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

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 (T 4 ), triiodothyronine (T 3 ), 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) 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.