Grants and Contributions:

Grant or Award spanning more than one fiscal year (2017-2018 to 2019-2020).

The general purpose of this project is to study metabolic status of sows and nutritional strategy around thex000D
farrowing on lactating sow performances. Specifically, the objectives are 1- to evaluate the effect of dietaryx000D
strategy on incidence of stillbirth in relation with duration of farrowing and birth interval; 2- to determine thex000D
relationship between the metabolic status of the lactating sow before and after farrowing as well as duringx000D
lactation, and the growth of the litter during lactation, feed intake of lactating sows and reproductivex000D
performance at the next litter; 3- to develop a model from metabolic status and body parameters of sows tox000D
predict feed intake, litter growth and reproductive performance at the next litter. In fact, even if it is known thatx000D
feed intake of lactating sows can affect their litter performances and long-term reproductive performances, thex000D
effect of metabolic status (lipid and protein mobilisation and glucose utilization) of sows on the feed intake arex000D
not clearly known. The pre-farrowing conditions of sows, like over fat deposition and constipation, are knownx000D
to affect farrowing process, and stillbirth and alive piglets per litter, but other factors, as calcium status, whichx000D
could affect uterine contraction and then dystocia, may be determining in farrowing process and then pigletx000D
survival around the farrowing. The results obtained in this project will have a short and long-term impact onx000D
sow performances, including a reducing stillbirth, better piglet survival and litter growth. This project will alsox000D
open several areas of investigation that will allow to understand the underlying control mechanisms of feedx000D
intake in lactating sows, which is a determining factors of litter performances and long-term reproductivex000D
performances. Finally, by developing new predicting model this project will contribute to using morex000D
efficiently farm resources and develop farming techniques to maintain the competitiveness of Canadian swinex000D
industry.