Advanced search
1 file | 339.50 KB Add to list

Faecal pH throughout the reproductive cycle of sows in commercial pig herds

Dominiek Maes (UGent) , Ilias Chantziaras (UGent) , Eline Vallaey, Kristel Demeyere (UGent) , Evelyne Meyer (UGent) and Geert Janssens (UGent)
Author
Organization
Abstract
Despite the importance of swine intestinal health, there are no easy-to-use and cost-efficient methods to evaluate it under field conditions for sows. To provide some indication about intestinal health, pH of faeces could be used but reference values for the currently high-performing commercial sow breeds are missing. In response, faecal pH of healthy sows from three different herds (herd A: 230 sows, herd B: 350 sows, herd C: 500 sows) was measured throughout the reproductive cycle. Within each herd, 10 sows were selected and rectal faeces samples were collected at different time points during the reproductive cycle: day 90 of gestation, day 1, 7, 14 and 21 of lactation, 7 days post-weaning and day 30 of the next gestation. In addition, data on sow body condition (back fat), feed composition and coarseness of the feed were collected. For individual pH measurements, the pH ranged from 6.30 to 7.93. However, for all herds together, the average faecal pH value of the sows throughout the reproductive cycle ranged from 6.89 to 7.15. Also, the variations due to sow and time of sampling during the reproductive cycle were low with coefficients of variation of less than 5%. The results from the pairwise comparisons of the statistical model showed that in the last stages of lactation (i.e., at day 21), significantly lower average pH values (p <= .05) are expected when compared to earlier stages of lactation (days 3 or 7), or at day 7 post-weaning or compared to day 30 of the next gestation. Bearing its limitations, our study provided reference faecal pH values from high-performing commercial sows under field conditions and as such they could be used directly in the field. Yet, further research is needed to provide more information on the factors affecting pH values throughout the reproductive cycle of the sow.
Keywords
Food Animals, Animal Science and Zoology, feed, nutrition, pigs, PARTICLE-SIZE, DIGESTA

Downloads

  • (...).pdf
    • full text (Published version)
    • |
    • UGent only
    • |
    • PDF
    • |
    • 339.50 KB

Citation

Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:

MLA
Maes, Dominiek, et al. “Faecal PH throughout the Reproductive Cycle of Sows in Commercial Pig Herds.” JOURNAL OF ANIMAL PHYSIOLOGY AND ANIMAL NUTRITION, vol. 105, no. 4, 2021, pp. 687–92, doi:10.1111/jpn.13370.
APA
Maes, D., Chantziaras, I., Vallaey, E., Demeyere, K., Meyer, E., & Janssens, G. (2021). Faecal pH throughout the reproductive cycle of sows in commercial pig herds. JOURNAL OF ANIMAL PHYSIOLOGY AND ANIMAL NUTRITION, 105(4), 687–692. https://doi.org/10.1111/jpn.13370
Chicago author-date
Maes, Dominiek, Ilias Chantziaras, Eline Vallaey, Kristel Demeyere, Evelyne Meyer, and Geert Janssens. 2021. “Faecal PH throughout the Reproductive Cycle of Sows in Commercial Pig Herds.” JOURNAL OF ANIMAL PHYSIOLOGY AND ANIMAL NUTRITION 105 (4): 687–92. https://doi.org/10.1111/jpn.13370.
Chicago author-date (all authors)
Maes, Dominiek, Ilias Chantziaras, Eline Vallaey, Kristel Demeyere, Evelyne Meyer, and Geert Janssens. 2021. “Faecal PH throughout the Reproductive Cycle of Sows in Commercial Pig Herds.” JOURNAL OF ANIMAL PHYSIOLOGY AND ANIMAL NUTRITION 105 (4): 687–692. doi:10.1111/jpn.13370.
Vancouver
1.
Maes D, Chantziaras I, Vallaey E, Demeyere K, Meyer E, Janssens G. Faecal pH throughout the reproductive cycle of sows in commercial pig herds. JOURNAL OF ANIMAL PHYSIOLOGY AND ANIMAL NUTRITION. 2021;105(4):687–92.
IEEE
[1]
D. Maes, I. Chantziaras, E. Vallaey, K. Demeyere, E. Meyer, and G. Janssens, “Faecal pH throughout the reproductive cycle of sows in commercial pig herds,” JOURNAL OF ANIMAL PHYSIOLOGY AND ANIMAL NUTRITION, vol. 105, no. 4, pp. 687–692, 2021.
@article{8662936,
  abstract     = {{Despite the importance of swine intestinal health, there are no easy-to-use and cost-efficient methods to evaluate it under field conditions for sows. To provide some indication about intestinal health, pH of faeces could be used but reference values for the currently high-performing commercial sow breeds are missing. In response, faecal pH of healthy sows from three different herds (herd A: 230 sows, herd B: 350 sows, herd C: 500 sows) was measured throughout the reproductive cycle. Within each herd, 10 sows were selected and rectal faeces samples were collected at different time points during the reproductive cycle: day 90 of gestation, day 1, 7, 14 and 21 of lactation, 7 days post-weaning and day 30 of the next gestation. In addition, data on sow body condition (back fat), feed composition and coarseness of the feed were collected. For individual pH measurements, the pH ranged from 6.30 to 7.93. However, for all herds together, the average faecal pH value of the sows throughout the reproductive cycle ranged from 6.89 to 7.15. Also, the variations due to sow and time of sampling during the reproductive cycle were low with coefficients of variation of less than 5%. The results from the pairwise comparisons of the statistical model showed that in the last stages of lactation (i.e., at day 21), significantly lower average pH values (p <= .05) are expected when compared to earlier stages of lactation (days 3 or 7), or at day 7 post-weaning or compared to day 30 of the next gestation. Bearing its limitations, our study provided reference faecal pH values from high-performing commercial sows under field conditions and as such they could be used directly in the field. Yet, further research is needed to provide more information on the factors affecting pH values throughout the reproductive cycle of the sow.}},
  author       = {{Maes, Dominiek and Chantziaras, Ilias and Vallaey, Eline and Demeyere, Kristel and Meyer, Evelyne and Janssens, Geert}},
  issn         = {{0931-2439}},
  journal      = {{JOURNAL OF ANIMAL PHYSIOLOGY AND ANIMAL NUTRITION}},
  keywords     = {{Food Animals,Animal Science and Zoology,feed,nutrition,pigs,PARTICLE-SIZE,DIGESTA}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{4}},
  pages        = {{687--692}},
  title        = {{Faecal pH throughout the reproductive cycle of sows in commercial pig herds}},
  url          = {{http://doi.org/10.1111/jpn.13370}},
  volume       = {{105}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}

Altmetric
View in Altmetric
Web of Science
Times cited: