Biopolymer-based nesting material for sows and its consequence on nest-building behavior, farrowing kinetics and piglet vitality

Abstract

In the present study, we evaluated the effects of a soluble and biodegradable biopolymer-based material, structurally resembling natural fiber, as an alternative nesting-material for prepartum gilts. A total of 18 first parity sows and their litters were studied. One hour after induction of farrowing, sows were assigned at random into two experimental groups: sows without nesting material (CON, n = 9), serving as controls, and sows provided with 3.0 kg of a biopolymer-based nesting-material 24 h before the expected date of farrowing (BN, n = 9). In the prepartum period (18 h before farrowing), a lower (p = 0.016) percentage of postural changes were observed for BN sows. Moreover, BN sows performed more nesting-building behavior (p < 0.001) and had reduced redirected nest-building behaviors (p < 0.001). Sows in the CON group spent more time performing redirected nest-building behavior during farrowing than BN sows (12.5 % vs 3.9 %, p = 0.005). Sows in the BN group had shorter farrowing duration compared to CON sows (277 min vs 198 min, p = 0.025). The number of total piglets born, piglets born alive, and stillborn did not differ among groups (p > 0.05). Piglets in the BN group had higher blood pH (7.36 vs 7.34, p = 0.029), higher blood glucose (36.11 vs 29.45, p = 0.046) and lower blood lactate concentrations (3.33 vs 3.88, p = 0.035). Piglet mortality in the first 24 h and during the remaining lactation period were not different (p > 0.05) among experimental groups. In conclusion, our study demonstrated that providing a biopolymer-based nesting-material for prepartum sows, structurally resembling natural fibers, was effective in facilitating the expression of nest-building behavior, resulting in improved farrowing performance and piglets blood gas parameters.