Impact of metabolic status of sows around the farrowing on stillbirth, pre-weaning mortality and as diagnostic tools of the metabolic state of lactating sows

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

The general purpose of this project is to study metabolic status of sows and nutritional strategy around thefarrowing on lactating sow performances. Specifically, the objectives are 1- to evaluate the effect of dietarystrategy on incidence of stillbirth in relation with duration of farrowing and birth interval; 2- to determine therelationship between the metabolic status of the lactating sow before and after farrowing as well as duringlactation, and the growth of the litter during lactation, feed intake of lactating sows and reproductiveperformance at the next litter; 3- to develop a model from metabolic status and body parameters of sows topredict feed intake, litter growth and reproductive performance at the next litter. In fact, even if it is known thatfeed intake of lactating sows can affect their litter performances and long-term reproductive performances, theeffect of metabolic status (lipid and protein mobilisation and glucose utilization) of sows on the feed intake arenot clearly known. The pre-farrowing conditions of sows, like over fat deposition and constipation, are knownto affect farrowing process, and stillbirth and alive piglets per litter, but other factors, as calcium status, whichcould affect uterine contraction and then dystocia, may be determining in farrowing process and then pigletsurvival around the farrowing. The results obtained in this project will have a short and long-term impact onsow performances, including a reducing stillbirth, better piglet survival and litter growth. This project will alsoopen several areas of investigation that will allow to understand the underlying control mechanisms of feedintake in lactating sows, which is a determining factors of litter performances and long-term reproductiveperformances. Finally, by developing new predicting model this project will contribute to using moreefficiently farm resources and develop farming techniques to maintain the competitiveness of Canadian swineindustry.