The farrowing process The farrowing process

The farrowing process

Around farrowing, sows and piglets face a number of interrelated challenges known as sow peripartal syndrome (SPS). For sows, SPS results in negative energy balance, peripartal hypophagia (suppressed calorie intake), early birth, suboptimal body condition, peripartal hypogalactia (low milk production), slow labour and peripartal constipation. For the piglet, this leads to reduced performance, and increased risk of neonatal mortality and stillbirth. Trouw Nutrition solutions are based on extensive research mapping all the root causes of SPS.

How to recognise

The challenges contributing to SPS can exist prior to farrowing, making many problems difficult to detect until a litter is farrowed. Trouw Nutrition has identified three sets of challenges associated with SPS, occurring before, during and following the peripartal period:

  1. The first set of challenges originates before the peripartal period — for example, suboptimal body condition, mummification and low birth weight.
  2. The second set of challenges originates during the peripartal period — for example, low colostrum production (hypogalactia) and stillbirth.
  3. The third set of challenges only becomes observable after the peripartal period— for example, low milk production (hypogalactia), low vitality and neonatal mortality.

Trouw Nutrition is researching the pathways contributing to SPS to help optimize piglets’ lifetime performance and profitable rearing. Trouw Nutrition research focuses on four key parameters observable in piglets following parturition: being born alive, adequate birth weight, adequate colostrum intake and adequate vitality.

The impact on the farmer

Efficiently raising a modern sow has many advantages for the farmer, including a higher output (more piglets). Improved production efficiency and a well-managed farrowing process contribute greatly to the financial results of a farm. Sound practices for farrowing result in piglets born alive and vital, the first critical steps toward raising good quality pigs up until slaughter.