This coordinated child telepsychiatry consult system for a state Medicaid division reduced outlier pediatric psychiatric medication prescribing, supported local community-delivered treatments, and reduced unnecessary hospitalizations in a financially advantageous manner that was well received by the practice community.
The study objective was to characterize effects of early gestation in utero heat stress (IUHS) on postnatal fasting heat production (FHP) and blood biomarkers associated with metabolism in growing pigs. Based on previous observation of increased postnatal core body temperature set point in IUHS pigs, we hypothesized that FHP would be altered during postnatal life because of IUHS. Pregnant first-parity gilts were exposed to thermoneutral (TN; = 4; 17.8 ± 0.1°C) or heat stress (HS; = 4; cyclical 28 to 38°C) conditions from d 30 to 60 of gestation. At weaning (21 d of age), 2 median-weight male pigs (1 barrow and 1 boar) were selected from each litter ( = 8 in utero TN [IUTN] and 8 IUHS pigs) and then housed in TN conditions based on age. Blood samples were collected at 8, 9, and 10 wk of age when pigs were in a fed state to analyze thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3) concentrations. Pigs were trained to enter an indirect calorimeter from wk 8 through 10 of life and then acclimated over a 24-h period 1 wk prior to testing. At 12 wk of age, pigs were fasted for 24 h, and then indirect calorimetry was performed on individual pigs over a 23-h testing period to determine FHP and the respiratory quotient in 3 intervals (0900 to 1700 h, 1700 to 0000 h, and 0000 to 0800 h). Body weight was determined before and after testing and was similar for all pigs ( = 0.77; 37.0 ± 0.5 kg BW). Data were analyzed using PROC MIXED in SAS 9.4. No boar vs. barrow differences were observed with any analysis. Overall, FHP per kilogram BW was greater ( = 0.03; 12.1%) in IUHS pigs compared with IUTN pigs. Fasting heat production per kilogram BW was greater ( < 0.01; 19.8%) from 0900 to 1700 h compared with 1700 to 0000 h and 0000 to 0800 h and was greater (10.9%) from 1700 to 0000 h compared with 0000 to 0800 h. The RQ did not differ by in utero treatment ( = 0.51; 0.72 ± 0.01); however, the RQ was increased ( < 0.01; 13.0%) from 1700 to 0000 h compared with 0900 to 1700 h and 0000 to 0800 h. No other FHP and RQ differences were detected. Although no in utero treatment differences were observed for T4 ( = 0.11; 52.2 ± 6.2 ng/mL), T3 was greater overall ( = 0.04; 19.5%) in IUHS pigs than in IUTN pigs. In summary, FHP and circulating T3 were increased in IUHS pigs, and this may have implications for postnatal production efficiency in pigs gestated during hot summer months.
The study objective was to determine whether in utero heat stress (IUHS) affects piglet physiology and behavior following common production practices. A total of 12 gilts were confirmed pregnant and allocated to either heat stress (HS; n = 6) or thermoneutral (TN; n = 6) conditions on day 30–60 of gestation. At weaning (22.5 ± 2.3 days of age), 1 boar and 1 barrow of median weight were selected from each litter and transported for approximately 7 h. Piglets were then blocked into pens (n = 2/pen) by in utero treatment (IUHS (n = 12) or in utero thermoneutral (IUTN, n = 12)) and sexual status (boar (n = 6/in utero treatment) or barrow (n = 6/in utero treatment)). Plasma cortisol, non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), insulin and glucose were evaluated 1 day prior to transport (pre-transport) and immediately after transport (post-transport). Behavioral data were collected on day 1–7 for 60 min at four different time points each day. In utero heat stressed piglets exhibited reduced cortisol concentrations compared to IUTN piglets immediately post-transport (p = 0.04). Glucose concentrations were not affected by in utero treatment. Insulin concentrations were reduced in IUTN piglets post-transport compared to pre-transport (p = 0.002), but no differences were detected for IUHS pigs. Non-esterified fatty acids tended to be reduced overall for IUHS vs. IUTN pigs (p = 0.08). Overall, IUHS piglets performed more drinking behaviors (p = 0.02) and tended to perform more aggressive behaviors (p = 0.07) than IUTN piglets in the 7 days post-transport. In summary, there was some evidence for altered physiological and behavioral responses among IUHS piglets compared to IUTN piglets following weaning and transport.
Piglet crushing is a devastating welfare concern on swine farms; however, some sows appear unresponsive to a piglet’s call. Sow hearing ability is rarely considered despite the extensive body of research performed on crushing. In this study, pigs of four age groups (weaning, n = 7; gilts, n = 5; 2nd and 3rd parity, n = 5; 5th parity and up, n = 5) were anesthetized and auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) were performed to measure if pig hearing diminishes with age in a mechanically ventilated barn. Before testing, pigs were placed in a sound dampening box. ABRs were performed on animals using 1,000 clicks at two decibel (dB) levels: 90 and 127 dB sound pressure level. Latencies and amplitudes of waves I–V were measured and interpeak latencies for waves I–III, III–V, and I–V were calculated. Five pigs (three 2nd and 3rd parity, and two 5th parity and above) had no detectable waves at either decibel. Sows in 2nd and 3rd parities had very few distinguishable waves, with only wave I and II present in two sows. Amplitudes of waves I and V increased with increased dB (P < 0.001). Increasing dB decreased the latency of each of the recorded waves (P < 0.01). The vast majority of commercial swine are raised in noisy barn environments; it is possible that these environments directly affect the ability for pigs to hear and normal hearing development in this population of animals. Hearing has a significant effect on swine welfare as hearing is integral to successful animal handing and during moments of animal-to-animal communication. Hearing is a considerable welfare issue on farms and ways to decrease pig hearing loss should be considered.
Housing sows in groups creates the challenge of decreasing fighting amongst sows. One proposed method to do so is to feed a high tryptophan diet, but the effect on the fetus is unkown. To investigate this, 66 sows were fed 1 of 3 diets: Control (0.14 % SID tryptophan), Medium (0.28 % SID tryptophan), or High (0.4 2% SID tryptophan), from d 28 to 35 of gestation. Sows gestated in standard gestation stalls. Blood samples were taken on d 27 prior to and on d 35 after tryptophan supplementation. On d 1 and d 2, 3 nursing bouts were observed so as to record disputes and displacements from teat competition. The piglets’ activity and fighting were recorded on d 3, 7, and 11 from 0700 h to 1700 h. On d 12, 4 piglets per litter were blood sampled, 2 to be used in later behavior tests and 2 to act as controls for blood cortisol levels. On d 14, the 2 behavior test piglets from each litter were subjected to a 10-min Isolation Test and 5-min Human Approach Test. On d 15, the behavior test piglets were paired by sex and treatment (for example, a male Medium piglet paired with another male Medium piglet from a different crate) and each pair was subjected to a 10-min Social Challenge Test and immediately blood sampled. Piglet cortisol and serotonin did not differ among treatments (P > 0.10). There were no differences (P > 0.10) for number born (12.7 ± 0.4), born alive (11.7 ± 0.4), or mortality (1.1 ± 0.2). Behavior during nursing bouts was similar, with no treatment differences in number of disputes or displacements, and similar bout lengths among treatments (199.5 ± 4.6 s, P > 0.10). No differences were detected for any of the variables for Isolation or the Human Approach Tests (P > 0.10). During the Social Challenge Test, High piglets had more contacts approaching the head of the companion piglet than did either Medium or Control piglets (14.3 ± 1.1, 10.7 ± 1.1, and 9.69 ± 0.8 respectively, P < 0.02). Total number of aggressive interactions during the test tended to be greater for Medium piglets compared to High piglets (9.3 ± 1.5 vs 5.1 ± 0.9, P < 0.07). Time budget data of the litter indicate that piglets from all 3 treatments spent equal amounts of time active and inactive (P > 0.10). Aggression was low with 0.3 ± 0.04 % of piglets displaying aggressive behavior. Feeding high concentrations of tryptophan for a short duration early in gestation does not have a negative impact on sows’ subsequent offspring.
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of light exposure on farrowing performance in sows. Thirty sows were moved to the farrowing unit at d 110 of gestation and assigned a treatment: 12 h light/12 h dark cycle (Dark) or 24 h light (Light). Treatments began upon entry into the farrowing unit. Video was recorded continuously from initiation of the treatments until completion of farrowing. Data collected included duration of farrowing, birthing interval, and behavior during farrowing. Additionally, the number of total born, liveborn, and stillborn piglets was recorded. Gestation length was different between treatments, with a shorter gestation in Dark treatment sows than Light treatment sows (116.4 vs. 117.1 ± 0.2 d, respectively; p = 0.027). The total duration of parturition and number of liveborn did not differ (p = 0.393). Number of stillborn piglets between treatments did differ (p = 0.018). Dark had more stillborns compared to Light treatment sows (1.5 vs. 0.7 ± 0.2 piglets, respectively). Neither the interval between piglets nor farrowing behavior differed between treatments (p > 0.100). The results from this experiment indicate that a sudden change in photoperiod has the potential to impact the gestation length of sows and number of stillborn pigs.
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