Acute phase proteins, serum cortisol and preweaning litter performance in sows suffering from periparturient disease

The objective of this study was to evaluate serum concentrations of the acute phase proteins (APP), haptoglobin (HPT) and alpha 1-acid glycoprotein (AGP) as well as cortisol in sows with postparturient mastitis metritis agalactia (MMA) (Group one, n=21) and in healthy sows (Group two, n=20) and to determine whether changes in APPs are associated with litter performance. Serum samples were taken from each sow one day after parturition, and at days 5, 10, 15, and 20 of lactation. The total number of pigs born (Group one 12.4±1.3 vs. Group two: 12.5±1.2), number of liveborn pigs (Group one 11.9±1.1 vs. Group two: 11.8±1.3), number of stillborn pigs (Group one 0.5±0.03 vs. Group two: 0.7±0.02), and number of mummified pigs (Group one 0.4±0.03 vs. Group two: 0.2±0.01) did not differ significantly between the groups. Preweaning mortality showed significant (P<0.001) differences between the sows suffering from MMA (22.1±5.2%) and the healthy sows (12.6±2.1%). Weaning litter weights at four weeks differed significantly (P<0.01) between the group suffering from MMA and the healthy animals (68.2±2.1 kg vs. 77.3±3.2 kg). Mean serum AGP concentrations were higher (P<0.001) at day ten and twenty (P=0.02) after parturition in sows suffering from MMA. Mean serum HPT was higher in sows suffering from MMA at days 1, 5 (P<0.001) and 10 (P=0.04) of lactation. Serum cortisol concentrations were significantly (P<0.001) higher in sows suffering from MMA compared to the healthy ones throughout the study. AGP was negatively correlated with litter weight indicating that activation of the cellular immune response of the sow negatively affects growth rate of her litter. Correlations were found between the overall means for weight and acute phase proteins. The authors conclude that AGP negatively correlates with litter weight, indicating that an activation of cellular immune response of the sow may negatively affect growth rate of the suckling piglets and that HTP may be a valuable indicator of stress and disease in postparturient sows.