Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
60
3.8%
bre
7%
bre
50
40
30
20
10
0
-6
-5
-4
-3
-2
-1
1
2
3
4
5
Days
Figure 10.7. Average daily water consumption of sows fed two different levels of crude fibre (Oliviero
et al
.,
2009).
10.8.3
Effects of body condition and constipation on the farrowing
process
Higher backfat values were found to be associated with an increased duration of farrowing
(Oliviero
et al.,
2010). In Figure 10.8, all the sows in areas C and D had normal durations
of farrowing (<300 min), whereas those in areas A and B had farrowings longer than
normal (>300 min). Most of the fatter sows (>17 mm of back-fat) were in area B, whereas
most of the thinner sows (<17 mm of backfat) were in area C.
When looking at the correlation between faecal score and the duration of farrowing,
the average constipation index score was 2±0.6 (range from 0.3 to 3) and the lower
constipation index scores were negatively related with duration of farrowing. Figure 10.9
illustrates that all the sows in areas C and D had a normal farrowing duration (<300 min),
whereas those in areas A and B had longer than normal farrowings (>300 min). Many of
the constipated sows (<1.9 constipation index score) were in area A, whereas most of the
unconstipated sows (>1.9 constipation index score) were in area D (Oliviero
et al.
, 2010).
Cases of severe constipation can be avoided by increasing the amount of dietary fibre
in the very last phase of pregnancy. This provision of dietary fibre improves intestinal
activity and reduces the degree of constipation. The use of high-fibre diets therefore
appears as a beneficial strategy and the role of roughage/substrate at farrowing may also
be of importance. Additional roughage could support the sow's nest-building behaviour
while at the same time contributing to reduce constipation by providing a readily available
source of fibre.
