Piglets that are not actively massaging the udder and thereby stimulating the release of prolactin leads to:
Premature cessation of milk production
Irregular return to oestrus
Strong, active piglets will stimulate the sow to produce the maximum amount of milk.
Oral application of an anti-inflammatory agent: Less stress and improved animal welfare
Research at the LfULG Kollitsch showed:
Anti-inflammatory agents, when applied orally and at the right moment will result in
Lower (normal) body-temperature of the sow
Better feed-intake of the sow
7 % less pre-weaning losses and higher weaning weights
Progesterone in the uterus blocks milk production. Only when the birth process is complete and the after-births have been delivered does this blocker stop.
Prolactin is important, especially in the last third of gestation, for proper udder-development. Furthermore prolactin is the main milk-promoting hormone during lactation.
Be aware of endotoxins and inflammations in the sow! Endotoxins i.e E.coli endotoxins and inflammatory processes inhibit these milk-hormones.
While the advice below is generally applicable there may be exceptions, particularly for vaccines that are not delivered intramuscularly.
Avoid vaccination during the first 10 days of life*: Energy-intake may be impaired because pigs that are vaccinated need more time before they resume sucking the sow again.
EU - The EU PCVD Consortium announced awards for Professor Hans Nauwynck and Professor Joaquim Segalés in its June 2008 newsletter.
Boehringer Ingelheim DENMARK - Two researchers from Boehringer-Ingelheim Vetmedica in Copenhagen have published a paper showing a highly significant reduction in the use of antimicrobials after vaccination of pigs against porcine proliferative enteropathy in a Danish specific-pathogen-free (SPF) herd.
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