
Piglets, Pituitaries and Chilly Temperatures
By Linda
Cooke May 13, 1997Some like it hot--especially newborn
pigs, whose health, well-being and survival are threatened when temperatures
dip. Scientists with USDAs
Agricultural Research Service say new information about piglets ability
to cope with cold stress can help producers get little porkers off to a good
start. Piglet survival and growth are the keystones of pork profitability.
Currently, 12 to 15 percent of piglets die before they are weaned. Its
been calculated that saving one piglet per litter born in the United States is
worth $350 million annually. ARS scientists were the first to
study the effects of temperature on baby pigs pituitary gland. Located
underneath the pigs brain, this gland secretes hormones that control
important biological responses to stress and can indicate whether the piglet is
experiencing stress. The pituitary-temperature studies were piggybacked with results
from other ARS swine experiments on temperature and exposure to disease. One
discovery: Unlike older animals, a newborn pigs immune system does not
respond to a disease challenge by producing a fever. Instead, the newborn
pigs body temperature can drop to subnormal levels. This new information
may have a significant impact on piglet survival since loss of body heat is
known to be an important factor contributing to piglet deaths. The ARS scientists have teamed up with University of Missouri researchers to
construct a mini-metabolic chamber to further study and determine causes of
piglet deaths. Scientific contact: Robert L. Matteri, ARS
Animal Physiology Research,
University of Missouri, Columbia, Mo., phone (573) 882-1047,
[email protected].
Story contacts Animal Physiology Research U.S. Department of Agriculture | |