Maternal stress has major role In pig productivity

摘要

Pig health, welfare and nutrition are central to driving production and profitability. Sarah Trickett reports on the latest research developments from an SAC pig research workshop in Edinburgh. The banning of sow stalls and increased mixing of sows and gilts during pregnancy could be having severe and permanent consequences on offspring health and welfare, SAC's Kenny Rutherford told delegates. Speaking about his research into prenatal stress effects on welfare and productivity in pigs, Dr Rutherford explained how mixing gilts in the second third of pregnancy was not only stressful for the mixed individuals, but the offspring of those individuals as well.