growth rate and mortality in suckling piglets and their correlation to the sows' milk yield

Piglets from 116 sows were weighed at birth, on the 1st; 2nd and 3rd day of life and upon weaning. Based on the weight growth, the sow milk production was calculated. On the first 3 days of suckling, the mammary glands were examined and the rectal temperature, vaginal pH, and the feeding rate were determined in order to diagnose the MMA syndrome.The results in growing and the mortality rate were compared in piglets from sows with ascending suckling curve and sows with non-uniform suckling curve, affected by MMA. It was observed that, on the first 3 days of suckling, the 116 sows had an average daily milk production of 4,21 l. The healthy sows with an ascending suckling curve represent 20.69% of the livestock and produced 4.03l; 5.68l and 7.14l milk on suckling days 1; 2 and 3. Comparatively, the milk production of the MMA affected sows represented 78.41%; 54.40% and 54.62% respectively of the healthy sows’ milk production. As an average, on the first three suckling days, the milk production in MMA affected sows represented 60.4% of the healthy sows’ milk production. The average piglet mortality on the first three days of life was 0.46 piglet / sow, for the MMA affected ones.Until weaning, the total mortality rate was of 0.96 piglet/healthy sow and 1.87 piglet/MMA affected sow and the average daily growth rate for the entire suckling period was reduced from 181.07 g/day to 166.78 g/day.