The effect of various parameters measured at farrowing on subsequent pig performance

The objective of this study was to evaluate birth weight, gender, stall conditions at birth, umbilical diameter, ratio of umbilical diameter to birth weight (as a potential indicator of placental efficiency), and umbilical antiseptic treatment as predictors of pre-weaning mortality, incidence of umbilical hernias, and 150 d weight of pigs in a commercial facility. A total of 466 mixed gender commercial piglets from a breed-to-wean sow farm were enrolled. Piglets were alternately assigned by birth order within a litter to four umbilical treatment groups; iodine (2%), Zurex umbilical dip, a dry dip created using an antibacterial peptide (nisin) mixed with talc (formulation concentration = 3.105 g nisin/100 g talc on a wt/wt basis), and no treatment. At birth, stall conditions (wet/dry and clean/dirty) were evaluated on a 3 point scale (3 = most dirty or most wet and 1 = dry or clean). Before treatment, diameter of the umbilical cords were determined using digital calipers. All data were analyzed using mixed model methods. Models included the fixed effects of birth weight, umbilical diameter at birth, gender, stall conditions and treatment. Pre-weaning mortality was significantly affected by umbilical treatment (p < 0.05) and by ratio of umbilical diameter to birth weight (p < 0.001). Piglets treated with 2% iodine had a higher mortality rate than piglets treated with other antiseptics or those that were untreated. Piglets with the lowest umbilical cord diameter to birth weight ratio had the highest survival rate. Stall conditions at birth (p < 0.005) and the ratio of umbilical diameter to birth weight (p < 0.05) affected the incidence of umbilical hernias. Piglets born in wet stall conditions or those with a high umbilical cord to birth weight ratio had a higher incidence of umbilical hernias in the growing phase. Final 150 d weight of pigs was affected by the ratio of umbilical diameter to birth weight (p < 0.0001) and gender (p < 0.0001), and tended to be affected by stall conditions at birth (p = 0.06). Male pigs weighed 93.5 kg, while female pigs weighed 86.5 kg. Piglets with the highest ratio of umbilical cord diameter to birth weight and those born in wet stall conditions weighed less. In conclusion, measuring the umbilical cord to birth weight ratio was a much better predictor of pre-weaning mortality, incidence of umbilical hernias, and 150 d weight than birth weight alone.