Growth of Cinta Senese piglets as affected by location of the suckled teat [Tuscany]

The experimental animals were 18 Cinta Senese sows (7 primiparous and 11 multiparous) and relative purebred offspring. Individual weight of piglets was recorded at birth (or shortly afterwards) to the nearest 50 d and subsequently every 3-5 days up to weaning. At each recording, piglets were ranked in decreasing order according to weight within their respective litters. The behaviour of a subsample of 8 sows and litters was observed during suckling, by recording the teat-piglet coupling. The sows had 12 functional teats, equally distributed in the two symmetric rows, that were numbered as pairs in the antero-posterior direction. Starting from the third week, piglets of multiparous sows showed a faster growth rate than those of the primiparous ones. Repeatability of the piglet weight during the suckling period was high (r = 0.56) and repeatability of rank was even higher, but decreased up to weaning. Anterior teats were the most occupied and showed the highest suckling fidelity (consistency of suckling position). Various statistical analyses about the dependence of piglet weight (or weight rank within litter) on teat order indicated the highest milk productivity of the first teats and the lowest of the fifth and sixth teat pairs