4/6 - Allevamento del suino - fecondazione artificiale, gestazione e parto

Summary

This video script provides an in-depth look at artificial insemination in pig farming, emphasizing the role of trained professionals in improving genetic quality and breeding efficiency. It covers key aspects such as sperm collection, preparation, and storage, as well as the importance of optimal environmental conditions for both sows and piglets. The script highlights the impact of proper nutrition and temperature on reproductive success, with a focus on preventing mortality in newborn piglets. It also discusses common challenges like environmental stress, genetic defects, and disease control, offering practical advice for enhancing farm productivity.

Takeaways

• 😀 Artificial insemination is increasingly common in large-scale farms and even in smaller ones, with many lay inseminators now trained in the procedure.
• 😀 The process of artificial insemination helps inseminate multiple females using semen from high genetic value males, improving herd genetics.
• 😀 Insemination can be performed by veterinarians or specially trained laypeople who have completed courses and are registered with the regional authorities.
• 😀 Semen collected from boars is analyzed in a lab, diluted, and stored at 17°C to maintain its viability for up to three weeks, depending on the preservation method.
• 😀 Proper hygiene and environmental conditions are crucial during the insemination process, including vulva cleaning and lubrication, ensuring optimal conditions for fertilization.
• 😀 The pregnancy duration for pigs is 114 days (3 months, 3 weeks, and 3 days), and management during this phase is critical to ensure healthy births and reduce the risk of complications.
• 😀 Nutritional balance during pregnancy is essential; excessive weight gain can lead to complications like weak births, low appetite post-partum, or difficulty in piglets feeding, while malnutrition can lead to underweight piglets with high mortality.
• 😀 Mortality in piglets can be high during the first days of life, especially among those with low birth weights or who fail to consume sufficient colostrum.
• 😀 Ensuring a warm and dry environment, especially with adequate heating (around 32°C), is critical to prevent hypothermia and help piglets survive after birth.
• 😀 Piglets should consume a minimum of 300g of colostrum within the first hours of birth to increase their chances of survival, as colostrum provides essential antibodies.
• 😀 Adequate iron supplementation is important for piglets since sow milk is iron-deficient. This is particularly important in intensive farming systems where sows cannot provide enough naturally.
• 😀 Post-birth, management includes practices like tail docking, teeth clipping, and castration, which should only be performed if necessary and by qualified operators to ensure animal welfare.
• 😀 Environmental stress, poor housing, or inadequate care can lead to issues like crushing by the sow, cannibalism, or even reduced milk production, which are significant contributors to piglet mortality.
• 😀 The quality and quantity of milk production from sows are influenced by their genetics, diet, appetite, and overall health, which affect piglet growth and survival rates.
• 😀 Maintaining a stable and comfortable environment for both the sows and piglets, especially in terms of temperature and nutrition, is key to successful breeding and weaning.

Q & A

What is artificial insemination in large-scale livestock farming?

Artificial insemination is a method practiced in most large-scale livestock farms where semen is collected from high-value animals, analyzed, and then used to inseminate multiple females. It is often done by trained personnel, including non-breeding farmers, who have attended special courses and are certified for this task.

Why is artificial insemination preferred over natural breeding?

Artificial insemination allows for the use of semen from genetically superior males, which can be distributed to multiple females. This increases the likelihood of better offspring and optimizes genetic value in a herd, which is especially valuable in large-scale farming.

What is the role of semen preservation and how is it handled?

Once semen is collected by specialized operators, it is analyzed under a microscope and diluted in a laboratory. It is then stored at a controlled temperature of around 17°C, and depending on the type of diluent used, semen can remain viable for up to two or three weeks.

What is the importance of proper nutrition and environmental conditions during pregnancy?

Proper nutrition and environmental conditions are critical during pregnancy to ensure the health of the sow and her offspring. Imbalances in diet can cause either underweight or overweight sows, leading to complications like embryonic mortality, difficult births, or reduced milk production post-birth.

How does the temperature during birth affect the piglets?

Piglets are born at around 38.5°C, and exposure to cold environments can cause them to go into shock. To prevent this, it is crucial to maintain an environment with a temperature of at least 32°C in the first 24 hours after birth to prevent hypothermia and ensure they can feed properly.

Why is colostrum so important for piglets after birth?

Colostrum is crucial because it provides piglets with essential antibodies that protect them from diseases in the early stages of life. Piglets need to consume about 300 grams of colostrum within the first few hours of birth to have a significantly lower mortality rate.

What are the risks associated with low colostrum intake?

If piglets do not consume enough colostrum, they are at a higher risk of mortality, especially in the first few days after birth. This is due to a lack of antibodies and the necessary energy for survival, which can result in hypoglycemia or even death.

How can environmental factors impact colostrum intake and survival rates?

The ambient temperature plays a critical role in colostrum intake. When the environment is colder, piglets consume less colostrum. For instance, if the temperature is 18-20°C, piglets may consume 27% less colostrum than those raised in warmer conditions of 30-32°C.

What are the main causes of mortality in piglets during the first days of life?

The primary causes of piglet mortality include inadequate environmental conditions such as temperature extremes, failure to consume sufficient colostrum, and physical trauma from being crushed by the sow. Stress and poor maternal instincts can also contribute to these issues.

What are some common management practices to ensure piglet survival during the early stages?

Key practices include ensuring the environment is warm (32°C), ensuring piglets consume enough colostrum, avoiding stress for the sow, and providing adequate nutrition. In some cases, supplements like iron may be necessary, especially for piglets raised indoors, as the sow's milk may be low in iron.