Periparturient Behavior and Physiology: Further Insight Into the Farrowing Process for Primiparous and Multiparous Sows

Abstract

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.

Keywords: behavior; pain assessment; parturition stress; physiology; sow; welfare.

Figure 1

Mean ± SEM for (A) postures/posture changes; and (B) putative pain behaviors observed for 5 min every hour for the 24 h before the onset of farrowing.

Figure 2

Mean ± SEM for posture changes, and putative pain behaviors observed for 15 min 1, 2.5, 4, 5.5, 7, 8.5, 10, 13, 16, and 19 h after the ketoprofen or saline injection.

Figure 3

Putative pain behaviors (mean ± SEM) (A) Back leg forward; (B) Tremble; and (C) Back arch for gilts (in green) and sows (in blue) by hour post injection.

Figure 4

Mean ± SEM of salivary cortisol (ng/ml) by day in relation to farrowing (−2, −1, 0, 1, 2, 3, 5, and 7) for (A) all data; (B) treatments (control or treated); (C) gilts and sows and; (D) additional treatment (no or yes). Days with different letters show a significant difference and bars with a ** indicates a difference (P < 0.05), and * a tendency (P < 0.1) by day for treatment, gilt/sow, or additional treatment.