Periparturient Behavior and Physiology: Further Insight Into the Farrowing Process for Primiparous and Multiparous Sows
Giving birth is a critical time for many species and is often the most painful event ever experienced by females. In domestic species, like the pig, pain associated with parturition represents a potential welfare concern, and the consequences of pain can cause economic losses (e.g., by indirectly co...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2018-06-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Veterinary Science |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fvets.2018.00122/full |
| _version_ | 1828267499521572864 |
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| author | Sarah H. Ison Sarah H. Ison Susan Jarvis Sarah A. Hall Cheryl J. Ashworth Kenneth M. D. Rutherford |
| author_facet | Sarah H. Ison Sarah H. Ison Susan Jarvis Sarah A. Hall Cheryl J. Ashworth Kenneth M. D. Rutherford |
| author_sort | Sarah H. Ison |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Giving birth is a critical time for many species and is often the most painful event ever experienced by females. In domestic species, like the pig, pain associated with parturition represents a potential welfare concern, and the consequences of pain can cause economic losses (e.g., by indirectly contributing to piglet mortality as pain could slow post-farrowing recovery, reduce food and water intake, reducing milk let-down). This study investigated pain assessment and its management in primiparous (gilts) and multiparous (sows) breeding pigs, including the provision of a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) post-parturition. Individuals were randomly allocated to receive the NSAID ketoprofen (3 mg/kg bodyweight) (n = 11 gilts, 16 sows) or the equivalent volume of saline (n = 13 gilts, 16 sows) by intramuscular injection 1.5 h after the birth of the last piglet. Data collected included putative behavioral indicators of pain (back leg forward, tremble, back arch), salivary cortisol concentrations pre-farrowing and up to 7 days post-injection. In addition, post-partum biomarkers of inflammation, including the acute phase protein C-reactive protein (CRP) and 3 porcine cytokines [interleukin-1 β (IL1 β), interleukin-6 (IL6), and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF α)] were measured in plasma collected 6 h following the injection. Behaviors were analyzed using generalized linear mixed models, and physiological variables with linear mixed models. No difference in putative pain behaviors, salivary cortisol, CRP, or cytokines were found between individuals treated with ketoprofen or those administered the saline control. However, there were some differences between gilts and sows, as sows exhibited more putative pain behavior than gilts, had higher salivary cortisol on the day of farrowing and had higher plasma TNF α. Conversely, gilts had higher salivary cortisol than sows on day 3 post-farrowing and had higher CRP. This indicates that, like human females, multiparous sows experience more pain from uterine activity following birth than primiparas. This study provides useful information for developing management practices relating to post-farrowing care for breeding pigs. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T05:05:20Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5eb32c394f87424eb093732bcc97f4a4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2297-1769 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T05:05:20Z |
| publishDate | 2018-06-01 |
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| series | Frontiers in Veterinary Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-5eb32c394f87424eb093732bcc97f4a42022-12-22T03:01:11ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Veterinary Science2297-17692018-06-01510.3389/fvets.2018.00122370855Periparturient Behavior and Physiology: Further Insight Into the Farrowing Process for Primiparous and Multiparous SowsSarah H. Ison0Sarah H. Ison1Susan Jarvis2Sarah A. Hall3Cheryl J. Ashworth4Kenneth M. D. Rutherford5Animal Behaviour and Welfare, Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Scotland's Rural College, Edinburgh, United KingdomRoyal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Roslin, United KingdomRoyal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Roslin, United KingdomAnimal Behaviour and Welfare, Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Scotland's Rural College, Edinburgh, United KingdomThe Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Roslin, United KingdomAnimal Behaviour and Welfare, Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Scotland's Rural College, Edinburgh, United KingdomGiving birth is a critical time for many species and is often the most painful event ever experienced by females. In domestic species, like the pig, pain associated with parturition represents a potential welfare concern, and the consequences of pain can cause economic losses (e.g., by indirectly contributing to piglet mortality as pain could slow post-farrowing recovery, reduce food and water intake, reducing milk let-down). This study investigated pain assessment and its management in primiparous (gilts) and multiparous (sows) breeding pigs, including the provision of a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) post-parturition. Individuals were randomly allocated to receive the NSAID ketoprofen (3 mg/kg bodyweight) (n = 11 gilts, 16 sows) or the equivalent volume of saline (n = 13 gilts, 16 sows) by intramuscular injection 1.5 h after the birth of the last piglet. Data collected included putative behavioral indicators of pain (back leg forward, tremble, back arch), salivary cortisol concentrations pre-farrowing and up to 7 days post-injection. In addition, post-partum biomarkers of inflammation, including the acute phase protein C-reactive protein (CRP) and 3 porcine cytokines [interleukin-1 β (IL1 β), interleukin-6 (IL6), and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF α)] were measured in plasma collected 6 h following the injection. Behaviors were analyzed using generalized linear mixed models, and physiological variables with linear mixed models. No difference in putative pain behaviors, salivary cortisol, CRP, or cytokines were found between individuals treated with ketoprofen or those administered the saline control. However, there were some differences between gilts and sows, as sows exhibited more putative pain behavior than gilts, had higher salivary cortisol on the day of farrowing and had higher plasma TNF α. Conversely, gilts had higher salivary cortisol than sows on day 3 post-farrowing and had higher CRP. This indicates that, like human females, multiparous sows experience more pain from uterine activity following birth than primiparas. This study provides useful information for developing management practices relating to post-farrowing care for breeding pigs.https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fvets.2018.00122/fullbehaviorparturition stressphysiologypain assessmentsowwelfare |
| spellingShingle | Sarah H. Ison Sarah H. Ison Susan Jarvis Sarah A. Hall Cheryl J. Ashworth Kenneth M. D. Rutherford Periparturient Behavior and Physiology: Further Insight Into the Farrowing Process for Primiparous and Multiparous Sows Frontiers in Veterinary Science behavior parturition stress physiology pain assessment sow welfare |
| title | Periparturient Behavior and Physiology: Further Insight Into the Farrowing Process for Primiparous and Multiparous Sows |
| title_full | Periparturient Behavior and Physiology: Further Insight Into the Farrowing Process for Primiparous and Multiparous Sows |
| title_fullStr | Periparturient Behavior and Physiology: Further Insight Into the Farrowing Process for Primiparous and Multiparous Sows |
| title_full_unstemmed | Periparturient Behavior and Physiology: Further Insight Into the Farrowing Process for Primiparous and Multiparous Sows |
| title_short | Periparturient Behavior and Physiology: Further Insight Into the Farrowing Process for Primiparous and Multiparous Sows |
| title_sort | periparturient behavior and physiology further insight into the farrowing process for primiparous and multiparous sows |
| topic | behavior parturition stress physiology pain assessment sow welfare |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fvets.2018.00122/full |
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