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Ensuring an optimal thermal environment for piglets
Newborn piglets lack brown adipose (fat) tissue which is available to many other mammals as an energy source at birth and thereby they are more sensitive to cold stress when compared to other mammals. They are at greatest risk of hypothermia immediately after birth with a lowering of body-temperature of up to 5°C possible. Through shivering piglets try to maintain body temperature but as a result lose valuable energy reserves!
Hypoxia (lack of blood oxygen) and hypothermia are responsible for the typical “wandering” behavior often witnessed. This is especially true for light weight piglets and those born after prolonged farrowings. These “wandering” pigs produce high-pitched sounds (squeaking) and have a skin temperature below 32°C! A heat lamp and mat behind the sow are recommended to reverse the situation.