Effects of weaning age on post-weaning belly nosing behavior and umbilical lesions

Abstract The effects of increasing weaning age in a commercial production system on nursery and finishing performance were evaluated. A total of 1,176 pigs (PIC 337 × Camborough) were used in a 136-d growth trial with 14 and 10 replications/weaning age on the nursery and finishing phases, respectively. Treatments included weaning litters at 19, 22, 25, or 28 d of age. In the nursery, as weaning age increased, initial (5.04, 5.70, 6.52, and 7.26 kg) and final body weight (BW) (18.2, 19.8, 23.0, and 25.1 kg) increased (linear, P < 0.001). Increasing the weaning age reduced (linear, P < 0.001) the prevalence of pigs exhibiting belly nosing (27.6%, 15.0%, 6.5%, and 1.4%) during the first 3 wk. The percentage of pigs losing weight during the first week after weaning (35.1%, 28.7%, 12.4%, and 9.2%) decreased (linear, P < 0.001) as weaning age increased. Average daily gain (ADG; 295, 320, 374, 406 g/d) and average daily feed intake (493, 534, 619, 661 g/d) increased (linear, P < 0.001), while feed efficiency (G:F) (596, 599, 604, and 615) tended to increase (linear, P = 0.081) with weaning age. Removal rate (8.01%, 3.79%, 2.29%, and 1.65%) declined (linear, P = 0.001) as weaning age increased, while there was no evidence of difference (P = 0.463) in mortality rate (0.71%, 0.36%, 0.96%, 1.04%). In the finishing period, BW at 136 d post-weaning (114.9, 117.8, 124.7, and 126.5 kg) and ADG (1.02, 1.04, 1.08, and 1.07 kg/d) improved (linear, P < 0.001). There was no evidence of differences (P > 0.24) in removal (1.5%, 2.4%, 1.0%, and 0.0%) or mortality rates (0.9%, 1.0%, 1.0%, and 1.4%) with changes in weaning age. When performance was analyzed at a common day of life (164 d of age), no effects of weaning age (P > 0.25) were found for BW (125.2, 124.4, 128.0, and 126.5 kg) and lifetime ADG (growth rate from birth to market) (754, 751, 774, and 762 g/d). The BW sold per pig weaned increased (linear, P < 0.001) with weaning age. Even though the slope indicated a linear response, the magnitude of improvement was high until 25 d, before exhibiting diminishing returns from 25 to 28 d. Thus, the study suggests that increasing the weaning age can be an effective strategy to improve the overall performance in a commercial system. Although lifetime performance was not affected by the weaning age range studied, the consistent effect in the nursery and the increment in the number of pigs reaching the market facilitated by the improvement in the removal rate in the nursery phase imply that 25 d is the optimal weaning age.

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Ontogeny of belly nosing in pigs weaned at 14 days of age: A study from weaning to 13 weeks of age

Canadian Journal of Animal Science ◽

10.4141/cjas09003 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 89 (2) ◽

pp. 187-194 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

C J Bench ◽

H W Gonyou

Keyword(s):

Weaned Pigs ◽

Large White ◽

Tail Biting ◽

Weaning Age ◽

Belly Nosing

As weaning age decreases, belly nosing tends to increase, and can have lasting effects on growth, as well as the frequency of nosing and chewing penmates into the grow-finish phase of development. The objective of this study was to investigate the incidence of belly nosing and sucking in early-weaned pigs as these behaviours relate to other oral-nasal behaviours, such as tail biting. Piglets sired by Duroc (n = 120) and Large White (n = 122) boars were weaned at 14 d of age and observed at 18, 23, 28, 50, 63 and 91 d of age for nosing and sucking behaviours during nursery and grow-finish. Continuous observations at 21 and 35 d of age were used to determine mean belly nosing and sucking bout lengths. Belly nosing commenced within 4 d of weaning, peaked in incidence at 23-28 d of age and gradually decreased thereafter (P < 0.001). Belly sucking gradually increased with age (P < 0.001). Belly nosing and sucking bout durations also increased with age (P < 0.01 and P < 0.001, respectively), with belly nosing bouts lasting an average of 17.5 (21 d) to 27.3 (35 d) s compared with mean belly sucking bouts of 22.6 (21 d) to 58.1 (35 d) ss. The results suggest that vices associated with belly nosing continue to present a welfare concern in latter stages of developmentKey words: Behaviour, ontogeny, pigs, belly nosing, early weaned

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Ameliorating Effects of Lithium on the Perinatal Ethanol-Induced Behavioral and Cognitive Dysfunction and Brain Oxidative Stress in Postnatal Developing Mice Pups

Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology ◽

10.2174/1389201021666200615170644 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 21 (13) ◽

pp. 1325-1332

Author(s):

Mohammad Ahmad ◽

Gasem M. Abu Taweel

Keyword(s):

Oxidative Stress ◽

Brain Tissue ◽

Emotional Dysregulation ◽

Learning Capability ◽

Weaning Age ◽

Pregnant Mice ◽

Term Basis ◽

Significant Deficit ◽

Morphological Indices ◽

And Oxidative Stress

Background: Developmental ethanol (EtOH) exposure can cause lifelong behavioral hyperactivity, cognitive deficits, emotional dysregulation, and more. However, co-treatment with lithium (Li) on the day of EtOH exposure prevents many of the impairments. Methods: Experimental groups of pregnant mice were exposed to EtOH (20% v/v solution at a dose of 2.5 g/kg) in their drinking water and the animals were treated with Li (15 and 30 mg/kg) through IP injection on gestational days14, 16, 18, and 20, and post-natal days (PD) 3, 5, 7, and 9. All treatments with EtOH and exposure to Li doses to pregnant mice started on gestational day 14 and continued until post-natal day 9 (PD9). The effects on some developing morphological indices, nerve reflexes during weaning age, and various cognitive dysfunctions at adolescent ages and biochemical changes in the brain tissue indices of below-mentioned neurotransmitters and oxidative stress in post-natal developing offspring at adolescent age, were studied. Results: Perinatal exposure to EtOH in pregnant mice resulted in several postnatal developing and morphological indices in the developing male pups during their weaning period, like gain in their body weight, delay in appearance of their body hair fuzz and opening of their eyes, and disruptions in their developing motor reflexes. Discussion: During adolescent age, a significant deficit in their learning capability and cognitive behavior, decline in the neurochemical DA and 5-HT in their brain and some indices of oxidative stress TBARS, GSH, GST, CAT, and SOD was observed. Conclusion: These results indicate that Li ameliorates significantly and dose-dependently EtOH induced developmental toxicities like morphological developments and dysfunctions in cognitive retention and oxidative stress on a long-term basis in brain tissue. However, further detailed studies are required for the clinical use of as an ameliorating agent for perinatal EtOH induced dysfunctions.

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Learning to Be an Orangutan—Implications of Life History for Orangutan Rehabilitation

Animals ◽

10.3390/ani11030767 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (3) ◽

pp. 767

Author(s):

Signe Preuschoft ◽

Ishak Yassir ◽

Asti Iryanti Putri ◽

Nur Aoliya ◽

Erma Yuliani ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Social Interactions ◽

Natural Habitat ◽

Ontogenetic Changes ◽

Forest Environment ◽

Surrogate Mothers ◽

Biological Mothers ◽

Solitary Play ◽

Forest Strata ◽

Weaning Age ◽

Survival Skills

Orangutans depend on social learning for the acquisition of survival skills. The development of skills is not usually assessed in rescued orphans’ pre-release. We collected data of seven orphans over an 18-months-period to monitor the progress of ontogenetic changes. The orphans, 1.5–9 years old, were immersed in a natural forest environment with human surrogate mothers and other orphans. Social interactions deviated significantly from those of wild mother-reared immatures. Infants spent more time playing socially with peers, at the expense of resting and solitary play. Infants were also more often and at an earlier age distant from their human surrogate mothers than wild immatures are from their biological mothers. We found important changes towards an orangutan-typical lifestyle in 4- to 7-year-old orphans, corresponding to the weaning age in maternally reared immatures. The older orphans spent less time interacting with human surrogate mothers or peers, started to use the canopy more than lower forest strata and began to sleep in nests in the forest. Their time budgets resembled those of wild adults. In conclusion, juvenile orphans can develop capacities that qualify them as candidates for release back into natural habitat when protected from humanising influences and immersed in a species-typical environment.

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Weaning Holstein Calves at 17 Weeks of Age Enables Smooth Transition from Liquid to Solid Feed

Animals ◽

10.3390/ani9121132 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (12) ◽

pp. 1132

Author(s):

Sarah Schwarzkopf ◽

Asako Kinoshita ◽

Jeannette Kluess ◽

Susanne Kersten ◽

Ulrich Meyer ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Metabolic Stress ◽

Live Weight ◽

The Other ◽

Smooth Transition ◽

Blood Metabolites ◽

Positive Effects ◽

Weaning Age ◽

Holstein Calves ◽

Positive Effect ◽

Over Time

Development of calves depends on prenatal and postnatal conditions. Primiparous cows were still maturing during pregnancy, which can lead to negative intrauterine conditions and affect the calf’s metabolism. It is hypothesized that weaning calves at higher maturity has positive effects due to reduced metabolic stress. We aimed to evaluate effects of mothers’ parity and calves’ weaning age on growth performance and blood metabolites. Fifty-nine female Holstein calves (38.8 ± 5.3 kg birth weight, about 8 days old) were used in a 2 × 2 factorial experiment with factors weaning age (7 vs. 17 weeks) and parity of mother (primiparous vs. multiparous cows). Calves were randomly assigned one of these four groups. Live weight, live weight gain and morphometry increased over time and were greater in calves weaned later. Metabolic indicators except total protein were interactively affected by time and weaning age. Leptin remained low in early-weaned calves born to primiparous cows, while it increased in the other groups. The results suggest that weaning more mature calves has a positive effect on body growth, and calves born to primiparous cows particularly benefit from this weaning regimen. It also enables a smooth transition from liquid to solid feed, which might reduce the associated stress of weaning.

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POPULATION DYNAMICS ON ONGOLE GRADE CATTLE IN KEBUMEN REGENCY - CENTRAL JAVA

Journal of the Indonesian Tropical Animal Agriculture ◽

10.14710/jitaa.41.4.224-232 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 41 (4) ◽

pp. 224

Author(s):

J. Rohyan ◽

S. Sutopo ◽

E. Kurnianto

Keyword(s):

Population Dynamics ◽

Post Partum ◽

Natural Increase ◽

Survey Respondent ◽

Replacement Rate ◽

Potential Output ◽

Central Java ◽

Weaning Age ◽

Livestock Farmers ◽

Materials Used

The objectiveof this study was to elucidatereproductive characteristics, potential output and dynamics population of Ongole Gradecattle in Kebumen Regency, Province of Central Java. The studywasconductedfromSeptemberto November 2015.The materials used in the study were165 farmers as respondentshavingOngole Gradecattle. The research method used was survey. Respondent samples were taken from five districts in which the location was determined by using purposive sampling. Data were collected through direct interviews with livestock farmers as respondents. The analysis used wasdescriptive analysis. The results showed that the age at first mating was 26.87 month, S/C was 1.64, post-partum mating was4.52 month, weaning age was 3.97 month, calving interval was 14.32 month, and the birth rate topopulation was45.5%. Reproductive efficiency value was 91.8%, natural increase was 44.68%, and net replacement rate of bull and heifer were 1,209% and 253%,respectively, andtotal output 44.11%. Population dynamics of Ongole Gradecattle from 2009 to 2014 fluctuated with average growthwas -4.84%. In 2019, cow population of Ongole Gradewasestimated about 68.381 heads. In conclusion Kebumen Regencyhasa relatively high potential output of Ongole Gradecattle thatis44.11% and population dynamics from 2010 to 2014 fluctuated with average of decrease growth is 4.84%. Estimation of cow’s population of Ongole Grade cattle willincrease 16.7% per year.

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Ontogeny of body size and shape of Antarctic and subantarctic fur seals

Canadian Journal of Zoology ◽

10.1139/z07-092 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 85 (12) ◽

pp. 1275-1285 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Sebastián P. Luque ◽

Edward H. Miller ◽

John P.Y. Arnould ◽

Magaly Chambellant ◽

Christophe Guinet

Keyword(s):

Body Size ◽

Body Mass ◽

Morphological Traits ◽

Body Shape ◽

Size And Shape ◽

Fur Seals ◽

Fur Seal ◽

Adult Body ◽

Weaning Age ◽

Lactation Duration

Pre- and post-weaning functional demands on body size and shape of mammals are often in conflict, especially in species where weaning involves a change of habitat. Compared with long lactations, brief lactations are expected to be associated with fast rates of development and attainment of adult traits. We describe allometry and growth for several morphological traits in two closely related fur seal species with large differences in lactation duration at a sympatric site. Longitudinal data were collected from Antarctic ( Arctocephalus gazella (Peters, 1875); 120 d lactation) and subantarctic ( Arctocephalus tropicalis (Gray, 1872); 300 d lactation) fur seals. Body mass was similar in neonates of both species, but A. gazella neonates were longer, less voluminous, and had larger foreflippers. The species were similar in rate of preweaning growth in body mass, but growth rates of linear variables were faster for A. gazella pups. Consequently, neonatal differences in body shape increased over lactation, and A. gazella pups approached adult body shape faster than did A. tropicalis pups. Our results indicate that preweaning growth is associated with significant changes in body shape, involving the acquisition of a longer, more slender body with larger foreflippers in A. gazella. These differences suggest that A. gazella pups are physically more mature at approximately 100 d of age (close to weaning age) than A. tropicalis pups of the same age.

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Mercury Exposure in Healthy Korean Weaning-Age Infants: Association with Growth, Feeding and Fish Intake

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph121114669 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 12 (11) ◽

pp. 14669-14689 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Ju Chang ◽

Jeong Park ◽

Sue Shin ◽

Hye Yang ◽

Jin Moon ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Fish Intake ◽

Mercury Exposure ◽

Weaning Age

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Effect of spermine synthase deficiency on polyamine biosynthesis and content in mice and embryonic fibroblasts, and the sensitivity of fibroblasts to 1,3-bis-(2-chloroethyl)-N-nitrosourea

Biochemical Journal ◽

10.1042/bj3510439 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 351 (2) ◽

pp. 439-447 ◽

Cited By ~ 26

Author(s):

Caroline A. MACKINTOSH ◽

Anthony E. PEGG

Keyword(s):

The Body ◽

Normal Male ◽

Male Mice ◽

Embryonic Fibroblasts ◽

Primary Fibroblast ◽

Polyamine Biosynthesis ◽

Spermine Synthase ◽

Fibroblast Cultures ◽

Phex Gene ◽

Weaning Age

Mutant Gy male mice, which have previously been described as having disruption of the phosphate-regulating Phex gene and a spermine synthase gene [Meyer, Henley, Meyer, Morgan, McDonald, Mills and Price (1998) Genomics, 48, 289–295; Lorenz, Francis, Gempel, Böddrich, Josten, Schmahl and Schmidt (1998) Hum. Mol. Genet. 7, 541–547], as well as mutant Hyp male mice, which have disruption of the Phex gene only, were examined along with their respective normal male littermates. Biochemical analyses of extracts of brains, hearts and livers of 5-week-old mice showed that Gy males lacked any significant spermine synthase activity as well as spermine content. Organs of Gy males had a higher spermidine content. This was caused not only by the lack of conversion of spermidine into spermine, but also because of compensatory increases in the activities of other polyamine biosynthetic enzymes. Gy males were half the body weight of their normal male littermates at weaning age. Hyp males, however, were no different in size when compared with their controls. High mortality of Gy males occurs by weaning age and this mortality was shown to be largely post-natal. Embryonic fibroblasts were isolated from Gy males and their normal male littermates and were similarly shown to lack any significant spermine synthase activity as well as spermine content. The lack of spermine, however, had no significant effect on the growth of immortalized fibroblasts or of primary fibroblast cultures. Similarly, there was no difference in the time of senescence of primary fibroblast cultures from Gy males compared with cultures derived from normal male littermates. However, the lack of spermine did increase the sensitivity of immortalized fibroblasts to killing by the chloroethylating agent 1,3-bis(2-chloroethyl)-N-nitrosourea. Therefore both the Gy male mice and derived embryonic fibroblasts provide valuable models to study the importance of spermine and spermine synthase, without the use of inhibitors which may have additional side effects.

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Early and late fawn mortality in a remnant population of Arabian gazelles (Gazella arabica)

Mammalian Biology ◽

10.1007/s42991-021-00162-x ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Benny Shalmon ◽

Ping Sun ◽

Torsten Wronski

Keyword(s):

Developmental Stages ◽

Cox Regression ◽

Mortality Rates ◽

Female Offspring ◽

Maximum Temperature ◽

Reproductive Maturity ◽

Fawn Survival ◽

Conservation History ◽

Offspring Sex ◽

Weaning Age

AbstractThe Arabian gazelle (Gazella arabica) population in Israel has experienced a turbulent conservation history and repeatedly faced local extinction. Low fawn survival was considered the main cause for the constant decline. In our study, we analyzed instantaneous fawn mortality rates, using a binomial coding at three different developmental stages, i.e., mortality rates to 3 months after parturition (weaning age), to 5 months after parturition (male fawns leave their mothers), and to the age of reproductive maturity, i.e., recruitment (12 months). We used a dataset obtained from 20 individually discernible mothers and their fawns (49 females and 48 males) born between June 2006 and September 2019. To explore causes for the fawn mortality rates, parental- (age of the mother at parturition) and offspring-related attributes (offspring sex), year of birth, together with one weather variable (mean monthly maximum temperature) were included as independent variables into three independent mixed effects cox regression models. Out of 97 fawns, 92 survived to weaning age, 73 to the age of 5 months and only 7 to the age of reproductive maturity. Temperature had significant effects on instantaneous fawn mortality rates, suggesting that low temperatures were detrimental to the survival of fawns after weaning (4–5 months) and male dispersal age (6–12 months). Male offspring encountered a higher instantaneous mortality rate than female offspring at the age of 6–12 months. Moreover, fawns from less experienced mother (young age at parturition) experienced higher mortality. Our results were in line with previous studies on fawn mortality observed in other desert dwelling ungulates.

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