Blood and physical parameters of sows and their litter as predictors of sow feed intake and piglet performance during lactation

This study examined how metabolic status and parameters of sows before farrowing and during early lactation were associated with feed intake. It also evaluated how sow and piglet parameters were related to litter growth and piglet weight at weaning. Data were collected from 98 multiparous sows (5.05 ± 0.23 parities) and their litters. Body weight and backfat thickness were measured at entry into farrowing crates and at weaning. Piglet weights were recorded at birth, 24 h, and weaning. Blood samples were collected from 40 sows on d112 of gestation (G112) and d3 of lactation (L3) for metabolic profiling. Multivariate analyses using mixed model revealed that urea (linear: 0.59, P = 0.057) and backfat thickness (linear: −2.09, P = 0.026) on G112, and creatinine (linear: −31.2, P = 0.060) and calcium (linear: −5.95, P = 0.005) on L3 were associated with feed intake during lactation. Additionally, first 24 h of piglet growth ( P = 0.001), piglet weight at 24 h ( P = 0.001), piglet blood glucose at birth ( P = 0.031), and feed intake of sows ( P = 0.001) were positively associated with weaning weight. Nitrogen, energy, and calcium status of sows at late gestation and early lactation are determinants of sow feed intake while blood glucose at birth and early growth of piglet are associated with piglet weaning weight.