Study Explores Piglet Growth Challenges

By Blake Jackson

Researchers at the University of Kentucky are studying a major challenge in modern swine production. The issue focuses on the gap between the number of piglets a sow produces and how many it can support during development. This study aims to improve piglet survival and farm productivity.

Jonathan Pasternak leads this research project with support from a federal grant. The study runs for several years and involves a team of scientists working to understand how overcrowding in the womb affects piglet growth. Modern breeding has increased litter sizes, with some sows producing many piglets. However, the sow’s capacity to support them has not changed.

“Ovulation rate is exceptionally heritable, but uterine capacity can’t keep pace,” Pasternak said. “We now have sows producing more piglets in a litter than they have nipples to nurse them.”

This imbalance leads to intrauterine growth restriction, known as IUGR. Piglets affected by this condition receive fewer nutrients before birth. As a result, they are weaker, grow more slowly, and have a higher risk of early death. Many piglets in modern litters are affected, which creates challenges for farmers.

“From a pure reproductive standpoint, this is arguably the biggest issue facing the swine industry today,” Pasternak said.

The research focuses on tracking fetal development to find when growth problems begin. Scientists study how organs develop under crowded conditions and identify piglets that are more resistant to these effects.

The goal is to improve breeding decisions without reducing litter size. Farmers may use this information to select animals that perform better under these conditions.

“We’re never going back on litter size,” Pasternak said. “The goal is to perhaps inform the geneticists of what the limits of uterine capacity really are and find ways to maintain litter size while avoiding these low-quality piglets that won’t perform as desired.”

This research may also support human health studies and provide useful data for future scientific work.

Photo Credit: istock-deyanarobova