Authors:

Samantha Teal Fairchild

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About Paper:

Genetic selection for increased litter size has increased ovulation rates without an equivalent increase in maternal uterine capacity. The crowded uterine environment creates placental insufficiency in a subpopulation of the litter, leading to varying degrees of intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and non-allometric growth. The most notable effect of IUGR is alteration in the morphology of the piglet's head, resulting from a "brain-sparing effect", wherein vital nutrients are redirected to the developing brain at the expense of other organ systems. The goal of this study is to evaluate the variation in piglet phenotypes at birth and understand the relationship between these phenotypes and pre-weaning performance. To accomplish this, we collected detailed phenotypic data on 1061 piglets from 82 sows, split over three farrowing groups. Piglets were weighed prior to suckling colostrum to determine true birth weight, and lateral views of the whole piglet and dorsal views of the head collected for morphometric analysis. Piglets were reweighed after 2 hours to determine initial colostrum intake, and again after 48 hours, with rectal temperatures collected on the same schedule. Piglets were then weighed again on days 7 and 14, and 24 hours prior to weaning (~21 days old). We hypothesize that IUGR piglets, as identified by birth weight or head shape, will have reduced colostrum intake, poor thermoregulation, and reduced average daily gain in the preweaning period relative to the rest of the population. Data collection for group three is ongoing, but preliminary analysis indicates significant within litter variation in all variables. Keywords: IUGR; Brain Sparing Effect; Swine

Source:

Purdue University / 2024

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Co-authors:

Samantha Teal Fairchild