotion score, therefore, optimizing the longevity of the sows. However, the risk of increased preweaning mortality in free farrowing systems is greater compared with cage systems. Previous studies suggested that sow behavior, also known as mothering ability, can influence preweaning mortality as an increased level of posture changes could lead to increased mortality. With grunts, a sow could initiate the suckling of the piglets but also terminate it by hiding her udder from the piglets. However, there is conflicting evidence on what characteristics of maternal ability are correlated with piglet mortality, and most studies relied on limited manual observations, which might be biased. Using computer vision algorithms, the behavior and the movement pattern of a large number of sows could be monitored at a high density and on a continuous basis. Hence, this study intended to investigate the mothering ability of sows in free farrowing systems based on large quantities and unbiased observations using computer vision. Forty cameras were installed above free farrowing pens to observe the behavior of the sow. The dataset is continuously growing and will add data of 8 sows every week, totaling 416 sows on a yearly basis. The performance of the sows and their piglets are recorded, including body weight (BW), backfat, total number born, number weaned, birth weight, and weaning weight. Computer vision algorithms (YOLO) will be trained to estimate the contour and posture of the sow and the position of the piglets. Preliminary results based on a small subset of animals showed that the algorithm is able to detect the sows and their postures accurately, and it is now being extended to detect piglet locations. This will allow us to find beneficial behavior of sow and piglets, estimate genetic parameters for potential implementation in breeding programs, and eventually improve sow performance in a welfare-friendly free farrowing system.

Herd–level risk factors associated with preweaning mortality on Ontario dairy farms

The objective of this cross-sectional, herd-level study was to identify associations between calf management practices and herd-level preweaning mortality on Ontario dairy farms. From April to August 2022, a convenience sample of 100 dairy farms from Ontario, Canada, were visited once. A questionnaire, covering farm biosecurity, calving, colostrum management, preweaning nutrition, and housing, was verbally administered at each farm visit. Furthermore, data regarding preweaning calf mortality were retrieved from each farm's herd management software or records, including the total count of calves that survived, were culled, or died during the preweaning period for the 365 d before the farm visit. Preweaning mortality was defined as the proportion of calves that died between ≥48 h and 60 d of age divided by the total number of calves alive after 48 h of age. The herd-level preweaning mortality risk on sampled farms ranged from 0 to 15.9%, with an average of 2.8% (SD = 3.8%). A multivariable Poisson regression model was used to evaluate associations between 22 explanatory variables and preweaning mortality. Factors associated with greater herd-level preweaning mortality were larger herd size; having treatment protocols for diarrhea, pneumonia or navel infection written in collaboration with a veterinarian (compared with farms with the same treatment protocols developed without a veterinarian), and the herd-veterinarian never inquiring about calf health (compared with farms where the herd veterinarian inquired sometimes). Factors associated with lower herd-level preweaning mortality were using the calving pen for sick cows, having more than 4 people working with calves, offering calves a minimum volume of ≥9 L of milk/day, and farmers with a level of formal education higher than secondary school. These results indicate that producers may be able to reduce preweaning calf mortality by providing adequate labor for calf care, offering calves sufficient volumes of milk, being proactive in communicating with their veterinary practitioners about calf health, and potentially by engaging in continuous education.

Development of a pig wean-quality score using machine-learning algorithms to characterize and classify groups with high mortality risk under field conditions

Mortality during the post-weaning phase is a critical indicator of swine production system performance, influenced by a complex interaction of multiple factors of the epidemiological triad. This study leveraged retrospective data from 1723 groups of pigs marketed within a US swine production system to develop a Wean-Quality Score (WQS) using machine learning techniques. The study evaluated three machine learning models, Random Forest, Support Vector Machine, and Gradient Boosting Machine, to classify groups having high or low 60-day mortality, where high mortality groups represented 25 % of the groups among the study population with the highest mortality values (n=431; 60-day mortality=9.98 %), and the remaining 75 % of the groups were of low mortality (n=1292; 60-day mortality=2.75 %). The best-performing model, Random Forest (RF), outperformed the other ML models in terms of accuracy (0.90), sensitivity (0.84), and specificity (0.92) metrics, and was then selected for further analysis, which consisted of creating the WQS and ranking the most important factors for classifying groups as high or low mortality. The most important factors ranked through the RF model to classify groups with high mortality were pre-weaning mortality, weaning age, average parity of litters in sow farms, and PRRS status. Additionally, stocking conditions such as stocking density and time to fill the barn were important predictors of high mortality. The WQS was developed and correlated (r = 0.74) with the actual 60-day mortality of the groups, offering a valuable tool for assessing post-weaning survivability in swine production systems before weaning. This study highlights the potential of machine learning and comprehensive data utilization to improve the assessment and management of weaned pig quality in commercial swine production, which producers can utilize to identify and intervene in groups, according to the WQS.

Further Evidence That Science-Based Biosecurity Provides Sustainable Prevention of Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus Infection and Improved Productivity in Swine Breeding Herds.

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) is a globally significant pathogen of pigs. Preventing the entry of PRRSV into swine breeding herds enhances animal health and welfare. A recently published retrospective cohort study reported significant differences in PRRSV incidence risk between breeding herds that practiced Next Generation Biosecurity (NGB) COMPLETE, versus herds that practiced a partial approach (NGB INCOMPLETE) over a 2-year period. This follow-up communication builds on this previous publication and brings new information regarding statistical differences in key performance indicators (KPIs) from 43 NGB COMPLETE herds and 19 NGB INCOMPLETE herds during disease years 1 and 2. Statistically significant differences included higher total born/farrow and pigs weaned/female along with a reduced pre-weaning mortality and wean to 1st service interval, as well as a 0.91 increase in the number of pigs weaned/mated female/year. In addition, this communication reports that PRRSV incidence risk throughout disease years 1-3 was 8.0%, and that the association of NGB status (COMPLETE vs. INCOMPLETE) and disease burden for the cumulative 3-year period was statistically significant (p < 0.0001). These findings support previously published data that NGB, while not perfect, provides sustainable prevention of PRRSV, and may help improve herd productivity.

Proper micro-environment alleviates mortality in laboratory mouse breeding induced by litter overlap and older dams

The ongoing worldwide effort to reduce animal numbers in research often omits the issue of pre-weaning mortality in mouse breeding. A conservative estimate of 20% mortality would mean approximately 1.1 M mice die annually in the EU before scientific use. We hypothesize that pre-weaning mortality in laboratory mouse breeding is associated with cage social and macro/micro-environment conditions. Here we count pups from 509 C57BL/6J litters daily for accurate detection of mortality, and monitor cage micro-environment for 172 C57BL/6J litters. Probability of pups to die increases with the increase in dam age, number and age of older pups in the cage (of overlapped/cohabitating litters), and in small (<6 pups) and large (>11 pups) focal litters. Higher temperatures (>23.6 °C) and nest scores (>3.75) compensate for some of the socially-associated risks for pup death. These findings can be implemented in strategies for reducing pre-weaning mouse mortality, a more welfare-friendly and sustainable approach for science.

Risk factors associated with piglet pre-weaning mortality in a Midwestern U.S. swine production system from 2020 to 2022

Piglet pre-weaning mortality (PWM) is a significant issue in the U.S. swine industry, causing economic losses and raising sustainability and animal welfare concerns. This study conducted a multivariable analysis to identify factors associated with PWM in a Midwestern U.S. swine production system. Weekly data from 47 sow farms (7207 weaning weeks) were captured from January 2020 to December 2022. Initially, 29 variables regarding farm infrastructure, productivity parameters, health status, and interventions were selected for univariate analysis to assess their association with PWM. The initial multivariable analysis included the variables with P < 0.20 in the univariate analyses. A backward stepwise model selection was conducted by excluding variables with P > 0.05, and the final multivariable model consisted of 19 significant risk factors and 6 interaction terms. The overall average PWM for the study population was 14.02 %. Yearly variations in PWM were observed, with the highest recorded in 2020 (16.61 %) and the lowest in 2021 (15.78 %). Cohorts with a pond water source, lower farrowing rate (71.9 %), higher farrowing parity (5.1), shorter gestation length (116.2 days), and using oxytocin during farrowing had increased PWM. The higher productivity parameters such as mummies rate, stillborn rate, and average total born, the higher the PWM was. Additionally, health status and intervention-related factors were associated with PWM, where higher PWM rates were observed in herds facing porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) outbreaks, porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) positive, the weeks before and during feed medication, and weeks without using Rotavirus vaccine or Rotavirus feedback. Altogether, these results corroborate that PWM is a multifactorial problem, and a better understanding of the risk factors is essential in developing strategies to improve survival rates. Therefore, this study identified the major risk factors associated with PWM for groups of pigs raised under field conditions, and the results underscore the significance of data analysis in comprehending the unique challenges and opportunities inherent to each system.

Postmortem Sampling in Piglet Populations: Unveiling Specimens Accuracy for Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Detection.

Specimens collected from dead pigs are a welfare-friendly and cost-effective active surveillance. This study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of different postmortem specimens from dead piglets for disease detection, using PRRSV as an example. Three farrow-to-wean farms undergoing PRRSV elimination were conveniently selected. Samples were collected at approximately 8- and 20-weeks post-outbreak. Postmortem specimens included nasal (NS), oral (OS), and rectal (RS) swabs, tongue-tip fluids (TTF), superficial inguinal lymph nodes (SIL), and intracardiac blood. These were tested individually for PRRSV by RT-PCR. Sensitivity, specificity, negative and positive predictive values, and agreement of postmortem specimens were calculated using intracardiac sera as the gold standard. OS and SIL had the best overall performance, with sensitivities of 94.6-100%, specificities of 83.9-85.1%, and negative predictive values of 97.3-100%. TTF had high sensitivity (92.2%) but low specificity (53.9%) and positive predictive value (48.3%). While challenges in meeting sampling targets due to variable pre-weaning mortality were noted, PRRS was detected in all postmortem specimens. OS and NS showed promising results for disease monitoring, though TTF, despite their sensitivity, had lower specificity, making them less suitable for individual infection assessment but useful for assessing environmental contamination.

Estimating the cost of young stock mortality in livestock systems-An application to sheep farming in Ethiopia.

In sub-Saharan Africa, pre-weaning young stock mortality (YSM) is in the order of 20 to 30% across most livestock species and production systems. High YSM has significant economic implications for livestock keepers, but few studies provide estimates of the "cost of YSM." This study explores a bio-economic herd modeling approach to estimate the "cost of YSM" at farming/livestock system level. The static zero-growth version of DYNMOD was used to calculate the annual physical and monetary output of a sheep flock consisting of 100 breeding females at different levels of lamb mortality. Production parameter values and prices were taken from recently published research. Calculations were carried out for values of lamb mortality decreasing from 30% to 0% in 5% intervals, with 20% representing the "baseline" YSM. Calculations were repeated for a "high" fertility scenario (100% vs. 59% parturition rate) to gauge the sensitivity of the cost of YSM to another parameter determining flock productivity. The relation of revenue per head and YSM is close to linear over the range of analyzed YSM with 1% decrease in YSM resulting in an increase in revenue per animal of approximately 1%. At the higher fertility rate, the absolute cost of YSM to sheep farmers is higher while the relative increase in revenue per animal resulting from YSM reduction is lower. The estimated difference in revenue of the 100-ewe flock between the 20% and 0% lamb mortality scenarios (at baseline fertility) amounts to approximately USD 90 per additionally surviving lamb, which is far above its market value. Reduced lamb mortality ultimately impacts flock revenue through increased sales of "mature" animals, which embody the value of a lamb plus the revenue/profit from raising it to marketable age/weight. The modeling results suggest that foregone profit is an important component of the systemic "cost of YSM." Consequently, expected profit per animal, in addition to its current market value, is essential for estimating the absolute cost of YSM at farming system level.

Colostrum intake and neonatal characteristics in piglets experiencing varying lengths of expulsion phase

The objective of this study was to investigate how the cumulative expulsion interval, litter size, and birth order influence the characteristics of newborn piglets from hyperprolific sows, as well as their intake of colostrum. Analysis was conducted on the temporal aspects of parturition in 254 sows, including 3920 piglets. Newborn piglet characteristics examined encompassed delivery time, birth order, birth status, umbilical cord rupture, meconium staining, delivery ease, birth weight, blood oxygen saturation, and heart rate. From the raw data, colostrum intake, birth interval, and cumulative birth interval of each piglet were computed. Piglets were sorted based on the cumulative expulsion interval into nine categories: 0–30, 31–60, 61–90, 91–120, 121–150, 151–180, 181–210, 211–240, and >240 min. Litter sizes were categorized into three groups: 10–13, 14–17, and ≥18 piglets per litter. The birth-order ranking referred to the piglet's position within a litter and was categorized into four quartiles: 1, 2, 3, and 4. On average, the expulsion interval, cumulative expulsion interval, and colostrum consumption were 14.8 ± 21.8 min, 138.6 ± 155.7 min, and 407.6 ± 162.1 g, respectively. In litters with ≥18 piglets, the percentage of piglets with inadequate colostrum intake (<300 g) was higher compared to litters with 10–13 piglets (33.1 % vs. 12.9 %, P < 0.001) and 14–17 piglets (23.9 %, P < 0.001). The occurrence of stillbirths in the fourth quartile of the litter was higher than in the first (16.0 % vs. 2.2 %, P < 0.001), second (4.0 %, P < 0.001), and third (7.8 %, P < 0.001) quartiles. Among litters with ≥18 piglets, those born in the third quartile exhibited lower colostrum consumption compared to those born in the first quartile (346.0 ± 9.9 vs. 391.4 ± 8.6 g, P = 0.028). Colostrum intake decreased with longer cumulative expulsion intervals, evident from a notable decline starting at 90 min post-farrowing compared to piglets born within the first 30 min (P = 0.004). Interestingly, colostrum consumption exhibited a negative correlation with the cumulative expulsion interval (P < 0.001), but not with individual piglet expulsion intervals (P = 0.460). Piglets born with meconium staining were most prevalent among those with a cumulative expulsion interval of >240 min. In summary, both the cumulative expulsion interval and birth-order ranking significantly impact the physiological characteristics of newborn piglets and their colostrum intake. Colostrum consumption decreases and newborn piglet characteristics change with higher cumulative expulsion intervals. Identifying piglets at high risk of hypoxia and implementing appropriate treatments and management strategies within an optimal timeframe could aid pig producers in reducing pre-weaning mortality among piglets born to hyperprolific sows.

Effects of parity, season of birth, and sex on within-litter variation and pre-weaning performance of F1 Large White × Landrace pigs.

A piglet's pre-weaning performance significantly influences both animal welfare and profitability in pig production. Understanding piglet pre-weaning performance influencing factors is key to enhancing animal welfare, reducing losses, and boosting profitability. The study aimed to evaluate the impact of parity, season of birth, and sex on within-litter variation and pre-weaning performance of F1 Large White × Landrace pigs. Information regarding total litter size, number of born alive, number of stillbirths, piglet weight at birth, mortality, and count of weaned F1 Large White × Landrace piglets was acquired from the farm database (April 2022-February 2023). 2602 females and 2882 males, a total of 5484 piglets were utilized, with records from 360 sows. The coefficient of variation (CV) of birth weights among piglets within a litter was calculated. The general linear model analysis in MiniTab 17 was used to evaluate the data, with Fisher's least significant difference test (p < 0.05) used for mean separation and Pearson's moment correlation coefficient calculated to assess relationships between survival rates, mortality rates, litter size, birth weight, and birth weight CV. Parity had a statistically significant impact on litter size, birth weight, and survival rate (p < 0.05). The sow's parity did not significantly (p > 0.05) impact the number of piglets born alive or weaned. Multiparous sows had a significantly larger litter size (p < 0.05) than primiparous sows at birth. The litter weights for parities 2, 4, and 5 did not significantly differ (p > 0.05), with averages of 20.95, 20.74, and 20.03 kg, respectively. About 91.29% was the highest survival rate recorded in parity 2 (p < 0.05). The 1st week of life recorded an 8.02% mortality rate. The mortality rate in parity 3-5 group was significantly (p < 0.05) higher (11.90%) in week 1 than in the other groups (parity 1: 6.79%, parity 2: 5.74%, parity 3-5: 8.54 and 9.21%). The litter sizes in autumn (17.34) and spring (17.72) were significantly larger (p < 0.05) than those in summer (16.47) and winter (16.83). In autumn and spring, the survival rate (83.15 and 85.84%, respectively) was significantly lower (p < 0.05) compared to summer (88.40%) and winter (89.07%). In all seasons, the litter weights did not significantly differ (p > 0.05). The birth weight CV was significantly (p < 0.05) lower during summer (20.11%) than during spring (22.43%), autumn (23.71%), and winter (21.69%). The season of birth had no significant effect (p > 0.05) on the number of live piglets. Males (1.34 kg) were heavier (p < 0.05) than females (1.30 kg) at birth. Notably, the birth weight CV was similar between males (22.43%) and females (22.52%). Litter size was positively correlated with average litter weight (rp = 0.576, p < 0.001), birth weight CV (rp = 0.244, p < 0.001), and mortality rate (rp = 0.378, p < 0.001). An insignificant relationship was observed between average litter weight and birth weight CV (rp = -0.028, p > 0.05) and survival rate (rp = -0.032, p > 0.05). In F1 Large White × Landrace pigs, birth uniformity among piglets declines as litter size grows larger. In parity 3-5, multiparous sows yield litters with reduced uniformity. With an increase in litter size, uniformity among piglets at birth worsens. A larger litter size and greater piglet birth weight variation are linked to a higher pre-weaning mortality rate. Producers need a balanced selection approach to boost litter size and must cull aging sows carefully to introduce younger, more productive females.

A single base pair duplication in the SLC33A1 gene is associated with fetal losses and neonatal lethality in Manech Tête Rousse dairy sheep.

We recently discovered that the Manech Tête Rousse (MTR) deficient homozygous haplotype 2 (MTRDHH2) probably carries a recessive lethal mutation in sheep. In this study, we fine-mapped this region through whole-genome sequencing of five MTRDHH2 heterozygous carriers and 95 non-carriers from various ovine breeds. We identified a single base pair duplication within the SLC33A1 gene, leading to a frameshift mutation and a premature stop codon (p.Arg246Alafs*3). SLC33A1 encodes a transmembrane transporter of acetyl-coenzyme A that is crucial for cellular metabolism. To investigate the lethality of this mutation in homozygous MTR sheep, we performed at-risk matings using artificial insemination (AI) between heterozygous SLC33A1 variant carriers (SLC33A1_dupG). Pregnancy was confirmed 15 days post-AI using a blood test measuring interferon Tau-stimulated MX1 gene expression. Ultrasonography between 45 and 60 days post-AI revealed a 12% reduction in AI success compared with safe matings, indicating embryonic/fetal loss. This was supported by the MX1 differential expression test suggesting fetal losses between 15 and 60 days of gestation. We also observed a 34.7% pre-weaning mortality rate in 49 lambs born from at-risk matings. Homozygous SLC33A1_dupG lambs accounted for 47% of this mortality, with deaths occurring mostly within the first 5 days without visible clinical signs. Therefore, appropriate management of SLC33A1_dupG with an allele frequency of 0.04 in the MTR selection scheme would help increase overall fertility and lamb survival.

A pilot survey on knowledge, attitudes, and practices of smallholder dairy owners towards the importance of colostrum feeding to newborn calf in Humbo District of Wolaita Zone, Southern Ethiopia

BackgroundColostrum is the secretion produced by the mammary gland of mammals and it is passively transferred immunity that protects neonates from infectious diseases.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted from December 2021 to June 2022 to assess the community’s knowledge, attitude, and practice of smallholder dairy owners towards the importance of colostrum feeding to newborn calves in Humbo districts. A structured questionnaire was provided for 400 randomly selected smallholder dairy owners for face-to-face interviews.ResultsThe results showed that females (21.6%), college and university levels (20.2%), farmers (15.4%), and single individuals (17.6%) had better knowledge compared to the respective status of respondents on colostrum feeding practices. Also, there was an association between sex, occupation, marital status, and knowledge of colostrum-feeding practices. Similarly, 32.5% of respondents with an elementary background practice the separation of calves from the dam soon after birth to prevent transmission of infection. There was an association between the educational background of the respondents and the perception of the respondents regarding colostrum feeding to newborn calves. Nearly, 30% of respondents had an elementary education background waiting for their calf to get up on its own and suckle from their dam. Likewise, 26.1%, 31.5%, and 23.8% of illiterate, elementary, college, and university graduate respondents, respectively, provide calves with 10 to 12% of their birth weight as colostrum within the first 8 h of calf’s life. Besides, the majority of the respondents (27.5%) believed that colostrum was the best food for calves’ growth, and the level of circulating antibodies in the calf's blood has a direct influence on its disease resistance.ConclusionThe study revealed that smallholder dairy owners have different perceptions concerning knowledge, practice, and attitude on the importance and time of feeding colostrum to neonates during the early life of postpartum. Thus, awareness creation and training programs should be provided for smallholder dairy farmers as well as the use of colostrum feeding, and its role in the prevention of neonatal and preweaning calf mortality and morbidity.

Genetic evaluation for stillbirth and preweaning mortality in Australian dairy cattle

The welfare of calves is important to both farmers and consumers. Practices that increase the proportion of calves born alive and enable them to thrive through to weaning contribute to improved sustainability. Stillbirths (SB) are calvings where the calf dies at birth or within 24 h after birth. Preweaning mortality (PWM) refers to calves that die after the first day of life but before weaning based on termination data. Both SB and PWM are binary traits characterized by low heritability. Data collection for these traits is incomplete, compared with traits such as milk yield in cows. Despite these challenges, genetic variation can be measured and used to produce breeding tools, such as EBVs, to reduce calf mortality over time. The aim of this study was to compare the performance of various linear models to predict SB and PWM traits in Holstein and Jersey cattle and evaluate their applicability for industry-wide use in the Australian dairy industry. Calving records from around 2.25 million Holstein and Jersey dams were obtained from DataGene's Central Data Repository from the year 2000 onward, to calculate genetic parameters. About 7% of calves were recorded as SB in the period from 2000 to 2021 (n = 1.48 million calvings). The prevalence of PWM was much lower than SB during the same period at 2% (n = 0.89 million calves). Genetic parameters were estimated for SB direct, SB maternal, and PWM using bivariate linear models with calving ease (CE) as the second trait in the model. The heritability of these calf traits was low and varied between 1% and 5% depending on the breed, trait, and model. In Holstein cattle, heritabilities were 2% for PWM and SB direct and 1% for SB maternal, whereas in Jersey cattle heritabilities were 5% for PWM, 2% for SB direct, and 1% for SB maternal. The genetic trends for both SB direct and SB maternal in Holstein cattle indicate improvement in both traits, whereas there was no apparent increase or decrease in PWM in the past 2 decades. The coefficient of genetic variation for SB direct and PWM was between 11.7% and 23.0% in Holstein and Jersey cattle, demonstrating considerable genetic variation in calf survival traits as a first step to using genetic selection to increase the proportion of calves born alive and calves weaned. A focus on improved calf and calving recording practices is expected to increase the reliability of genetic predictions.

Kemampuan Deteksi Birahi dan Penentuan Waktu Kawin Sapi Bali Setelah Partus Di Kecamatan Taniwel Timur Kabupaten Seram Bagian Barat

The aim of this research was to determine the ability to detect lust and determine the correct mating time by farmer-breeder respondents in East Taniwel District, West Seram Regency. The research method is a survey method and the sample villages and respondents are determined based on the purposive sampling method. The variables observed consisted of: the ability to detect lust, determining the time of mating after parturition and maternal productivity (including; age at first marriage, pregnancy rate, birth rate, postpartum mating and pre-weaning child deaths. The results showed that 86.66% of respondents were farmer farmers in East Taniwel District has the knowledge, ability and skills in detecting postpartum heat in the medium category (able to name 2-3 categories) and 100% do not have the knowledge and ability in determining the right mating time after parturition. The potential productivity of Bali cows is age first mating 18.2 ± 1.16, pregnancy rate 88.01%, birth rate 98.85%, postpartum mating 4.8 ± 0.8, and pre-weaning mortality 8.90%.

PSIV-19 Effects of Flavolac feed top dress in lactation on sow body weight change and litter performance

Abstract A total of 271 mixed parity sows (PIC 1050) were used to evaluate the effect of feeding Flavolac in lactation diets on sow farrowing performance and litter growth performance during summer conditions. Flavolac (Agroceres Multimix; Rio Claro, Sao Paulo, Brazil) is a commercial product containing several compounds, including amino acids, antioxidants, botanicals, direct fed-microbials, and vitamin-like compounds, that individually have previously been shown to improve litter weaning weight or preweaning mortality. However, there are no published data on the benefit when these compounds are used in combination. The experiment was conducted at a commercial sow farm located in northwest Texas. At approximately d 112 to 114 of gestation, sows were moved to the farrowing house, and randomly allotted to 1 of 2 treatments based on parity and caliper score. Treatments consisted of a control diet (no Flavolac) or the control diet with an added Flavolac top-dress (80 g/d in a single feeding). Sows were weighed before entering the farrowing house and at weaning. Sows were provided approximately 1.8 kg per day of a common lactation diet without Flavolac pre-farrowing. After farrowing, sows were provided ad libitum access to lactation feed. Application of treatments began after cross fostering, approximately 24 h post-farrowing. The weaning age averaged approximately 21.3 d. There was no evidence of differences (P &amp;gt; 0.10) in sow body weight (BW) at entry, weaning, or overall BW change (Table). There was no evidence of differences (P &amp;gt; 0.10) for sow entry caliper, weaning caliper score, caliper score change, or average daily lactation feed disappearance. In addition, there was no evidence of differences (P &amp;gt; 0.10) in total litter or piglet birth weight. However, administration of Flavolac tended (P &amp;lt; 0.10) to increase litter weaning weight, total litter weight gain, and litter average daily gain. The inclusion of Flavolac led to a tendency (P = 0.091) for a reduction in pre-weaning mortality and therefore, an improvement in percentage of pigs weaned relative to those on d 2. In summary, inclusion of Flavolac during the lactation period resulted in a tendency for reduced pre-weaning mortality and tended to improve total litter weight gain, and thus litter weight at weaning.

279 Effect of multiple feed additives on sow inflammatory status and reproductive performance during lactation

Abstract Low grade inflammation and insulin resistance were associated with increased gut permeability in lactating sows during the farrowing transition period. The objective of the present study is to investigate the effect of 4 feed additives including monolaurin, essential oil (Cinergy FIT 3S), phytogenic prototype 1 (PT1) and 2 (PT2) on sow inflammatory status and reproductive performance. It was hypothesized that the active components in these additives will reduce sow inflammation during lactation and lead to better sow reproductive performance. A randomized block design with 5 treatments was used in the study. A total of 550 gestating sows were enrolled with entry body weight of 240.1 ± 14.6 kg and allotted to one of the following five diets: Control; monolaurin; Cinergy; PT1 and PT2. Corn-soy based lactation diet was formulated with CP of 18%. All diets were formulated to be at similar net energy and standardized ileal digestible Lysine level. Experimental diets were fed beginning approximately 4 d before farrowing and throughout the entire lactation phase (21 d). Blood was collected from 16 sows per treatment before farrowing and within 5 d post farrowing to measure inflammatory cytokine concentrations. Performance data were analyzed using a general linear model in R (version 4.0.0). Count data were analyzed using a generalized linear model with a binomial distribution. Dietary treatments did not impact average daily feed intake. Dietary treatment did not affect probability of still born or number of weaned pigs, but diet supplemented with PT1 resulted in greater (P &amp;lt; 0.05) probability of born alive compared with the control (Table 1). There was a tendency (P &amp;lt; 0.10) in treatment effect on pre-weaning mortality, with sows received PT2 supplemented diet having lowest value numerically. The concentration of cytokines IL-1α (P &amp;lt; 0.05), IL-1β (P &amp;lt; 0.01), IL-4 (P &amp;lt; 0.01), IL-6 (P &amp;lt; 0.10) and IL-10 (P &amp;lt; 0.10) were reduced between pre and post farrowing to a greater extent in sows fed Cinergy supplemented diet compared with the control. In conclusion, Cinergy worked best in reducing multiple inflammatory cytokine concentrations post-farrowing. Sows received PT1 supplemented diet had greater born alive and those received PT2 supplemented diet had numerically least pre-weaning mortality.

12 Effects of increasing SID lysine (Lys) and metabolizable energy (ME) levels of lactation diets fed to young and multiparous sows

Abstract Providing insufficient lysine to lactating sows can reduce piglet performance and subsequent farrowing performance of sows. Current SID lysine and ME recommendations for lactating sows are approximately 60 g/d and 20 Mcal/d, respectively. Because of variations in feed intake during lactation, a portion of sows do not meet recommended Lys intake levels. There is no clear understanding of the Lys:Calorie ratio when dietary energy is increased in the summer to ensure adequate caloric intake. The objective was to evaluate a potential advantage of feeding diets with SID Lys and energy levels that exceed recommendations to lactating sows. A total of 855 sows were fed during the summer of 2023 in 2×2 factorial arrangement of treatments in a randomized complete block design. Factors included SID lysine [low (0.85%) vs high (1.11%)] and ME [low (3,183 kcal/kg) vs high (3,334 kcal/kg)]. Diets were formulated to deliver 61 g of SID lysine at 0.85% inclusion to sows that consume 7.2 kg of complete feed per day. Primary outcome variables were sow body composition, lactation average daily feed intake (ADFI), average piglet weaning weight, and pre-wean mortality. There were no interactions between treatments (P &amp;gt; 0.05). SID Lys intake was 61.2 and 76.4 g/d for low and high Lys, respectively (P &amp;lt; 0.01). ME intake was 21.9 and 23.4 Mcal/d for low and high energy, respectively (P &amp;lt; 0.01). Contrary to expectations, ADFI did not differ (P = 0.25) between sows fed the low- and high-energy diets, however, sows fed low lysine consumed 0.29 kg more feed (P &amp;lt; 0.01) per day compared with sows fed high lysine. There were no differences (P ≥ 0.70) in the number of piglets born alive for any treatment group. Sows fed high energy had 0.27 fewer (P &amp;lt; 0.01) still-born piglets per litter compared with sows fed low energy. Pre-wean mortality was also reduced (P = 0.05) by 0.76 percentage units in litters of sows fed the high-energy diet compared with litters of sows fed the low energy. Lysine level had no effects on farrowing and litter performance (P &amp;gt; 0.05). Litters from sows fed the high-energy diet gained 1.2 kg more (P = 0.05) body weight during lactation and tended to result in litter-weaned weights that were 1.5 kg heavier (P = 0.06) than litters from sows fed the low-energy diet. Feeding a diet with a greater lysine concentration during lactation reduced feed intake but did not affect litter performance. In contrast, increasing dietary energy immediately before farrowing and during lactation did not affect sow feed intake but reduced pre-wean mortality and resulted in fewer still-born piglets, greater litter gains, and heavier litter weaning weights.