Healthy Start: 5 Core Strategies to Maximise Piglet Survival Rates

Improving piglet survival rates is crucial for the overall success and profitability of pig farming operations. In modern, intensive pig production facilities, raising healthy piglets – from birth to weaning – requires careful management, nutritional strategies, and a good understanding of pig behaviour.

Research shows that piglets are most vulnerable during birth or within the first 72 hours of life. On average, piglet mortality ranges from 16% to 20%, which means up to 2 piglets die during the pre-weaning stage in every litter. Aside from stillbirth, the majority of piglets that do not survive commonly succumb to starvation or crushing during their early days. While the mortality issue is multifaceted and dependent on the overall environment in the farrowing house, there are strategies that farmers can implement to help minimise the instances piglet mortality. 

1. Optimal Farrowing

Creating an optimal farrowing environment is essential for piglet survival. This includes managing the farrowing crates or loose-housed systems to improve piglet birth weights and providing adequate heat and nutrition after farrowing. Farrowing pen design can help prevent sow crushing, a significant cause of piglet mortality, by using anti-crushing bars and ensuring the sow's proximity to the creep area is managed. Ensuring proper ventilation with a temperature range of 21 to 24 degrees Celsius is also important to ensure a comfortable and stress-free environment.

• Comfortable Farrowing Pens: Provide sows with clean, dry, and well-ventilated farrowing pens. Comfortable bedding and appropriate temperature control are essential.
• Monitoring During Birth: Closely monitor the birthing process to assist sows if necessary. Prompt intervention can save piglets that might otherwise struggle during birth.
• Immediate Care for Newborns: Dry piglets immediately after birth to prevent hypothermia. Ensure that each piglet is breathing properly and has clear airways.

2. Colostrum Management
Colostrum intake is vital for piglet health and vitality. Ensuring that piglets receive enough high-quality colostrum within the first 24 hours after farrowing is imperative. Techniques such as split suckling can help manage colostrum intake by separating piglets who have consumed their share, allowing others to access the sow. Additionally, HMB supplementation in sows can increase the concentration of immunoglobulins in colostrum, providing piglets with better passive immunity.

• Early Access: Ensure piglets nurse within the first few hours of birth. Colostrum intake during this period provides immunity and boosts overall health.
• Assistance if Needed: For weaker piglets, help them latch onto the sow to ensure they receive colostrum. Sometimes, hand-feeding colostrum can be necessary.

3. Cross-Fostering Management
Cross-fostering is a strategy used to redistribute piglets among sows to even out litter sizes and improve survival rates. This practice can provide piglets with a better chance at survival by ensuring they receive adequate care and nutrition. Additionally, understanding sow natural behaviour around farrowing and the physiology of newborn piglets can inform better management practices to support piglet survivability.

• Timing: Cross-foster within 24-48 hours of birth to reduce stress on piglets. Early transfer helps piglets adjust better to their new environment.
• Size Matching: Match piglets by size and strength when cross-fostering. This helps ensure that all piglets have a fair chance at accessing the sow’s teats.

4. Proper Nutrition

Supplementing the sow's diet with fats, such as soybean or coconut oil, before parturition and during lactation can enhance piglet energy stores, improve the fat content of colostrum and milk, and potentially increase the number of piglets born alive. Additionally, additives like β-hydroxy β-methyl butyrate (HMB) have been shown to increase colostrum production, piglet weight at birth, and weight at weaning. Ensuring that sows receive adequate nutrition throughout gestation is essential for piglet birth weight and colostrum quality.

• Creep Feed: Introduce creep feed (a starter diet) to piglets around two weeks of age. This helps them transition from sow’s milk to solid food and supports weaning.
• Balanced Diet: Ensure the feed is nutritionally balanced with essential vitamins, minerals, and proteins. A good diet promotes healthy growth and strengthens piglet immune systems.

5. Disease Prevention & Biosecurity

Disease prevention and biosecurity measures are paramount for maintaining a healthy environment conducive to piglet survival. Scours, caused by various pathogens, are a significant cause of pre-weaning mortality, and managing colostrum intake can help prevent passive immunity transfer failure. Measures such as increasing biosecurity, batch farrowing, iron supplementation, and stockmanship can all contribute to reducing piglet mortality. 

• Clean Housing: Regularly clean and disinfect farrowing pens and nursery areas. Remove waste promptly to reduce the risk of infections.
• Vaccinations: Follow a veterinarian-recommended vaccination schedule to protect piglets from common diseases. Regular health checks help in early disease detection and treatment.
• Biosecurity Measures: Implement strict biosecurity protocols to prevent the introduction and spread of pathogens. Limit access to the piglet areas and ensure farm workers practice good hygiene.

Healthy piglets are the foundation of a thriving pig production operation. Implementing these 5 strategies will go a long way to improve the resilience of piglets and ultimately improving their survivability. Of course, regular monitoring and record keeping of sows and piglets are also important to identify trends and potential issues early on. A collective, well-informed approach will boost piglet health and survival, while ensuring operations remain productive and profitable.

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