Estimation of colostrum intake in the neonatal pig

Abstract

Abstract Three trials were performed in order to establish a method of estimation of colostrum intake based on weight gain in newborn pigs. The first trial involved 33 piglets, bottle-fed with sow colostrum and weighed regularly for 25 h. A regression equation relating colostrum intake (CI in g) to birth weight (BW B in kg), weight at CI estimation (BW in kg), age at first suck (t FS in min) and duration of colostrum intake (t in min and with 17 h < t < 25 h) was established with a root mean-square error equal to 33 g. This equation was evaluated with a second data set using 15 further bottle-fed piglets (trial 2). Measured and predicted values were very close (R 2 = 0.90). The third trial compared colostrum intake estimated either with the previous equation or with the deuterium oxide dilution method in catheterized sow-reared or bottle-fed piglets (no. = 12 per group). The equation underestimated colostrum intake of those piglets, probably due to prior surgery. However, the feeding method (bottle-feeding v. sow-rearing) had no effect on the relationship between weight gain and colostrum intake. Therefore, the equation established in bottle-fed piglets may be applied to sow-reared piglets.