In the pork industry, the number of viable piglets born is a primary determinant of profitability. However, the incidence of stillborn piglets remains high, and is likely to increase with continuing selection for high litter size (Kerr and Cameron 1995). Oral administration of caffeine to sows 24 hours prior to parturition was shown to improve neonatal piglet performance by increasing the ability to thermoregulate (Superchi et al. 2013). The current study determined whether oral administration of caffeine to sows for three days prior to parturition would reduce the number of still births.
Ninety five multiparous (parity 3.2 ± 0.2), Large White / Landrace sows were housed in farrowing crates from 5 days prior to expected farrowing. From three days prior to their due date, sows were fed a capsule containing either 2 g (Caffiene group) three times per day at feeding or an empty capsule (Control) three times per day at feeding. Treatments continued until commencement of farrowing. The number of liveborn, stillborn and mummified piglets was recorded at farrowing. Results were analysed using a univariate general linear model (IBM SPSS Statistics 21) with birth order, treatment, parity, pen and room as fixed effects and litter size as a covariate.
Gestation length was increased in sows treated with caffeine (Caffeine: 116.6 ± 0.3 days versus Control: 115.5 ± 0.3 days; P <0.05). Total litter size did not differ between treatment groups. Caffeine treated sows had more live born piglets (Caffeine: 11.65 ± 0.22 versus Control: 11.01 ± 0.23; P <0.05) and fewer still born compared to controls (0.29 ± 0.09 versus 0.67 ± 0.15; P <0.05).
This study has demonstrated that oral caffeine administration can influence parturition outcomes in sows. Further studies are underway to determine the effects of caffeine on piglet viability and the underlying mechanisms.