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Journal of Animal Science, Vol 79, Issue 1 88-93, Copyright © 2001 by American Society of Animal Science

JOURNAL ARTICLE

Effects of repeated cross-fosterings on preweaning behavior and growth performance of piglets and on maternal behavior of sows

S. Robert and G. P. Martineau
Dairy and Swine Research and Development Centre, Lennoxville, Quebec, Canada. roberts@em.agr.ca

Extensive cross-fostering is widely used in early-weaning units in order to standardize and improve body weight at weaning. However, young suckling piglets develop teat fidelity and repeated cross-fosterings could go against this behavior. This experiment was therefore conducted to compare the behavior and growth of 13 control and 14 fostered litters. Once every 3 d (from d 1 to 16 of lactation), all piglets were weighed and three piglets were switched between two fostered litters. Their unfostered littermates were called residents. Behavior was recorded for 2 h after weighing and(or) adoption and during one nursing period 24 h later. Fights were more frequent (P < 0.05) in treated than in control litters during and between nursings at all ages of adoption except d 1. Most fights occurred between resident and fostered piglets (P < 0.001), except at d 1. Fights during nursing were still more frequent in treated than in control litters 24 h after adoption (P < 0.02), except at d 1 and 16. More piglets had skin lacerations in treated than in control litters except at d 1 (P < 0.05), and scratches were more frequent in fostered than in resident piglets at d 1 (P = 0.07), 7, 13, and 16 (P < 0.01). At all ages except d 1, failed nursings and snaps at piglets were more frequent in fostered than in control litters (P < 0.05), most snaps being directed at adopted piglets (P < 0.001). In fostered litters, sows spent 15 to 30% less time lying on their sides at d 4, 7, 13, and 16 (P < 0.05). Finally, adopted piglets were 13% lighter than controls at weaning (P < 0.001), whereas residents were heavier than adopted piglets (P < 0.05) but lighter than controls (P = 0.1). These data demonstrate that cross-fostering done repeatedly during lactation is stressful for piglets and sows and does not improve body weight at weaning.


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[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


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Copyright © 2001 by the American Society of Animal Science.