All major events in a pig’s life cause stress. Pig farmers are usually focused on transport and weaning stress, the latter being the subject of much research. However, we should not neglect in utero, farrowing, and pre-weaning stress.
In the last decades, the phenomenon of Intra-Uterine Heat Stress (IUHS) has been highlighted due to its long-lasting effects on energy intake and growth (Maskal et al., 2020). Piglet perinatal mortality causes significant losses in the industry, mainly due to sow crushing, though stress plays a part. Finally, stress in the farrowing area during the first weeks of life leads to lower pre-weaning weights, a major predictor of future performance.
In this article, we will explore stress in the farrowing area, and what you can do to minimise it.