Health Monitoring of Seasoned Sows in a New and Unfamiliar Environment

Sows originating from the University of Kentucky were relocated to the University of Tennessee on September 3rd, 2013. The sows were gestating upon arrival and due to farrow September 18-20, 2013. The relocation combined with gestation and farrowing resulted in an increased amount of stress, which led to the compromise of their immune system. This study examined the effect of the new environment on the sows’ health throughout the end of gestation, farrowing, lactation, weaning, and rebreeding. Starting on September 3rd, the six-week study was conducted during which respiration, heart rate, rectal temperature, and litter size were monitored. The study was helpful in early recognition of metritus through an observed increase in rectal temperature. In addition, there was a P-value 0.05) while lung score differences between intervals were barely significant (0.048

Keywords:

• Lactation
• Respiration
• Animal science
• Heart rate
• Weaning
• Unfamiliar environment
• Gestation
• Medicine
• herd health
• Veterinary medicine
• rectal temperature

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