Cow-calf and sow-piglet behaviour in relation to colostrum ingestion

Abstract

The declines in both production of immunoglobulin (lg) by mothers and absorption efficiency by young make it desirable for calves to ingest an adequate amount of colostrum by 6-12 h and piglets to do so by 4-8 h. In cattle, suckling attempts may be delayed by weakness of the cow or calf due to difficult calving, injury, deformities or disease. The incidence of attacking or avoiding calves is greater among heifers than among older cows and rejection is occasionally a serious problem. Amongst dairy cattle, the major factor leading to inadequate colostrum intake is difficulty in finding a teat or suckling from it because the udder is pendulous and the teats are fat. Calves of cows with pendulous udders, and this included most older cows, failed to suck within 6 h and obtained inadequate lg levels unless put to the teat. Absorption of lg may be more efficient if the mother is present. Some attacking of piglets by gilts is common and injuries to piglets due to sow attacks may be a serious problem. Injuries, deformities, general weakness or becoming trapped in part of the farrowing pen reduce the chances that a piglet will suckle adequately. Agalactia and competition for teats result in some piglets in larger litters failing to suckle. Fighting for colostrum producing teats peaks 2 h after the birth of the first piglet so later born piglets must obtain less of the lg produced if farrowing is prolonged. Group farrowing and group calving increase the chances that some piglets or calves will fail to obtain adequate colostrum.