Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-jkksz Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-26T07:54:34.292Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Body composition and organ development of intra-uterine growth restricted pigs at weaning

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 July 2019

J. C. Lynegaard ,
C. F. Hansen ,
A. R. Kristensen  and
C. Amdi
J. C. Lynegaard
Affiliation:
Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Grønnegårdsvej 2, DK-1870 Frederiksberg C, Copenhagen, Denmark
C. F. Hansen
Affiliation:
Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Grønnegårdsvej 2, DK-1870 Frederiksberg C, Copenhagen, Denmark
A. R. Kristensen
Affiliation:
Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Grønnegårdsvej 2, DK-1870 Frederiksberg C, Copenhagen, Denmark
C. Amdi*
Affiliation:
Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Grønnegårdsvej 2, DK-1870 Frederiksberg C, Copenhagen, Denmark
*
†E-mail: [email protected]
Get access

Abstract

Sow litter sizes have increased, subjecting more small piglets to intra-uterine growth restriction (IUGR). Research on the development and growth of IUGR pigs is limited. The objective of this study was to compare the body composition and organ development of IUGR pigs at weaning, and to estimate their growth performance from birth to 30 kg. A total of 142 IUGR and 142 normal piglets were classified at birth based on their head morphology. At weaning, 20 IUGR and 20 normal piglets were collected, a whole-body dual-energy x-ray absorption scan was performed, and the piglets were euthanized for organ measurements. Body weight (BW) was measured weekly from birth to 30 kg, rectal temperature and whole-blood glucose levels were measured weekly from birth to weaning, and blood samples were collected at days 7, 14 and 21 for IGF-1 analysis. Results showed that IUGR pigs have a similar percentage of adipose tissue (P > 0.05) compared to normal pigs at 24 days of age. Organs were smaller (P < 0.001) in IUGR pigs than in normal pigs, whereas brain, liver, lungs and adrenal glands were relatively larger (P < 0.05) in relation to the BW of IUGR pigs. Average birth weight (BiW) of normal pigs was greater (P < 0.001) compared with IUGR pigs (1.38 v. 0.75 kg), and the average daily gain (ADG) of IUGR pigs was reduced from day 0 to 14, day 0 to 28 (weaning) and from weaning to 30 kg compared to normal pigs. From birth to weaning at day 28, IUGR piglets had a 72.9 g/day greater fractional ADG (FADG) in relation to their BiW (P < 0.05), but FADG did not differ (P > 0.05) from weaning to 30 kg. Rectal temperature of IUGR piglets was greater (P < 0.05) on day 7 compared with normal piglets, and, even though blood glucose levels were decreased (P < 0.001) in IUGR piglets at day 0, neither glucose nor IGF-1 concentrations differed (P > 0.05) between IUGR and normal piglets. In conclusion, IUGR piglets exhibited some relatively larger organs at weaning compared to normal pigs, but body composition was similar between IUGR and normal pigs. In addition, IUGR pigs had a reduced ADG from birth to 30 kg, and, although they exhibited a greater FADG during nursing, IUGR pigs still require six additional days to reach a BW of 30 kg in comparison to normal pigs.

Keywords

average daily gainadipose tissuebrain-sparingdual-energy x-ray absorptionpiglet
Type
Research Article
Information
animal , Volume 14 , Issue 2 , February 2020 , pp. 322 - 329
Copyright
© The Animal Consortium 2019 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Footnotes

a

Present address: Pig Research Centre, Danish Agriculture and Food Council, Axeltorv 3, DK-1609 Copenhagen V, Denmark

References

Alvarenga, ALN, Chiarini-Garcia, H, Cardeal, PC, Moreira, LP, Foxcroft, GR, Fontes, DO and Almeida, FRCL 2013. Intra-uterine growth retardation affects birthweight and postnatal development in pigs, impairing muscle accretion, duodenal mucosa morphology and carcass traits. Reproduction, Fertility and Development 25, 387–395.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Amdi, C 2012. The effect of varying feeding levels for thin and fat sows during gestation on muscle and adipose tissue of progeny. The Royal Veterinary College, University of London, London, UK.Google Scholar
Amdi, C, Klarlund, MV, Hales, J, Thymann, T and Hansen, CF 2016. Intrauterine growth-restricted piglets have similar gastric emptying rates but lower rectal temperatures and altered blood values when compared with normal-weight piglets at birth. Journal of Animal Science 94, 4583–4590.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Amdi, C, Krogh, U, Flummer, C, Oksbjerg, N, Hansen, CF and Theil, PK 2013. Intrauterine growth restricted piglets defined by their head shape ingest insufficient amounts of colostrum. Journal of Animal Science 91, 5605–5613.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Amdi, C, Nguyen, AT and Hansen, CF 2015. Recovery from intrauterine growth restriction in piglets defined by their headshape: a pilot study. In Proceedings of the International Conference on Pig Welfare: Improving Pig Welfare – What Are the Ways Forward? APSA Conference, Melbourne, Australia, p. 81.Google Scholar
Bauer, R, Gedrange, T, Bauer, K and Walter, B 2006. Intrauterine growth restriction induces increased capillary density and accelerated type I fiber maturation in newborn pig skeletal muscles. Journal of Perinatal Medicine 34, 235–242.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bauer, R, Walter, B, Hoppe, A, Gaser, E, Lampe, V, Kauf, E and Zwiener, U 1998. Body weight distribution and organ size in newborn swine (sus scrofa domestica) – a study describing an animal model for asymmetrical intrauterine growth retardation. Experimental and toxicologic pathology 50, 59–65.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Baxter, EM, Jarvis, S, D’Eath, RB, Ross, DW, Robson, SK, Farish, M, Nevison, IM, Lawrence, AB and Edwards, SA 2008. Investigating the behavioural and physiological indicators of neonatal survival in pigs. Theriogenology 69, 773–783.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Baxter, EM, Jarvis, S, Sherwood, L, Robson, SK, Ormandy, E, Farish, M, Smurthwaite, KM, Roehe, R, Lawrence, AB and Edwards, SA 2009. Indicators of piglet survival in an outdoor farrowing system. Livestock Science 124, 266–276.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bee, G 2004. Effect of early gestation feeding, birth weight, and gender of progeny on muscle fiber characteristics of pigs at slaughter. Journal of Animal Science 82, 826–836.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Chen, L, Mao, X, Han, F, Yu, B, He, J, Zheng, P, Yu, J, Luo, J and Chen, D 2015. The effect of high nutrient on the growth performance, adipose deposition and gene expression of lipid metabolism in the neonatal intrauterine growth-retarded piglets. Journal of Applied Animal Research 2119, 1–6.Google Scholar
Chevaux, E, Sacy, A, Le Treut, Y and Martineau, GP 2010. Intra-uterine growth retardation (IUGR) Morphological and behavioral description. In Proceedings of the 21st IPVS Congress, Vancouver, Canada, volume 84, p. 209.Google Scholar
Flecknell, PA, Wootton, R, John, M and Royston, JP 1981. Pathological features of intra-uterine growth retardation in the piglet: differential effects on organ weights. Diagnostic Histopathology 4, 295–298.Google ScholarPubMed
Foxcroft, GR, Dixon, WT, Dyck, MK, Novak, S, Harding, JCS and Almeida, FCRL 2009. Prenatal programming of postnatal development in the pig. Society of Reproduction and Fertility supplement 66, 213–231.Google ScholarPubMed
Gondret, F, Lefaucheur, L, Juin, H, Louveau, I and Lebret, B 2006. Low birth weight is associated with enlarged muscle fiber area and impaired meat tenderness of the longissimus muscle in pigs. Journal of Animal Science 84, 93–103.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hales, J, Moustsen, VA, Nielsen, MBF and Hansen, CF 2013. Individual physical characteristics of neonatal piglets affect preweaning survival of piglets born in a noncrated system. Journal of Animal Science 91, 4991–5003.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hansen, CF, Hales, J, Amdi, C and Moustsen, VA 2018. Intrauterine growth restricted piglets defined by their head shape have impaired growth during the suckling period. Animal Production Science 59, 1056–1062.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hegarty, PV and Allen, CE 1978. Effect of pre-natal runting on the post-natal development of skeletal muscles in swine and rats. Journal of Animal Science 46, 1634–1640.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hu, L, Liu, Y, Yan, C, Peng, X, Xu, Q, Xuan, Y, Han, F, Tian, G, Fang, Z, Lin, Y, Xu, S, Zhang, K, Chen, D, Wu, D and Che, L. 2015. Postnatal nutritional restriction affects growth and immune function of piglets with intra-uterine growth restriction. British Journal of Nutrition 114, 53–62.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Huting, AMS, Sakkas, P, Wellock, I, Almond, K and Kyriazakis, I 2018. Once small always small? To what extent morphometric characteristics and post-weaning starter regime affect pig lifetime growth performance. Porcine Health Management 7, 1–14.Google Scholar
Kuhn, G, Rehfeldt, C, Hartung, M and Ender, K 2002. Eine bessere Schlachtkörperqualiät durch schwerere Ferkel (Heavy newborn piglets develop a high carcass quality). Fleischwirtschaft 9, 128–129.Google Scholar
Liu, JB, Yang, YK and He, J 2015. Intrauterine growth retardation increases lipid deposition in adipose tissue of pigs in response to high-fat/high energy diets. Livestock Science 177, 95–102.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Milligan, BN, Fraser, D and Kramer, DL 2002. Within-litter birth weight variation in the domestic pig and its relation to pre-weaning survival, weight gain, and variation in weaning weights. Livestock Production Science 76, 181–191.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Morise, A, Sève, B, Macé, K, Magliola, C, Le Huërou-Luron, I and Louveau, I 2009. Impact of intrauterine growth retardation and early protein intake on growth, adipose tissue, and the insulin-like growth factor system in piglets. Pediatric Research 65, 45–50.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Panzardi, A, Bernardi, ML, Mellagi, AP, Bierhals, T, Bortolozzo, FP and Wentz, I 2013. Newborn piglet traits associated with survival and growth performance until weaning. Preventive Veterinary Medicine 110, 206–213.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Poore, KR and Fowden, AL 2004. The effects of birth weight and postnatal growth patterns on fat depth and plasma leptin concentrations in juvenile and adult pigs. The Journal of physiology 558, 295–304.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Powell, SE and Aberle, ED 1980. Effects of birth weight on growth and carcass composition of swine. Journal of Animal Science 50, 860–868.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Quiniou, N, Dagorn, J and Gaudré, D 2002. Variation of piglets’ birth weight and consequences on subsequent performance. Livestock Production Science 78, 63–70.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rehfeldt, C and Kuhn, G 2006. Consequences of birth weight for postnatal growth performance and carcass quality in pigs as related to myogenesis. Journal of Animal Science 84, E113–E123.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Town, SC, Putman, CT, Turchinsky, NJ, Dixon, WT and Foxcroft, GR 2004. Number of conceptuses in utero affects porcine fetal muscle development. Reproduction 128, 443–454.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Tybirk, P, Sloth, NM, Kjeldsen, N and Shooter, L 2016. Normer for næringsstoffer, 24. udgave (Nutrient requirement standards, 24th edition) (In Danish). SEGES Pig Research Centre, Copenhagen, Denmark.Google Scholar
Wang, T, Yong, JH, Shi, F, Ruo, JX and Hutz, RJ 2005. Effects of intrauterine growth retardation on development of the gastrointestinal tract in neonatal pigs. Biology of the Neonate 88, 66–72.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed