Piglet crushing, a major contributor to pre-weaning
Mortality of piglets
Pre-weaning period is a critical phase in swine production, which lasts from farrowing up to the weaning of piglets. During this period, piglets’ mortality rate is at its highest, around 12% (Jarvis et al., 2023). Piglet mortality is a major challenge in swine production, seriously impacting welfare and profitability. Maternal behavior, starvation or environmental stressors directly impact piglets’ survival rate, although, piglet crushing remains the leading cause of pre-weaning piglet mortality. Piglet crushing is due to the sows’ movements, post-farrowing. Several factors increasing sow movements need to be carefully monitored, in order to reduce the number of piglets crushed by the sow.
What are the factors increasing post-farrowing
Sow movements?
Farrowing pain and discomfort contribute to increased sow movements and require adapted diagnostics and treatments. Additionally, the environment plays a crucial role in sow behavior. It is important that the farrowing environment provides adequate space, good ventilation, and optimal temperature control to limit stressors that could increase sow movement. Still, farrowing pain provokes excitation in sows, especially in gilts.
Natural feed additives to calm the sow naturally, come as an appropriate solution to reduce sow movements and thus piglet crushing.
Our natural solution to calm animals naturally
Durelax®
Durelax is a natural solution, based on melissa officinalis extract, to calm animals naturally. Durelax is of interest especially during farrowing : from the arrival in farrowing unit till 48 hours after farrowing, period during which the sow moves a lot and piglets are very fragile. Indeed, over half of crushed liveborn piglets occur during the 4 days following farrowing (Marchant et al., 2000).
