Guy-Pierre Martineau

High-fibre diets for sows: effects on stereotypies and adjunctive drinking

The effects of feeding bulky high-fibre regimens to pregnant gilts and sows on persistent hunger and the development of abnormal behaviours were studied. Ninety-one gilts were mated at their second or third oestrus and were fed during two gestations a diet containing either a low level of fibre (corn and soybean meal (1)), a high level of fibre (wheat bran and corn cobs (2)), or a very high level of fibre (oat hulls and oat (3)). The total daily intake of major nutrients was calculated to be the same in the three regimens. Daily allowances in the first and second parities were, respectively, 2.0 kg and 2.2 kg in Diet 1; 2.9 kg and 3.2 kg in Diet 2; 3.4 kg and 3.7 kg in Diet 3. The animals were videorecorded for 30 s every 10 min over a 24-h period at Weeks 5, 10 and 15 of gestation and during 1.5 h before and after mealtime at 108 days of gestation during the two parities. During both parities, bulky regimens reduced stereotypies over 24 h (P<0.0007), Regimen 2 being more effective than 3 in the first parity. Around mealtime, Regimens 2 and 3 had no effect on the duration of stereotypies in Parity 1, whereas in Parity 2, both bulky diets reduced (P<0.003) stereotyped behaviours before and after feed distribution. Sows fed Diet 3 had less postural changes around mealtime than sows fed Diets 1 or 2. The number of high stereotyping sows increased with parity in Regimen 1 (P=0.007), but not in 2 and 3. Bulky feed also reduced the time spent drinking (P<0.02) and water intake (P<0.0004) over 24 h during both parities. Finally, sows fed Diet 2 were resting, on average, for 76.4% of observation time, as compared with 69.7% for 3 and 66.5% for 1 (P<0.005). These results indicate that bulky feed may have beneficial effects on the welfare of sows.

Body condition evaluation in sows

In the porcine species the ‘thin sow syndrome’, the ‘fat sow syndrome’ and the ‘second parity syndrome’ have been related to problems with the regulation and dynamics of body condition. There is, therefore, a need to adequately monitor body condition. In a first study, a new body condition monitoring technique was developed. Several body measurements of sows were related, by multiple regression, to an indirect representation of body composition based on principal components derived from live weight and backfat measurements. In a second study, the reliability of this new technique was also determined and compared to that of a more traditional scoring system based on visual appraisal and palpation. Five observers independently evaluated thirty sows three times using the two techniques. Both techniques were found to be similarly repeatable. The new technique, however, was found to have higher reproducibility. It is concluded that body condition is better represented by the use of principal components and that they can be predicted from body morphology under field conditions.

Effect of adaptation to the farrowing crate on water intake of sows

Abstract The purpose of this study was to verify whether adaptation to the farrowing crate and to a new watering system in the last days of gestation would result in insufficient water intake and consequently higher incidence of constipation in sows and litters with low growth rates (problem litters). A total of 73 sows was divided into two groups: one being introduced into the farrowing crate 25 days before parturition (36 sows), the other being moved 3–5 days before farrowing (37 sows). Individual apparent daily water consumption (ADWC) was monitored continuously with electronic counters. Median ADWC and faecal dry matter content (FDMC) in late gestation and in lactation and incidence of problem litters were similar among both groups of sows ( P > 0.2). Important variations in ADWC between sows made interpretation of results difficult. In late gestation, many sows drank large amounts of water above what is considered as their physiological needs. During the first 2–3 days of lactation, most sows had low water intakes in conjunction with an increased FDMC in all sows at day 2 after farrowing. However, FDMC at day 2 was only correlated with ADWC of sows with problem litters ( r = − 0.6).

Influence of high fibre diets given to gestating sows on serum concentrations of micronutrients

Abstract The objective of the present work was to evaluate the effects of high fibre diets given to sows during two consecutive gestations on the evolution of serum concentrations of some micronutrients. Eighty-eight gilts were distributed among the three following experimental diets: (1) corn-soybean meal, (2) corn cobs-wheat bran and (3) oats-oat hulls. Dietary fibre represented 14, 30 and 46% of diets 1, 2 and 3, respectively. Blood samples were taken from the jugular vein at 5, 10 and 15 wk of gestation from all sows at each parity. In the first parity, serum concentration of folates per unit of folates ingested was higher with diet 1 ( P = 0.003), whereas it was the opposite in the second gestation, serum folates being higher with diets 2 and 3 ( P = 0.02). In the first gestation, the lowest serum concentration of vitamin B 12 per unit ingested was observed in sows fed diet 2 ( P ≤ 0.05); in the second gestation, serum vitamin B 12 was lower for sows fed diets 2 and 3 than for those fed diet 1 ( P ≤ 0.05); Serum concentrations of calcium, phosphorus, copper and zinc per unit of mineral ingested were lower in sows fed the two high fibre diets ( P ≤ 0.05). Serum concentrations of these minerals were lower in second than in first parity whatever the diet ( P ≤ 0.05). Results of the present study give an indication that feeding high fibre diets to gestating sows could reduce B-complex vitamin, especially vitamin B 12 , availability. Responses of serum concentrations of minerals to dietary treatments, in spite of the limitations of these measurements, also raise the question of the effect of dietary fibre on mineral availability. Supplementary studies, mainly on mineral metabolism, need to be conducted to confirm these observations and to define precisely the composition of premixes in order to maintain the B-complex vitamin and mineral status of gestating sows fed high fibre diets at an optimum level.

Osteogenesis and growth of the nasal ventral conchae of the piglet

The present study investigated the osteogenesis and growth of the nasal ventral conchae of piglets aged from 1 to 28 days. Serial transverse sections of paraffin wax-embedded noses were stained and examined by light microscopy. Bone formation occurred in a rostrocaudal direction in the ventral scroll, dorsal scroll, connecting zone, transverse lamina and articular lamina, successively, and occurred by two ossification processes: endochondral ossification and intramembranous bone apposition. Endochondral ossification was responsible for the longitudinally, rostrally directed growth. Rapid transverse bone growth and modelling were centrifugally directed and occurred by intramembranous bone apposition at the eccentric side of the scrolls and resorption at the concentric scroll side. Elongation of the distal scroll extremities took place by intramembranous bone apposition.