Supplementary Feed for Piglets with Prenatal Growth Retardation

Piglets which as fetuses suffered from growth restriction in the uterus have lower birth weights and higher mortality. Postpartum targeted feeding enables improved development and weight gain.

Modern pig breeding aims at more-prolific sows with many piglets per litter. However, this strategy has led to a major challenge: an ever-higher number of piglets are born with a low birthweight. Many of these are affected by so-called intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). IUGR occurs when developing fetuses fail to receive sufficient nutrients and oxygen during gestation. This is often due to uterine crowding, which interferes with the optimal growth of the fetuses. The affected animals focus on the development of the vital organs, such as the brain. This mechanism often leads to a characteristic head shape caused by uneven growth between the brain and other organs.

Early identification of IUGR pigs is crucial

It is important to note, however, that not all piglets that are smaller in size or have an unusually shaped head are necessarily affected by IUGR. Consequently, accurate identification is of crucial importance.

Piglets affected by IUGR frequently have higher mortality rates, lower feed conversion efficiency and slower growth. As a rule, these challenges lead to longer production times to reach the target slaughter weight. This in turn leads to higher costs and lower profitability of the farm.

Studies carried out by Agroscope have shown that specific morphometric traits such as distance between the ears and size of the abdomen are helpful in identifying genuine cases of IUGR. For pig farmers, the correct identification of IUGR piglets represents a decisive step in the introduction of targeted measures. Here, simple, practical tools can help to determine which piglets need additional care and support.

Special feed improves growth performance of affected piglets

Intrauterine growth-restricted piglets, which often have trouble gaining weight, benefit greatly from high-quality, balanced special feed. In particular, this study showed that a diet enriched with probiotics, medium-chain triglycerides and antioxidants improved the postpartum growth performance of affected piglets. Even if IUGR piglets are not able to completely bridge the growth gap with their normally developed litter mates, measures of this sort can substantially improve their development.