INFLUENCE OF ENDOGENIC AND EXOGENIC FACTO RS ON THE DYNAMICS OF RECTAL TEMPERATURE IN NEWBORN PIGLETS

Studies were conducted on 1418 newborn piglets before weaning. The mos t drastic drop in rectal temperature was measured up to 30 minutes aft er birth. Male piglets from gilts had the strongest drop in body tempe rature (3.12 K), followed by their own female siblings (2.91 K) and th e piglets from sows. Temperature decline in lightweight piglets (< 800 g) was appr. 4 times stronger (4,48 K) than that of heavier siblings (> 2200 g: 0.85 K). Newborn piglets, which were dried after birth, had a drop in body temperature of 1.5 K whereas piglets of litters withou t any newborn care had a value of appr. 3 K. With a decrease of air te mperature in the farrowing pen by 1 K the drop in rectal temperature o f neonates increased by 0.2 K. Newborn piglets with a ruptured navel a t birth had a significant stronger drop in body temperature (2.99 K) i n comparison with their littermates with intact navel (2.23 K). Furthe r a significant correlation between drop in postnatal rectal temperatu re and mortality and life weight development up to an age of 28 days w as found. So, the dynamics of rectal temperature in newborn piglets ma y be used as a parameter for assessment of vitality of neonates with p rognostic relevance.