Effects of energy supplementation to low-

birth weight neonatal piglets on their

survival, growth and blood glucose level.

O. Schmitt *1,2,3, K. O'Driscoll1, L. Boyle1, E.M. Baxter3, P.G. Lawlor1

1Pig Development Department, Teagasc, Moorepark, Fermoy, Co. Cork, Ireland; 2Department of Animal Production, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK; 3Animal Behaviour and Welfare, Animal and Veterinary Science Research Group, SRUC, Edinburgh, UK

The context

Large litters increased

• Litter weight variability

• Prevalence of low birth weight piglets

Neonatal mortality

• Low body energy reserves

2

Energy reserves of the newborn

piglet

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Source Type Available energy

Liver Glycogen 43 kJ/kg BW

Muscle Glycogen 209 kJ/kg BW

Body (non-structural body fat) Lipids 175 kJ/kg BW

Total 427 kJ/kg BW

(Mellor and Cockburn, 1986)

The context

4

Large litters increased

• Litter weight variability

• Prevalence of low birth weight piglets

Neonatal mortality

• Low body energy reserves

• Failure to acquire energy (Thorup et al., 2015)

• Low birth weight piglets = rapid depletion

Energy needs of the newborn

piglet

Teagasc Presentation Footer 5

(Mellor and Cockburn, 1986)

Ambient

temperature range

Energy

required

Sustained heat production

autonomy

Normal birth

weight piglet IUGR piglet

32-38°C 9.5 kJ/h/kg BW 31 h 5 h

18-26°C 27 kJ/h/kg BW 15 h 3 h

0-10°C 43 kJ/h/kg BW 58 h 7 h

(Mellor and Cockburn, 1986)

Energy supplementation at birth

Increases survival and growth (Decleck et al., 2016)

Medium-chain fatty acids (Herpin et al., 2002; Lepine et

al., 1989)

Commercially available products

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Assess the effects of energy supplementation

Compare an elaborated product to a raw source of energy

PILOT STUDY

Methods

7

Birth-Weight < 1.10 kg

(30% total born)

2 ml

3h post-partum

27 sows – 3 weeks batch farrow

0 KJ/2ml

74 KJ/2ml

71 KJ/2ml

Methods

Piglets left on their dam

• Random assignment within sow

• Litter size = 13 piglets

Targeted for birth weight < 1.10 kg

Recruitment

• Live birth

• <3h post-partum (video camera)

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Coconut = 35 piglets (M:F=0.84)

Water = 35 piglets (M:F=0.94)

Energyn = 34 piglets (M:F=1.13)

Data collection and analysis

9

Data collection:

• Weights : D0 (birth), D1, D7, D14, D21, Weaning

• Glucose: 24 h after supplementation (D1)

• Mortality: as occurred

Statistics: General Linear Model

• random effect of sow

• repeated effect of day www.ime-dc.de

0%

2%

4%

6%

8%

10%

12%

14%

16%

18%

Water Coconut Energyn

Pe

rce

nta

ge

of

mo

rta

lity

Survival

10

Treatment: NS

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

D0 D1 D7 D14 D21 D27

We

igth

s o

f p

igs

(k

g)

Water

Coconut

Energyn

Weights

11

Day: P<0.001

Treatment: NS

Treatment*Day: NS

0

0.05

0.1

0.15

0.2

0.25

0.3

0.35

D0-D1 D0-D7 D0-D14 D0-D21 D0-D27

Ave

rag

e d

ail

y g

ain

of

pig

s (

kg

/da

y)

Coconut

Energyn

Water

Growth

12

Treatment: NS

Blood glucose

13

Treatment: NS

7.5

8

8.5

9

9.5

10

Water Coconut Energyn

Blo

od

glu

co

se

co

nc

en

tra

tio

n (

mg

/L)

Discussion

No effect of supplementation on

survival, growth, or blood glucose

content

• Pilot study

• High health standards piggery

• 2 ml enough ? 71 – 74 KJ = 15h heat

production

14

To be continued…

Large scale study:

• Extra treatment: no supplementation

• Further measures:

» Baseline blood glucose content at birth

» Colostrum quality of sows

» Vitality of piglets

» Body temperature

» Cognitive abilities after weaning

Teagasc Presentation Footer 15

This study was funded by the Irish Department of Agriculture,

Food and the Marine, under the National Development Plan 2007-2013

Moorepark pig research unit staff

Technicians: Oliver Clear

Research assistants: Aurelie Poidevin