Does lifting female piglets by one hind leg increase the risk of umbilical and hind leg lesions?

Background: Umbilical lesions in pigs have a negative impact on animal welfare and productivity. It has been suggested that lifting young piglets by one hind leg may be a risk factor for developing omphalitis and umbilical hernia. However, the hypothesis that lifting piglets by one hind leg should stretch the umbilical wall and impede the healing of the umbilicus has not yet been investigated. The present study examined if piglets caught, lifted, and carried by one hind leg have an increased risk of developing lesions in the umbilicus and the hind legs compared to piglets caught, lifted, and carried with support under the abdomen.

Materials and methods: In a commercial indoor sow herd, 1901 piglets were randomly allocated into two groups on the day of birth. Piglets in Group 1 (986 piglets) were caught, lifted, and carried by one hind leg (either left or right, as the same leg was not necessarily used each time). Piglets in Group 2 (915 piglets), were caught, lifted, and carried with support under the abdomen. All piglets were lifted 8-10 times during the first 14 days of life as a part of routine management procedures. From each group, 50 female piglets, 14 days old, were randomly selected and euthanised for necropsy and histopathological evaluation.

Results: The risk of having haemosiderophages in the umbilicus was 1.4 times higher in piglets caught, lifted, and carried by one hind leg compared to piglets caught, lifted, and carried with support under the abdomen (p = 0.01). No other variable differed significantly between the groups. Omphalitis was present in 68% and 58% of piglets in Groups 1 and 2, respectively. Moreover, umbilical herniation was present in 14% and 12% of piglets in Groups 1 and 2, respectively. Lesions were present in the hind legs of piglets in both groups and included synovial hyperplasia, neutrophilic granulocyte infiltration, oedema, and haemorrhage.

Conclusion: Female piglets caught, lifted, and carried by one hind leg did not have an increased risk of umbilical hernia, omphalitis, or joint lesions compared to piglets caught, lifted, and carried with support under the abdomen.