Field study and hypothesis assessment

Abstract

Neonatal piglet mortality contributes to major losses in modern swine production. This regards for both economical and welfare issues. There are several contributing factor to take into consideration, such as genetics and breeding, management and routines at the farm. The best preventative measures are those that handle the actual cause and background of these deaths, and are acting in accordance with the pig’s natural instincts. The most common causes of pre-weaning piglet mortality are related to the crushing of piglets; starvation, hypothermia, hypoxia, to big and uneven litters and the sows behavior. These are often considered to be primary factors with increases the risk and danger to crushing.