Behaviour of new-born piglets related to thermoregulation

Observations were made using 5 litters of piglets during a period of 24 h after birth. The farrowing pens consisted of sow crates on a slatted floor, cast iron slats for the sow and plastic slats for the piglets. A heated floor-mat was located at the front of the pen. During parturition and for the following 7 h, two infra-red lamps were hung at the rear of the pen, thereafter, one infra-red lamp was hung at the side of the pen.Piglets were weighed and identified at birth and their position was recorded at thirty minute intervals. The temperature was measured every 5 min at eight points in the pen, 15 cm from floor level and the floor temperature was measured hourly at twenty-one points in the pen.The weight of piglets at birth and the interval between birth and colostrum intake were correlated (R2 = 0.21, p