Sow mortality numbers continue to be a concern for producers across the country, with lameness being the second leading cause at a rate of approximately 30% of the total mortalities.
Many factors play a role in lame sows, with excess toe length being one of them. In an ongoing research study at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, researchers are evaluating toe growth, toe wear and total toe length from the end of gilt development throughout parity 4 on both front and back feet.
Second-year Ph.D. student Dalton Obermier gave a lightning talk at the recent National Swine Improvement Federation meeting in St. Louis, Mo., discussing his project under the supervision of Benny Mote, an assistant professor and Swine Extension Specialist at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
In his study, Obermier uses a wood burning tool to mark sows’ toes, allowing him to track how much the toe is growing and/or wearing across the following time points of each parity: day 57, day 100 and weaning.
“Early results have shown a cyclical upward trend in total toe length throughout the sow’s reproductive lifetime, with exponential growth taking place from the midpoint of gestation throughout weaning and rapid wearing from weaning back to the midpoint of the following gestation,” he says.
Obermier believes there are many applications in both research and development and practical application on the farm that can result from this research after further repetition.
“I’m in hopes we can determine some patterns and be able to predict what the sows’ toes are going to do over time. And in certain circumstances, we might be able to evaluate when the best time is for proper trimming or pedicures on these sows would be and hopefully develop some tools that will help facilitate that trimming in the meantime,” Obermier says.
More from NSIF:
How One Student Plans to Advance Precision Livestock Farming
NSIF Lightning Talks: Top Swine Genetics Students Take the Stage
Quoteworthy: How Swine and Poultry Leaders Drive Genetic Improvement
