Measurement of digestive disorders in the piglet at weaning and related risk factors

Abstract

A cohort study was carried out in France about postweaning digestive disorders in the piglet. One hundred and six farrow-to-finish farms were involved. In each of them, a batch of contemporary piglets was considered. A total of 12,034 piglets were ear-notched, evaluated during the suckling phase and weighed at weaning, at 14 and 28 days postweaning. Postweaning diarrhoea and mortality were recorded daily. Data were collected about diet composition and feed intake, housing and husbandry throughout the period. Weaning weight was 8.1 kg and weaning age was 27.2 days on average. Diarrhoea occurred in the pens after a 3-4-day latency period. Prevalence was maximum around 7 to 9 days after weaning and remained high until 21 days after weaning. Mortality was moderate (1.9%). Average daily gains were 283 and 489 g for the two subsequent 14-day periods postweaning. Descriptive multivariate methods indicated a strong pattern between diarrhoea, mortality and growth. The main risk factors associated with the digestive disorders were determined. The hygiene level at the reception of the piglets (cleanliness, level of temperature), management and husbandry level (air quality, group size and stocking procedure) were found to be important factors leading to risky or secure profiles. In addition, the feed intake of the piglet during the first week postweaning was strongly associated with the severity of the digestive disorders over the whole 28-day postweaning period of observation. It is concluded that prevention of postweaning digestive disorders could be based on the control of zootechnical conditions.