SERUM CONCENTRATION CHANGES IN PROTEIN, GLUCOSE, UREA, THYROXINE AND TRIIODOTHYRONINE AND THERMOSTABILITY OF NEONATAL PIGS FARROWED AT 25 AND 10 °C

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Abstract
On day 108 of gestation, 16 sows were moved to farrowing crates in either a warm (10 sows; 25 °C) or cold (six sows; 10 °C) room. Piglet blood samples were drawn by vena cava puncture at birth, 6, 12 and 24 h of age, and body weights, rectal temperatures and thermostability of piglets were recorded. Serum samples were analyzed for total protein, glucose, urea, thyroxine (T4), triiodothyronine (T3), and Cortisol (24 h only). Piglet mortality was 31.3% and 6.4% for pigs farrowed in the cold or warm environments, respectively. Piglets that died weighed less (P < 0.05) than those that survived. Total serum protein increased (P < 0.05) after birth from 3 g/dL to more than 7 g/dL; however, this increase occurred later in the pigs farrowed at 10 °C. Serum glucose of pigs farrowed in the cold was higher (P < 0.05) than that for pigs at 25 °C. Serum urea was elevated (P < 0.01) by 6.2 mg/dL in the cold-farrowed piglets. Serum T4 was lower (P < 0.05) at birth, 6 and 12 h for the 10 °C pigs but was similar for both groups by 24 h. Serum T3 increased (P < 0.05) after birth and was sustained to 12 h in the 10 °C piglets but not in the others. At 24 h, serum cortisol was similar (P > 0.05) in both groups (10.3 ± 1.02 μg/dL). Body temperatures were lower (P < 0.05) in cold-farrowed piglets, but both groups lost body heat at similar rates.