SURVIVAL OF COLOSTRUM-DEPRIVED NEONATAL PIGLETS FED GAMMA-GLOBULINS

Abstract

A series of cooperative trials were carried out at the University of Saskatchewan and the Animal Research Institute, Ottawa to determine the oral dosage level of gamma-globulin required for survival of colostrum-deprived piglets reared artificially under practical conditions. Gamma-globulins were derived from either porcine or bovine abattoir blood either by precipitation or by direct lyophilization of serum. The gamma-globulin was fed to the piglets as an integral part of milk replacers. As the level of porcine gamma-globulin fed increased from 0 to 15 g/kg body weight on day 1 and from 0 to 5 g/kg body weight on days 2 through 10, there was a progressive improvement in survival. Conflicting results were obtained with serum-derived bovine gamma-globulin. However, bovine colostrum supported good survival rates. Antibacterial supplementation of milk replacer did not enhance survival and performance. Allowing piglets to nurse the dam for 24 h prior to artificial rearing did not result in improved survival rates. The study indicated that it is possible to raise colostrum-deprived neonatal piglets in an ordinary swine barn environment and achieve survival rates comparable to those presently achieved under natural conditions through the supplementation of milk replacers with gamma-globulin derived from abattoir blood.