The effects of cross-fostering on growth rate and post-weaning behavior of segregated early-weaned piglets

Abstract

-P. 2000. The effects of cross-fostering on growth rate and post-weaning behavior of segregated early-weaned piglets. Can. J. Anim Sci. 80: 533-538. Cross-fostering involving piglets older than 2 d of age is often used in segregated early weaning (SEW) units to increase piglets' body weight homogeneity. This study was conducted to document the effects of such cross-fostering on weight gain, skin lesions, and post-weaning behavior of SEW piglets. Cross-fostering was done at 6 ± 1 d of age, in half of the 32 litters studied, by exchanging two piglets between pairs of litters. Piglets (n = 256) were weighed at birth, fostering, weaning (day 18 ± 1), and every week during the next month. The behavior of piglets was videorecorded during 3 h after weaning, and during 1 h on days 19, 20, 22, 24, 31, 38 and 45. Adopted piglets gained only 76% of the weight of non-adopted piglets between fostering and weaning (P < 0.001) and this difference persisted until day 45 (P < 0.05). Piglets from fostered litters fought less than control piglets during their first 2 d in nursery pens (P < 0.01) and skin lesions tended to be less frequent (P < 0.1). In all treatment groups, eating frequency was low on days 18 and 19 and increased abruptly on day 20. In conclusion, fostering impaired growth of piglets, but also facilitated their adaptation to unacquainted piglets after weaning.

Cross-Fostering Implications for Pig Mortality, Welfare and Performance

“…For instance, CFW2+ pigs weighed 25.5% less than NCF pigs and 19.7% less than CFW1 pigs at weaning. These results are in agreement with ( 5 , 12 , 15 ) for piglets cross-fostered 1 week after farrowing. Moreover, such differences in BW, albeit smaller, persisted throughout the production cycle.…”

Cross-Fostering Implications for Pig Mortality, Welfare and Performance

“…For instance, CFW2+ pigs weighed 25.5% less than NCF pigs and 19.7% less than CFW1 pigs at weaning. These results are in agreement with ( 5 , 12 , 15 ) for piglets cross-fostered 1 week after farrowing. Moreover, such differences in BW, albeit smaller, persisted throughout the production cycle.…”

Review: Early life predisposing factors for biting in pigs

“…Aggressive biting behavior. Compared with piglets originating from litters with no cross-fostering, piglets from litters with fostering at 6 days of age fought less immediately following weaning and social mixing performed around 18 days of age, as well as at 1 and 20 days later (Giroux et al, 2000). Being a resident or an intruder piglet at fostering did not change this effect.…”

Effects of the proportion of the litter cross-fostered and number of source litters used to create a cross-fostered litter on piglet pre-weaning performance

“…For example, Heim et al (2012) , in a study that used similar treatments to the current experiment, found no difference in pre-weaning performance for litters where all of the piglets were reared by the birth sow or all were cross-fostered from other sows at 20 hour after birth. In contrast, cross-fostering of piglets later than 24 hour after birth has been shown in several studies to result in lower weaning weight and/or higher pre-weaning mortality ( Horrell and Bennett, 1981 ; Giroux et al 2000 ; King et al, 2020 ), mainly as a result of disruptions to piglet suckling behavior ( Horrell and Bennett, 1981 ; Price et al, 1994 ; King et al, 2020 ). Stewart and Diekman (1989) , in a study that involved cross-fostering within 36 hour of birth, did find that cross-fostered piglets had lower weight gain from birth to 21 d of age than those that were not cross-fostered.…”

Cross-Fostering Implications for Pig Mortality, Welfare and Performance

“…For instance, CFW2+ pigs weighed 25.5% less than NCF pigs and 19.7% less than CFW1 pigs at weaning. These results are in agreement with ( 5 , 12 , 15 ) for piglets cross-fostered 1 week after farrowing. Moreover, such differences in BW, albeit smaller, persisted throughout the production cycle.…”

Review: Early life predisposing factors for biting in pigs

“…Aggressive biting behavior. Compared with piglets originating from litters with no cross-fostering, piglets from litters with fostering at 6 days of age fought less immediately following weaning and social mixing performed around 18 days of age, as well as at 1 and 20 days later (Giroux et al, 2000). Being a resident or an intruder piglet at fostering did not change this effect.…”

Effects of the proportion of the litter cross-fostered and number of source litters used to create a cross-fostered litter on piglet pre-weaning performance

“…For example, Heim et al (2012) , in a study that used similar treatments to the current experiment, found no difference in pre-weaning performance for litters where all of the piglets were reared by the birth sow or all were cross-fostered from other sows at 20 hour after birth. In contrast, cross-fostering of piglets later than 24 hour after birth has been shown in several studies to result in lower weaning weight and/or higher pre-weaning mortality ( Horrell and Bennett, 1981 ; Giroux et al 2000 ; King et al, 2020 ), mainly as a result of disruptions to piglet suckling behavior ( Horrell and Bennett, 1981 ; Price et al, 1994 ; King et al, 2020 ). Stewart and Diekman (1989) , in a study that involved cross-fostering within 36 hour of birth, did find that cross-fostered piglets had lower weight gain from birth to 21 d of age than those that were not cross-fostered.…”

Cross-Fostering Implications for Pig Mortality, Welfare and Performance

“…For instance, CFW2+ pigs weighed 25.5% less than NCF pigs and 19.7% less than CFW1 pigs at weaning. These results are in agreement with ( 5 , 12 , 15 ) for piglets cross-fostered 1 week after farrowing. Moreover, such differences in BW, albeit smaller, persisted throughout the production cycle.…”

Review: Early life predisposing factors for biting in pigs

“…Aggressive biting behavior. Compared with piglets originating from litters with no cross-fostering, piglets from litters with fostering at 6 days of age fought less immediately following weaning and social mixing performed around 18 days of age, as well as at 1 and 20 days later (Giroux et al, 2000). Being a resident or an intruder piglet at fostering did not change this effect.…”

Effects of the proportion of the litter cross-fostered and number of source litters used to create a cross-fostered litter on piglet pre-weaning performance

“…For example, Heim et al (2012) , in a study that used similar treatments to the current experiment, found no difference in pre-weaning performance for litters where all of the piglets were reared by the birth sow or all were cross-fostered from other sows at 20 hour after birth. In contrast, cross-fostering of piglets later than 24 hour after birth has been shown in several studies to result in lower weaning weight and/or higher pre-weaning mortality ( Horrell and Bennett, 1981 ; Giroux et al 2000 ; King et al, 2020 ), mainly as a result of disruptions to piglet suckling behavior ( Horrell and Bennett, 1981 ; Price et al, 1994 ; King et al, 2020 ). Stewart and Diekman (1989) , in a study that involved cross-fostering within 36 hour of birth, did find that cross-fostered piglets had lower weight gain from birth to 21 d of age than those that were not cross-fostered.…”