The effects of floor heating on body temperature, water consumption, stress response and immune competence around parturition in loose-housed sows.
The aim of the present study was to study whether floor heating from 12h after onset of nest building until 48 h after birth of the first piglet had any effect on measures related to body temperature, water consumption, stress response and immune competence in loose-housed sows (n=23). In conclusion, the present results indicate that floor heating for a limited period around parturition did not compromise physiological and immunological parameters, water intake and body temperature in loose-housed sows. The water intake peaked the day before parturition and the body temperature peaked on the day of parturition. A cortisol peak at parturition, a transient rise in the number of leucocytes and neutrophils and a transient reduction in the number of lymphocytes, erythrocytes and in the PCV value were observed. Around and after parturition some non-specific immunological variables seemed to be stimulated while others seemed to be compromised.
Department of Animal Health, Welfare and Nutrition, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Aarhus University, P.O. Box 50, DK-8830 Tjele, Denmark. birthem.damgaard@agrsci.dk
B M
BM
Damgaard
J
J
Malmkvist
L J
LJ
Pedersen
K H
KH
Jensen
K
K
Thodberg
E
E
Jørgensen
H R
HR
Juul-Madsen
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001772:Blood Cell Count / Q000662:veterinary; D001831:Body Temperature / Q000502:physiology*; D004326:Drinking / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005430:Floors and Floorcoverings; D005434:Flow Cytometry / Q000662:veterinary; D006400:Hematocrit / Q000662:veterinary; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006799:Housing, Animal; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood*; D037601:Mannose-Binding Lectin / Q000097:blood; D036801:Parturition / Q000502:physiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000502:physiology; D013552:Swine / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D051197:Toll-Like Receptor 4 / Q000097:blood
D037601:Mannose-Binding Lectin; D051197:Toll-Like Receptor 4; D006854:Hydrocortisone