Influência do peso ao nascimento e de lesões orais, umbilicais ou locomotoras no desempenho de leitões lactentes
da Silva Duarte Furtado, CristianePaula Gonçalves Mellagi, AnaReis Cypriano, CristianaSchwarz Gaggini, ThaisLourdes Bernardi, MariWentz, IvoPandolfo Bortolozzo, Fernando
Background: Several factors infl uence the survival and performance of piglets during lactation. Birth weight appears as one of the most important factors affecting the survival of piglets, mainly during the fi rst week after birth. There is also a positive correlation between birth weight and weaning weight. In addition to the birth weight, the presence of oral, umbilical or limb lesions can compromise the performance of suckling piglets, affecting their weaning weight. Although limb lesions are common among suckling piglets, there is little information associating these lesions with piglet performance. The aim of this study was to evaluate the infl uence of birth weight as well as of oral, umbilical or limb lesions on mortality and performance of piglets at 7, 14 and 21 days of age.Materials, Methods & Results: The study was performed in a pig farm located in Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil. A total of 2004 piglets were evaluated for the presence of oral (at the fi rst day of life), umbilical and limb lesions (at the end of fi rst and second weeks of life). Piglets were weighed at birth and at 7, 14 and 21 of age. Overall, birth and weaning weights were respectively 1546 ± 8.2 g and 5837 ± 32.0 g (means ± SEM). Mortality rate from birth to weaning was 4.7% and 79.0% of deaths occurred during the fi rst week of life. Piglets with birth weight until 1200g showed pre-weaning
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