Premium
Physiometabolic responses to road transport in weaned piglets for a short period and the effects of straw bedding
Author(s) -
RoldanSantiago Patricia,
TrujilloOrtega María,
BorderasTordesillas Fernando,
MartínezRodríguez Roberto,
MoraMedina Patricia,
FloresPeinado Salvador,
SánchezHernández Mónica,
GarcíaHerrera Ricardo,
GonzálezLozano Miguel,
MotaRojas Daniel
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
animal science journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.606
H-Index - 38
eISSN - 1740-0929
pISSN - 1344-3941
DOI - 10.1111/asj.12324
Subject(s) - straw , bedding , zoology , hematocrit , weaning , blood lactate , road transport , biology , agronomy , endocrinology , botany , heart rate , engineering , transport engineering , blood pressure
The aim of the study was to evaluate the physiometabolic responses to stress in hybrid suckling piglets that were weaned and transported at different ages on a paved road under two vehicle conditions: with and without a layer of straw bedding. The piglets were weaned and transported at the following ages: 8, 15 and 22 days. The duration of each trip was 1 h. The piglets in each group were further divided into two sub‐groups for two distinct experimental transport conditions: (1) over the road with straw bedding; and (2) over the same road but without straw bedding. A total of three repetitions were performed for each experimental condition. In order to assess their responses to weaning‐ and transport‐induced stress, the study evaluated a thorough physiometabolic blood profile. The 8‐ and 15‐day‐old piglets transported without straw bedding showed increases in their pCO2 , blood glucose, blood lactate levels and the percentage of hematocrit, but a decrease of pO2 upon arrival ( P < 0.05). In contrast, the 22‐day‐old piglets transported on the same road with straw bedding were able to re‐establish their blood concentrations of lactate, pCO2 , pO2 , N a+, K +, Ca 2+ and pH during the trip ( P < 0.05).