Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
R. Choudhury, A. Middelkoop, J. E. Bolhuis, M. Kleerebezem
Summary: This study explored the association between gut microbiota and behavior in suckling piglets. The results indicated that specific microbial groups were associated with different behaviors, suggesting a potential influence of gut microbiota on behavior.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Martin Beaumont, Laurent Cauquil, Allan Bertide, Ingrid Ahn, Celine Barilly, Lisa Gil, Cecile Canlet, Olivier Zemb, Geraldine Pascal, Arnaud Samson, Sylvie Combes
Summary: The gut microbiota produces different metabolites in suckling and weaned piglets, including short-chain fatty acids and biogenic amines. The origin of the piglets also impacts the levels of certain bacterial metabolites. The fecal metabolome signatures in suckling and weaned piglets are associated with specific microbiota-predicted functionalities, structure, and diversity.
JOURNAL OF PROTEOME RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Sergio A. Guzman-Pino, Daniela Luna, Laura C. Salazar, Paulina Poblete-Grez, Jaime Figueroa
Summary: Switching sows' positions in early comingled litters resulted in a decrease in suckling duration and number of episodes, but did not significantly affect maternal suckling. This change may have caused momentary confusion in piglets, leading to altered suckling behavior.
APPLIED ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Lukas Schwarz, Igor Loncaric, Rene Brunthaler, Christian Knecht, Isabel Hennig-Pauka, Andrea Ladinig
Summary: This case occurred in a small piglet farm in Austria, where the clinical problem was resolved by adapting antimicrobial treatment and implementing proper hygiene measures. Predisposing factors identified for the disease included poor management and hygiene practices.
Article
Biology
Lanmei Yin, Yitong Zhang, Jun Li, Jing Zhou, Qiye Wang, Jing Huang, Jianzhong Li, Huansheng Yang
Summary: This study investigated the effect of iron on intestinal epithelium development in suckling piglets. The results showed that lactation is a critical stage for intestinal epithelial development and is associated with changes in iron metabolism. Iron deficiency does not directly affect intestinal epithelium development through intestinal stem cells, but IL-22 may play a key role in this process.
SCIENCE CHINA-LIFE SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Tianyue Tang, Walter J. J. Gerrits, Carola M. C. van der Peet-schwering, Nicoline M. Soede, Inonge Reimert
Summary: Multi-suckling systems aim to improve animal welfare, but there is a large variation in piglet growth rate. This study investigated the relationship between birthweight and growth rate, and other piglet traits in this system. It was found that birthweight was positively related to survival, growth rate, suckling behavior, milk and feed intake, and skin lesion scores. Regardless of birthweight, fast-growing piglets tended to eat more feed, were less often present at teats of unfamiliar sows, and had more skin lesions.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Sandra Villagomez-Estrada, Jose F. Perez, Diego Melo-Duran, Francesc Gonzalez-Sole, Matilde D'Angelo, Francisco J. Perez-Cano, David Sola-Oriol
Summary: During birth and lactation, piglets born from hyperprolific sows with light body weight exhibit higher expression of stress and pro-inflammatory genes. The present study aimed to evaluate the physiological weaknesses of light piglets compared to their middle-weight littermates through gene expression analysis. Light piglets showed downregulation of genes related to immune response, antioxidant enzymes, digestive enzymes, and nutrient transporters at birth. However, at the end of the suckling period, these gene expression differences disappeared and genes involved in barrier function, inflammation, and stress responses were over-expressed in light piglets compared to their heavier littermates. This suggests that light piglets have compromised gene expression for nutrient absorption, immune and stress responses from birth to the end of lactation.
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Simone M. Schmid, Julia Steinhoff-Wagner
Summary: This review investigates the implications of piglet processing on various parameters and identifies knowledge gaps. The most researched topics are tail docking and piglet castration, while marking for identification has been rarely addressed.
VETERINARY SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Md Rayhan Mahmud, Ching Jian, Md Karim Uddin, Mirja Huhtinen, Anne Salonen, Olli Peltoniemi, Heli Venhoranta, Claudio Oliviero
Summary: Small-scale studies on pigs' intestinal microbiota and growth performance have yielded inconsistent results. This study found that the gut microbiota during the nursery stage, not the suckling period, was a predictor of piglet growth. Certain SCFA-producing bacterial genera were significantly correlated with high piglet growth, and the gut microbiota of high-ADG piglets matured faster and stabilized sooner after weaning compared to low-ADG piglets. The findings suggest that weaning is a major driver of gut microbiota variation and that specific gut microbiota at weaning may be beneficial for piglet growth.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2023)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Paul Schwediauer, Ulrike Minihuber, Markus Gallnboeck, Victoria Riffert, Werner Hagmueller
Summary: Introducing plant-based feed to piglets early on can help with gastrointestinal system adaptation, leading to less physiological stress at weaning, lower incidence of diarrhea, and higher growth rates.
LANDBAUFORSCHUNG-JOURNAL OF SUSTAINABLE AND ORGANIC AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS
(2021)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Elisa A. Arnaud, Gillian E. Gardiner, Keely M. Halpin, Clement Ribas, John O' Doherty, Torres Sweeney, Peadar G. Lawlor
Summary: The study aimed to evaluate the effects of split-suckling and postpartum meloxicam provision to sows on piglet growth and health. It was found that split-suckling and postpartum meloxicam administration increased piglet growth rate and carcass weight, as well as reduced the occurrence of diseases. These interventions also resulted in a decrease in the usage of antibiotics and anti-inflammatories.
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Mohamed Zeineldin, Ameer Megahed, Benjamin Blair, Brian Aldridge, James Lowe
Summary: The study aimed to investigate the impact of perinatal tulathromycin administration on the fecal archaeome composition and diversity in suckling piglets. Results showed that the intervention had minimal effect on the gut archaeome of the piglets.
Article
Immunology
Raka Choudhury, Yuner Gu, J. Elizabeth Bolhuis, Michiel Kleerebezem
Summary: This study investigates the impact of early life feeding on the mucosal transcriptional program and morphology of suckling piglets. The results show that early feeding accelerates the colonization of microbiota and the maturation of the host transcriptome, with a more pronounced effect in the colon. Early feeding also enhances the mucosal response to weaning stress.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Tianyue Tang, Walter J. J. Gerrits, Nicoline M. Soede, Carola M. C. van der Peet-Schwering, Inonge Reimert
Summary: The study examined the timing of grouping and split-weaning as two intervention strategies to improve the body weight gain of low birthweight piglets in a multi-suckling system. The results showed that the timing of grouping and split-weaning had no significant effects on body weight gain, but did affect feed intake and suckling behaviors of the piglets.
APPLIED ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Sabrina Becker, Anna Maier, Saskia Peters, Kathrin Buettner, Gerald Reiner
Summary: Neither the use of S-ketamine nor intranasal administration can be suitable alternatives for the anaesthesia of male suckling piglets for castration.
BMC VETERINARY RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Luigi Faucitano, Sabine Conte, Candido Pomar, Diovani Paiano, Yan Duan, Pengfei Zhang, Genevieve Drouin, Su Rina, Frederic Guay, Nicolas Devillers
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Nicolas Devillers, Xiaojie Yan, Kristopher J. Dick, Qiang Zhang, Laurie Connor
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jerome Theau, Etienne Lauzier-Hudon, Lydiane Aube, Nicolas Devillers
Summary: Grasslands are widespread and degraded ecosystems, with monitoring traditionally relying on incomplete field measurements. This study tested and compared three UAV-based approaches for estimating forage biomass or vegetation cover in grasslands. The approaches included a volumetric-based biomass estimation model, a regression biomass prediction model, and a vegetation cover classification model based on GNDVI values. Each approach had its strengths and limitations, providing complementary tools for grassland characterization.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Sabine Conte, Candido Pomar, Diovani Paiano, Yan Duan, Pengfei Zhang, Janie Levesque, Frederic Guay, Nicolas Devillers, Luigi Faucitano
Summary: This study fed pigs with different feeding strategies but found no significant effects on pig growth and meat quality. The inefficiency of the dietary treatments applied may be attributed to the low ratio of fat to digestible carbohydrate in the diets and the mild pre-slaughter stress conditions encountered by the pigs.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Lydiane Aube, Frederic Guay, Renee Bergeron, Jerome Theau, Nicolas Devillers
Summary: The study investigated the impact of concentrate feed restriction on gestating sows' foraging behavior and vegetation cover. It found that higher concentrate restriction promoted grazing behavior in pregnant sows, leading to disappearance of high vegetation while lower concentrate restriction increased rooting activity, causing greater damage to vegetation cover. Additionally, the study showed that reducing concentrate feed level of gestating sows on pasture did not have adverse effects on pasture vegetation cover.
APPLIED ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Xiaojie Yan, Qiang Zhang, Laurie Connor, Nicolas Devillers, Kristopher Dick
Summary: This study focused on the surface roughness and friction of concrete floors in pig operations, indicating a sharp decline in the dynamic coefficient of friction (DCOF) after two weeks of floor usage due to manure sticking in the pores. No significant differences in roughness and DCOF were found among different areas or floor configurations in the first 21 weeks of floor usage.
BIOSYSTEMS ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
R. Krobel, E. C. Stephens, M. A. Gorzelak, M-N Thivierge, F. Akhter, J. Nyiraneza, S. D. Singer, C. M. Geddes, A. J. Glenn, N. Devillers, A. W. Alemu, M. St. Luce, D. Giardetti
Summary: The agricultural sector in Canada has historically played a significant role in the economy, society, and culture, with a production value exceeding $100 billion and employing 2.3 million people. Public investment in agricultural science has supported steady growth in production, enabling Canadian agricultural goods to be available both domestically and for export, strengthening integration into global markets. Policy makers and agricultural scientists in Canada are increasingly focused on managing environmental externalities associated with agriculture to achieve sustainable intensification.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Sophie Brajon, Jamie Ahloy-Dallaire, Nicolas Devillers, Frederic Guay
Summary: The social status and previous experience of sows in a group can impact their well-being, especially during mixing periods. Lower-ranking sows are more vulnerable to negative effects during mixing and may have higher body lesion scores in the long term. New sows, especially those with low social status, are at higher risk throughout gestation and may indicate non-optimal conditions in the group.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
L. Aube, F. Guay, R. Bergeron, G. Belanger, G. F. Tremblay, S. A. Edwards, J. H. Guy, N. Devillers
Summary: The study found that moderate feed restriction during gestation can be partially compensated for by providing forage intake, but sows fed with only 40% of concentrate feed did not fully maintain their body condition compared to those fed with 90% of concentrate feed.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Sarah Baert, Lydiane Aube, Derek B. Haley, Renee Bergeron, Nicolas Devillers
Summary: The objective of this study was to determine important behaviors for thermoregulation in gestating and lactating sows housed outdoors in Quebec, Canada during the summer. The study found that in gestation, sows spent a significant amount of time in the wallow, while in lactation, they prioritized the farrowing huts. The differences in behavior between gestation and lactation suggest a conflict of motivation between thermoregulatory and maternal behaviors.
APPLIED ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Lydia Conrad, Lydiane Aube, Emma Heuchan, Sabine Conte, Renee Bergeron, Nicolas Devillers
Summary: This study investigated the effect of three different farrowing huts on the behavior of outdoor housed sows and piglets in Eastern Canada during summer. The study found that the Metal hut showed the best compromise in terms of thermal environment, behavior, and litter survival. However, further research is needed to reduce crushing risks in hut designs for farrowing sows on pasture.
APPLIED ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Kyle A. T. Moak, Renee Bergeron, Sabine Conte, Benjamin M. Bohrer, Aitor Arrazola, Nicolas Devillers, Luigi Faucitano
Summary: This study compared the effects of different trailer types on the environmental conditions and physiological indicators of pigs during summer transportation. The results showed that the modified triple-deck pot-belly and advanced flat-deck trailers had lower temperature and temperature-humidity-index compared to the standard pot-belly trailer. Additionally, different compartments in the standard pot-belly trailer had different effects on the blood indicators and muscle quality of pigs. Although the advanced flat-deck trailer provided a better microclimate for pigs, it only slightly reduced stress in pigs during summer transportation.
CANADIAN JOURNAL OF ANIMAL SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Psychology, Biological
Sarah Baert, Lydiane Aube, Derek B. Haley, Renee Bergeron, Nicolas Devillers
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the physiological response of gestating and lactating sows to environmental conditions during the summer in Quebec, Canada. The results showed that lactating sows had higher and more variable body temperatures compared to gestating sows, and there was a positive association between temperature humidity index (THI) and sow body temperature during lactation. Factors such as THI and mud cover were found to affect the respiratory rate and body temperature of sows during lactation. The study also suggested that spending time in the farrowing hut may increase the risk of heat stress for lactating sows.
PHYSIOLOGY & BEHAVIOR
(2022)
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Xiaojie Yan, Qiang Zhang, Laurie Connor, Nicolas Devillers, Kristopher Dick
Summary: A 2D stick model was developed to simulate sow walking on concrete floors. Video images of sows walking on concrete floors were analyzed and translated into a 2D coordinate dataset. The motion of each landmark was calculated, and a step of walking was modeled as three consecutive phases of motion. The joint coordinates at each time step were used to calculate characteristic gait parameters for lameness detection with an accuracy greater than 92%.
BIOSYSTEMS ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Kyle A. T. Moak, Renee Bergeron, Sabine Conte, Benjamin M. Bohrer, Guilherme Agostini Ferreira, Jessica Goncalves Vero, Gizella Aboagye, Aitor Arrazola, Nicolas Devillers, Luigi Faucitano
Summary: Based on the research findings, these three trailer models can be used interchangeably for short-distance transportation in winter conditions in Canada as they have no significant impact on animal welfare and meat quality.
CANADIAN JOURNAL OF ANIMAL SCIENCE
(2022)