scholarly journals Selective tooth clipping in the management of low-birth-weight piglets

1995 ◽  
Vol 75 (3) ◽  
pp. 285-289 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Robert ◽  
B.K. Thompson ◽  
D. Fraser
Keyword(s):  
Weight Gain ◽  
Birth Weight ◽  
Low Birth Weight ◽  
Experimental Treatment ◽  
Control Treatment ◽  
Small Litter ◽  
Growth And Survival ◽  
Lower Birth Weight ◽  
Potential Benefits ◽  
Piglet Mortality

A study was designed to test the potential benefits of selective tooth clipping (the practice of leaving the eye teeth intact in the smallest piglets of a litter to make them more competitive) under commercial conditions. A total of 346 litters were assigned to either the control treatment where all piglets had their teeth clipped, or the experimental treatment where one or more piglets of low birth weight had their teeth left intact. Piglets were weighed within 24 h of birth and at 7, 21 and 56 d. In litters of 12–14 animals, but not in smaller litters, the lower-birth-weight piglets had lower mortality in experimental than in control litters (32.0 vs. 39.8%), whereas higher-birth-weight piglets showed a trend in the opposite direction, with 14.4% mortality in experimental vs. 13.2% in control litters (P = 0.05). The weight gain of lower-birth-weight piglets was greater (166 vs. 143 g d−1) in experimental than in control litters of 9–11 piglets, but the heavier piglets competing against the small litter-mates with intact teeth had lower weight gains than the controls (177 vs. 187 g d−1) (P < 0.02). Within-litter variance of 21-d weights was about 15% smaller (P < 0.005) in experimental than in control litters. Thus, selective tooth-clipping does not improve overall growth and survival, but it contributes to more uniform weaning weights and may help the most vulnerable piglets to remain alive until fostering or other intervention can be accomplished. Key words: Tooth clipping, piglet, mortality, weight gain

Low Birth Weight and Subsequent Poor Weight Gain

2014 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 350-356 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeannie Rodriguez ◽  
Marti Rice
Keyword(s):  
Weight Gain ◽  
Birth Weight ◽  
Low Birth Weight ◽  
Poor Weight Gain

Energy expenditure, energy balance, and composition of weight gain in low birth weight infants fed diets of different protein and energy content

1987 ◽  
Vol 110 (5) ◽  
pp. 753-759 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karl F. Schulze ◽  
Mark Stefanski ◽  
Julia Masterson ◽  
Regina Spinnazola ◽  
Rajasekhar Ramakrishnan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Weight Gain ◽  
Birth Weight ◽  
Energy Balance ◽  
Energy Expenditure ◽  
Low Birth Weight ◽  
Energy Content ◽  
Low Birth Weight Infants

28-Day Survival Rates of 6676 Neonates With Birth Weights of 1250 Grams or Less

PEDIATRICS ◽  
1991 ◽  
Vol 87 (1) ◽  
pp. 7-17
Author(s):  
Dale L. Phelps ◽  
David R. Brown ◽  
Betty Tung ◽  
George Cassady ◽  
Richard E. McClead ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Multivariate Analysis ◽  
Birth Weight ◽  
Low Birth Weight ◽  
Gestational Age ◽  
Small For Gestational Age ◽  
Very Low Birth Weight ◽  
Survival Rates ◽  
Survival Advantage ◽  
Lower Birth Weight ◽  
Single Birth

Survival rates specific for birth weight, gestational age, sex, and race are described for 6676 inborn neonates who weighed less than 1251 g at birth and were born during 1986 through 1987. Overall 28-day survival increased with gestational age and birth weight, from 36.5% at 24 weeks' gestation to 89.9% at 29 weeks' gestation, or from 30.0% for neonates of 500 through 599 g birth weight to 91.3% for neonates of 1200 through 1250 g. The expected birth weight-specific survival advantage for female neonates and black neonates diminished when the data were controlled for gestational age, showing that certain previously reported survival advantages are based on lower birth weight for a given gestational age. Multivariate analysis showed that all tested variables were significant predictors for survival, in order of descending significance: gestational age and birth weight, sex, race, single birth, and small-for-gestational-age status. The powerful effect of gestational age on survival highlights the need for an accurate neonatal tool to assess the gestational age of very low birth weight neonates after birth.

Human Milk Banking

PEDIATRICS ◽  
1980 ◽  
Vol 65 (4) ◽  
pp. 854-857
Author(s):  
Lewis A. Barness ◽  
Peter R. Dallman ◽  
Homer Anderson ◽  
Platon Jack Collipp ◽  
Buford L. Nichols ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Weight Gain ◽  
Birth Weight ◽  
Low Birth Weight ◽  
Human Milk ◽  
Newborn Infants ◽  
Fresh Milk ◽  
Human Milk Banking ◽  
Milk Banking ◽  
Low Incidence ◽  
The Cost

The experience of Finnish workers, as well as that of others, shows that the banking of heattreated and frozen human milk is a practical and safe means of feeding low-birth-weight newborn infants. The continuous and exclusive use of human milk is associated with a low incidence of infection and with a rate of survival which is among the highest reported.4 The rate of growth and weight gain is also considered satisfactory, although there is some controversy about whether weight gain is quite as rapid as in formula-fed infants.28 Long-term studies should be carried out to see if these infants grow and develop as well, or better than, those on formula feedings. It is still uncertain whether banked human milk will prove sufficiently superior to formula with respect to its nutritional and immunologic characteristics to compensate for the difficulties of maintaining bacteriologic control and to warrant the cost of setting up and running a milk bank for premature infants. At this time, the Committee considers it optimal for mothers of low-birth-weight newborn infants to collect their milk for feeding their own infants fresh milk.29 Once home, the mothers can freeze the expressed milk and organize for transportation of samples on a regular basis. However, since this procedure will be impossible or impractical for many infants, bacteriologically safe milk from a donor seems a reasonable alternative for these infants.

Very Low Birth Weight Infants as a Model to Study Genetic Influences on Neonatal Weight Gain

2008 ◽  
Vol 46 (1) ◽  
pp. 113-116 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juliane Spiegler ◽  
Evelyn Kattner ◽  
Matthias Vochem ◽  
Helmuth Küster ◽  
Jens Möller ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Weight Gain ◽  
Birth Weight ◽  
Low Birth Weight ◽  
Very Low Birth Weight ◽  
Genetic Influences ◽  
Low Birth Weight Infants

scholarly journals 56 Observations on pre-weaning piglet mortality

2019 ◽  
Vol 97 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. 32-33
Author(s):  
Michael Ellis ◽  
Katherine D Vande Pol ◽  
Naomi Cooper ◽  
Caleb M Shull
Keyword(s):  
Birth Weight ◽  
Low Birth Weight ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Genetic Selection ◽  
Total Mortality ◽  
Economic Loss ◽  
Average Birth Weight ◽  
Feeding Programs ◽  
The People ◽  
Piglet Mortality

Abstract Pre-weaning piglet mortality (PWM) is a substantial economic loss and a welfare concern. It is not a new issue; however, there is evidence that levels are increasing in US herds. Genetic improvements in prolificacy have been accompanied with lower average piglet birth weights, increased within-litter variation in birth weight, and an increasing proportion of low birth weight piglets. Low birth weight is a major pre-disposing factor for PWM. In a survey involving over 11,000 piglets (average birth weight 1.44 ± 0.390 kg), PWM for piglets weighing 1.5 kg was 44, 15, and 8%, respectively. However, the percentage of total mortality from these 3 weight groupings was 35, 42, and 23%, respectively. This suggests that efforts to reduce PWM should mainly focus on lightest 50% of piglets in a population. The major causes and timing of PWM have not changed over time. Crushing and starvation are predominant; the majority of losses occur in the first few days after birth. A substantial proportion of dead piglets have empty stomachs. Pre-weaning mortality is multifactorial in origin; reducing levels requires attention to all factors, starting with farrowing accommodation design and basic facility hygiene programs. Minimizing piglet body temperature decline after birth, and encouraging early colostrum and milk intake are critical. Strategies to reduce competition between piglets for access to the udder and/or supplementary feeding programs are important. Cross-fostering is central to maximizing piglet survival; however, there is a dearth of research-based information to use to design the optimum strategy. The potential influence of gestation nutrition on PWM requires clarification. Pre-weaning mortality is strongly influenced by the people managing the farrowing facilities; developing approaches for early identification of at risk pigs would have benefit. Ultimately, minimizing PWM requires systems-based approaches involving all components from genetic selection for survival through to facility and animal management practices.

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