Shunt fostering on a large-scale commercial pig farm in Hungary: Interplay between backfat thickness and piglet weaning performance

¹ University of Debrecen, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences and Environmental Management, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
² University of Debrecen, Doctoral School of Animal Science, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
³ Centre for Agricultural Genomics and Biotechnology, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
⁴ Faculty of Animal Science, Universitas Gadjah Mada, 55281 Yogyakarta, Indonesia
⁵ Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary

^* Corresponding author: yogi.sidik.p@ugm.ac.id

Abstract

Shunt fostering, also known as fall-behind management, is a unique piglet management strategy in commercial pig farming. We investigated the effects of shunt fostering on sow backfat thickness and piglet weaning. Seventeen sows were prospectively used for shunt fostering. Backfat thickness was measured at farrowing, early weaning (EW), and final weaning (FW). The results showed that the mean parity of sows utilized for shunt fostering was 3.4 ± 0.7. At farrowing, EW and FW, the mean backfat was 14.52 mm ± 2.7, 11.65 mm ± 2.23, and 10.06 mm ± 2.14, respectively. Backfat thickness differed (p<0.05) from farrowing to weaning; however, there was no difference (p>0.05) in backfat changes during weaning times. Sows used in shunt fostering lost 13.7% of their backfat within that period and 33.5% during the entire lactation period. There was a difference (p < 0.05) in the number of weaned piglets during EW (13.18) and FW (12.41). Spearman’s correlation established a positive but non-significant relationship between backfat thickness at farrowing and number of live born (ρ=0.336, p>0.05). In conclusion, shunt fostering is meant to increase piglet survival and these findings underscore the importance of focusing on aspects of management that could improve efficiency of shunt fostering.