The immune system of newborn piglets gets a protective boost from drinking the mother’s first milk. A University of Manitoba researcher wants to find out if the last-born piglet has the same chance at this milk as its earlier siblings.
Nora Lewis, a researcher in the university’s department of animal science, is working with piglets to determine if there are ways to ensure each newborn gets colostrum, which is produced only once.
“Pigs are born in litters and the first born has the pick of the teats. Each piglet will sample teats until it finds one it likes.”
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Each teat works independently and has its own milk supply, so Lewis said the first born gets to sample more teats, which means it is draining more of the colostrum before its younger siblings get a chance.
Lewis plans to videotape piglet feedings to track their colostrum intake and test to see how much of it has been absorbed into their bloodstream. If there is a difference in the levels, Lewis said the results could be used to improve the immune systems of later-born pigs.
“If it turns out this is something to worry about, we could inform producers about providing colo-strum to make sure the last born has a better chance.”
