Is there a relationship between sows' characteristics and neonatal diarrhoea occurrence? Proposed answers from measurements performed in commercial units

In some area, almost 20% of the farms are concerned with enzootic neonatal diarrhoea. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of some zootechnical parameters on piglets’ diarrhoea, especially in connection with some characteristics of the colostrum. In nine commercial units, measurements concerned sows’ backfat thickness, chronoparts (individual time at birth of littermates), piglets’ weight at birth and at 24 h of age (in order to estimate colostrum production). From a sub-sample of sows, IgG assay were also performed in colostrum and plasma samples from 4 piglets per litter at 48 h. Statistical analyses were performed to compare control litters (no diarrhoea) in non affected herds (5 herds), control litters in affected herds (4 herds) and affected litters. According to odds ratio, litters farrowed by young sows (parities 1 and 2) presented more risk to develop piglets’ diarrhoea. Parturition duration was longer in young sows in affected farms than in unaffected ones. Their proportion of born lately piglets was higher and associated with a more heterogeneous sera IgG. In affected farms, no significant difference was observed regarding colostrum immune quality between sows with neonatal diarrhoea versus control litters. Colostrum yield (in excess) appears to be another risk factor, introducing a new hypothesis on nutritional origin for piglets’ diarrhoea.