s40813-017-0066-1

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RESEARCHOpenAccess SurgicalcastrationwithpainreliefaffectsthehealthandproductiveperformanceofpigsinthesucklingperiodJoaquinMorales1*

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RESEARCHOpenAccess SurgicalcastrationwithpainreliefaffectsthehealthandproductiveperformanceofpigsinthesucklingperiodJoaquinMorales1* ,AndreDereu2,AlbertoManso1,LauradeFrutos1,CarlosPiñeiro1,EdgarG.Manzanilla3andNielsWuyts2AbstractBackground:SurgicalcastrationisstillpracticedinmanyEUcountriestoavoidundesirableaggressivebehaviorandboartaintinmalepigs.However,evidenceshowsthatcastrationispainfulandhasadetrimentalinfluenceonpighealth.Thisstudyinvestigatedtheclinicalandproductiveeffectsofsurgicalcastrationinthesucklingperiod.Atotalof3696malepigs,3to6daysold,comprisingof721littersfromtwodifferentfarmswereincludedinthestudy.Withineachlitter,halfofthemaleswerekeptasintactmales(IM)andhalfweresurgicallycastrated(CM).Surgicalcastrationwasconductedbyatrainedfarmer.Averagedailygain(ADG),bodyweightatweaning(BWW),percentageofpre-weaningmortality(PWM)andantibioticusageweremeasured.Pigmajoracutephaseprotein(PigMAP)serumconcentrationswereanalyzedpriortocastration,andondays1and10aftercastration.Productiveperformancedatawereanalyzedusingalinearmixedmodel.MortalityandpercentageofpigstreatedwithantibioticswereanalyzedusingtheFisher’sexacttest.Results:NooveralldifferencesinBWWandADGwereobservedbetweenthetwogroups.However,differenceswereobservedwhenthesameeffectswereanalyzedinthe25%lightest,50%mediumand25%heaviestpigsatbirth.PWMwashigherinCMthaninIMgroups(6.3%vs3.6%;p<0.001),especiallyinthelight(12.2%vs6.2%;p=0.02)andinthemedium(5.5%vs2.7%;p=0.04)weightgroups.IntheheaviestpigsgroupPWMwasnotaffectedbycastration,butIMtendedtoshowhigherADG(p=0.06)andshowedhigherBWW(8.0kgvs7.8kg;p=0.05)thanCM.Therewerenodifferencesinpercentageofpigstreatedwithantibioticsbetweenthetwogroups(5.8%vs5.8%;p=0.98)inthisstudy.Furthermore,PigMAPwasincreasedinCMthedayaftercastration(0.944mg/mlvs0.847mg/ml;p=0.025),buttherewasnodifferencebetweenCMandIMgroupsatday10.Conclusions:SurgicalcastrationhasanegativeimpactonproductioninthesucklingperiodbecauseitcausesanincreaseinPWM,especiallyinpigsinthethreelowerquartilesforbodyweight,andnegativelyaffectstheBWWinpigsborninthehighestquartileforbodyweight.Keywords:Boarbreeding,Entireboars,Pre-weaningpigmortality,Stopcastration,Sucklingpiglet,Surgicalcastration,Swine

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borninthehighestquartileforbodyweight.Keywords:Boarbreeding,Entireboars,Pre-weaningpigmortality,Stopcastration,Sucklingpiglet,Surgicalcastration,Swine *Correspondence:joaquin.morales@pigchamp-pro.com1PigCHAMPProEuropaS.L.c,SantaCatalina,10,Segovia,SpainFulllistofauthorinformationisavailableattheendofthearticle ©TheAuthor(s).2017OpenAccessThisarticleisdistributedunderthetermsoftheCreativeCommonsAttribution4.0InternationalLicense(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/),whichpermitsunrestricteduse,distribution,andreproductioninanymedium,providedyougiveappropriatecredittotheoriginalauthor(s)andthesource,providealinktotheCreativeCommonslicense,andindicateifchangesweremade.TheCreativeCommonsPublicDomainDedicationwaiver(http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)appliestothedatamadeavailableinthisarticle,unlessotherwisestated.Moralesetal.PorcineHealthManagement (2017) 3:18 DOI10.1186/s40813-017-0066-1

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BackgroundIntactmalepigshavebetterfeedconversionandcanhavehighergrowthratesthansurgicallycastratedpigs(barrows)[1].However,inmanycountries,malepigsareroutinelycastratedtopreventboartaintthatresultsfromthepresenceofandrostenoneorskatole[2],andalsotoreduceundesirableaggressiveandsexualbehav-iourfollowingtheonsetofpuberty[3,4].CurrentEuropeanlegislationallowssurgicalcastrationuptoanageof7daysofage[5].However,ascastrationofpigsisalsoasubstantialanimalwelfareproblem,Europeanagreementsspecifiedthatfrom2012onwardsphysicalcastrationofpigsshouldbeperformedwithprolongedanalgesiaand/oranesthesiaandthatitshouldbeabandonedtotallyby2018[6].Availableevidenceshowsthatcastrationisbothpainfulandstressfulfortheanimalduringandforsometimeafterthecastration[7,8].Potentialcomplicationsassociatedwithsurgicalcastrationincludehemorrhage,excessiveswellingoredemaandinfection:thesecanreduceperformance,com-promisehealthand,insomecases,increasemortality.Ameta-analysisof15studiesin2009showedthatmalepig-letsthathadbeensurgicallycastratedhadsignificantlyhighermortalityratesthantheirintactlittermates[9].However,existingliteratureprovideslittleconsistentin-formationabouttheeffectsofsurgicalcastrationonthetimingandcausesofmortality,theincidenceofdifferentdiseaseproblemsandonhowthegrowthrateofthecas-tratedpigsisaffectedinthesucklingperiod.Thisstudyaimstoevaluatetheclinicalandproductiveeffectsofsurgicalcastrationwithpainreliefinthesuck-lingperiodandtodescribethedifferentcausesofmor-talityassociatedwiththissurgicalprocedure.MethodsAnimals,facilitiesandexperimentaldesignThisresearchwascarriedoutattwoone-sitecommer-cialswineherdfarms,locatedinSegovia,Spain.Bothfarmswerefarrow-to-finishfarmsandwerelocatedinthesamegeographicalarea,hadthesamegeneticlinesandfeedproviderandsimilarsize(630and570repro-ductivesowsinFarm1andFarm2,respectively).Theexperimentaldesignwasarandomizedblockdesign,in-cludingsurgicalcastrationasthemaineffect,resultingintwoexperimentaltreatmentgroupswithsurgicallycastratedmales(CM)andmalepigskeptasintactmales(IM).Anysowswithaclinicalhistoryofhighincidenceofabortions,highpercentageofstillbornorhighpercent-ageofpre-weaningmortalitywereexcludedfromthestudy.Atday107ofgestationsowsweremovedfromthegestationbarntofarrowingpens.Inbothfarms,eachfarrowingpenhadapartiallyslattedfloorandaheatbulbforthepiglets.Ablankcreepfeedwasofferedfromday14ofagetothepigletsadlibitum.Followingnormalpracticeinbothfarms,teethclippingandtaildockingwereperformedonallpigletsenrolledinthisstudybe-foreStudyDay0.Malepigswereindividuallyidentifiedbyeartagging,weighedandrandomizedonStudyDay0(day3to6oflife).Randomizationwasdonewithinlitteratindividualanimallevelandbasedonbodyweight.Adifferentrandomizationlistwasusedforeachlitter.Dir-ectlyafterrandomizationpigletsinCMgroupweresur-gicallycastrated.Cross-fosteringwasonlyallowedbeforeStudyDay0.Thestudyobservationsendedonweaningat28daysofageofthepiglets.NormalanimalhousingandmanagementproceduresusuallyemployedonthefarmswereusedthroughouttheexperimentalperiodandanimalsweremanagedincompliancewiththeEuro-peanfarmanimalwelfareregulations[5].SurgicalcastrationprocedureAnon-steroidalanti-inflammatorydrug(NSAID)(meloxicam;0.4mgmeloxicam/kgbodyweight,Conta-cera®:Zoetis)wasadministered30minbeforecastrationtomitigatepain,followingrecommendationsproposedbyO’Connoretal.[10].TheuseofNSAIDswasnotacommonpracticeinthetwofarmsselected,butthestudyaimedtorepresentthe‘bestpractice’asitshouldbeappliedaccordingtothe2012Europeanagreement[6].Farmworkers,previouslytrainedbyaveterinarianinordertostandardisetheprocedurebetweenfarms,per-formedthecastrationaccordingtonormalfarmpracticebetweendays3and6oflife.Inbrief,pigletswerere-strainedbythefarmerworkers.Twoverticalincisionsweremadeinthescrotumandthetesteswereremovedaftertearingoffthespermaticcord.Aftercastration,atopicalantibioticwasadministeredontheinjuryarea(oxytetracycline;Tenicolspray:MSD)for5s.Routineuseofanantibioticspraywasusedinthisstudyinordertoensureoptimalpost-surgicalrecoveringinthecas-tratedgroup.ObservationsandmeasurementsAgeneralphysicalexaminationwasperformedforallenrolledpigsonStudyDay0.Bodyweightwasmea-suredfromallpigletsonStudyDay0(3–6daysofage)andatweaning(28daysofage),andaveragedailygain(ADG)inthestudyperiodwascalculated.Dailygeneralhealthobservationswerecarriedoutbythefarmworkersandillorinjuredpigletswerepromptlyexam-inedandtreatedbytheveterinarian.Foralltreatmentsthefollowinginformationwasrecorded:animalidentifi-cation,date,productused,dose,frequency,aswellasreasonfortreatment(theroutineuseofthepostcastra-tionantibioticspraywasnotrecordedoranalysedasatreatmentinthestudyobservationperiod).Inaddition,foranypigletfounddeadoreuthanizedonwelfareMoralesetal.PorcineHealthManagement

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notrecordedoranalysedasatreatmentinthestudyobservationperiod).Inaddition,foranypigletfounddeadoreuthanizedonwelfareMoralesetal.PorcineHealthManagement (2017) 3:18 Page2of6

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groundsduringthestudy,anecropsywasconductedandthereasonfordeathwasrecorded.Pigletsinverypoorhealthwereremovedfromthestudyandplacedwithanursesowtogivethemachancetorecover.Alladversehealthobservationswererecorded.Thedifferentreasonsformortalityorremovalswerelistedasdeathsassociatedtocomplicationsfollowingthesurgicalcastra-tionprocedure,meningitis,diarrhoea,runtpigletsandothercausesthatcouldberelatedtopost-castrationcomplications.Meningitiswasassignedtopigletsthatshowednervoussigns(leaninghead,pedalingandcon-vulsions)beforedeathorsuddendeaths.Diarrhoeawasassignedtopigletsshowingliquidfaeces,dehydration,andpoorbodyconditionbeforedeath.Runtpigletswerepigletswhichshowedpoorbodyconditionandcachexiaastheonlyclinicalsignsbeforedeath.Allotherminorcausesofdeathorremoval(e.g.dermatitis)wereclassi-fiedas‘other’.Differentreasonsforantibiotictreatmentinterventionswereclassifiedasdiarrhoea,dermatitis,runtpiglets,meningitis,respiratorysigns(coughing,rapidbreathing,dischargesfromtheeyes-conjunctivitis,sneezes,etc)andlameness(arthritis).Anacutephase-protein,PigMAP(MajorAcutePhase-proteinofPigs),wasusedasanunspecificbiomarkertoquantifyinflammationand/orstress.FiftylittersfromFarm1and40littersfromFarm2wererandomlyse-lectedusingarandomnumbertableforbloodsampling.Ineachofthese90litters,twopiglets(1CMand1IM)werealsorandomlyselected(180pigletsintotal;100inFarm1and80inFarm2)andwerebloodsampledbyvenopunctionofthevenacavaonday0(beforecastra-tion),day1(thedayaftercastration)andday10.Serumwasimmediatelyremovedaftercentrifugationat3500gfor5min,andkeptfrozen(−20°C)untiltheiranalysis.PigMAPconcentrationinserumwasmeasuredbysand-wichELISAwithtwomonoclonalantibodies,usingacommercialkit(pigMAPkitELISA,Acuvetbiotech,Zaragoza,Spain)asdescribedearlier[11].StatisticalanalysisAlltreatmentdifferenceswereassessedatthe2-sided0.05alphalevelofsignificanceandtrendswerereportedforalpha=0.10.Inallcasesofaninteractionwithp<0.10,theinteractionwasstudied.Multiplecompari-sonswereadjustedusingTukey’scorrection.Pigletswereclassifiedbasedontheirweightatday0inquartiles:light(25%lightestpigs),mediumandheavy(25%heaviestpigs).TheprimaryvariablesaverageweightatweaningandADGwereanalyzedusingagen-erallinearmodel(procGLM)includingtreatment,par-ity,farmandbodyweightgroup(light,medium,heavy)andalltheirseconddegreeinteractionsasfixedfactors.PigMAPserumconcentrationswereanalyzedusingalinearmixedmodel(procMIXED)withthefixedeffectsoftreatment,parity,farmandseconddegreeinterac-tionseffect.Dataoncasualtiesandmedicationwasanalyzedusinggeneralizedlinearmodels(procGLIMMIX)includingtreatment,parity,farm,bodyweightgroupandalltheirsecondlevelinteractionsasfixedfactors.Whenthefre-quencyofevents(casualtiesormedication)observedwas0inanyleveloftheindependentvariables(treat-ment,BWgrouportheirinteraction),themodeldidnotconverge,andtheanalysiswasdoneusingFisher’sexacttest.AllstatisticalanalyseswerecarriedoutusingSASver-sion9.4.ResultsAtotalof3696crossbred(LargeWhite&LandracexPietrain)malepigsfrom721litterswereincludedinthestudy.InFarm1,atotalof1950pigletsfrom363littersandinFarm2,1746pigletsfrom358litterswerein-cludedinthestudy.Atotalof1848pigletswereassignedtoeachtreatmentgroup(IM,CM).Productiveperformance(Table1)showedaninter-actionbetweensurgicalcastrationandweightgroup(bodyweightatweaning,p=0.084).CastrationdidnotaffectperformanceoflightormediumpigletsbutheavyCManimalstendedtohavealowerADG(p=0.059)andhadalowerbodyweightatweaning(p=0.05).Pre-weaningmortality(Table2)alsoshowedaninteractionbetweensurgicalcastrationandweightgroup(p=0.063).Mortalitywasalmostdoubleforlight(p=0.017)andmedium(p=0.041)weightCMpigletsbutwasnotdifferentforheavyCManimals(p=0.327).Noothervariableorinteractionaffectedproductiveper-formanceorpre-weaningmortality.Thepercentagesfordifferentcausesofdeatharepre-sentedinFig.1.Percentageofmortalityassociatedwiththeprocedureofcastration,withmeningitisandlossesofruntpigletswerehigherinCMthaninIMgroup.Intotal17CMpigletsdiedduetocastration:4ofthemhadanon-detectedtesticularherniaanddiedduringthesurgicalprocedure;3pigletsdiedwithin1hafterthesurgicalprocedureshowinganhaemorrhageinthewoundareaandtheother10diedwithin5daysaftertheprocedureofcastrationshowinganinfectioninthesurgicalarea.NodifferencesbetweenCMandIMwereobservedintheotherreasonsofmortalityorremoval.Oddsratiosformortalitywere2.3(1.1,4.8)formeningi-tisand2.8(1.3,6.0)forruntpigs,whensurgicalcastra-tionwasapplied.Bodyweightgroupaffectedmortalityassociatedtocastration(0.75,0.54and0.00%forlight,mediumandheavypigletsrespectively;p=0.021),Moralesetal.PorcineHealthManagement

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tgroupaffectedmortalityassociatedtocastration(0.75,0.54and0.00%forlight,mediumandheavypigletsrespectively;p=0.021),Moralesetal.PorcineHealthManagement (2017) 3:18 Page3of6

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crushing(2.78,1.03and0.77%;p=0.002),andmeningi-tis(1.60,0.76,0.33%;p=0.012).Nodifferencesinantibiotictreatmentduetocastra-tionwereobservedinthisstudy.Highestfrequencyofantibiotictreatmentwastotreatdiarrhoea(4.20%)followedbytreatmentofmeningitis(0.98%).Bodyweightgroupaffectedantibiotictreatmentformeningitis(2.99,1.46and0.66%forlight,mediumandheavypig-letsrespectively;p=0.002).PigMAPserumconcentrationwassignificantlyhigherinCMthaninIMgroupsthedayaftercastration,andthesedifferencesdisappearedbyday10(Table3).DiscussionCastrationisasurgicalprocedurecommonlyperformedinnon-optimalhygieneconditionson3–6days-oldpig-letsandresultsinopenwounds.Untilnow,verylittlere-searchquantifyingthehealthandperformanceimpactofcastrationonmalepiglets,especiallyinthesucklingperiod,hasbeenpublished.Inthepresentstudy,castrationwasconductedundercommercialconditionsbytwoexperiencedfarmers.Inbrief,meloxicamwasadministeredabout30minpriortocastrationinmalepigsinCMgroup,andatopicalantibioticwasappliedontheinjurywoundsaftercastra-tion.Noothermanipulationswereimposed,toreplicatecommercialsituationsasmuchaspossible.Undertheseconditions,surgicalcastrationalmostdoubledtheper-centageofpre-weaningmortality,mainlyassociatedwithruntingofaffectedpiglets,withfatalmeningitis,andwiththeintra-andthepost-surgerymortality.Moststudiesevaluatingtheconsequencesofcastrationrarelymentionpre-weaningmortality[12],suggestingthatthereisnoeffect.However,analysisofdatafromcom-mercialherdsshowsthatpoorhygieneatcastrationcouldpromotetheoccurrenceofarthritis,whichitselfmayresultindeathofpiglets[13].Inanotherstudy,alowerantibodyresponsetoanimmunechallengeincas-tratedpigletscomparedtoentirepigletswasobserved[14],probablyattributabletothestressreaction,which

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study,alowerantibodyresponsetoanimmunechallengeincas-tratedpigletscomparedtoentirepigletswasobserved[14],probablyattributabletothestressreaction,which Table1EffectofsurgicalcastrationongrowthrateinthesucklingperiodbyinitialbodyweightgroupaItemIntactMalesCastratedMalesSEMbPvalue3LightpigsInitialnumberofpigs476459Bodyweight,day0(kg)1.431.420.0080.528Bodyweight,day28(kg)5.695.770.0620.367Averagedailygain(g/day)182.3185.52.6480.379MediumpigsInitialnumberofpigs921931Bodyweight,day0(kg)1.961.970.0060.226Bodyweight,day28(kg)6.836.790.0410.540Averagedailygain(g/day)210.0208.51.7680.535HeavypigsInitialnumberofpigs451458Bodyweight,day0(kg)2.552.570.0120.388Bodyweight,day28(kg)7.977.810.0630.050Averagedailygain(g/day)237.4230.42.6150.059aPigsweresplitinthreegroupsaccordingtotheirinitialbodyweight:lightpigs(25%pigswiththelightestinitialbodyweight),mediumpigs(50%pigswithmediuminitialbodyweight)andheavypigs(25%pigswiththeheaviestinitialbodyweight)bStandardErrorofMean3P-valueforsurgicalcastrationtreatmenteffect(Intactvs.Castratedmalepigs)obtainedbymultiplecomparisonsusingTukey’scorrection Table2EffectofsurgicalcastrationonpercentageofmortalityinthesucklingperiodbyinitialbodyweightgroupaItemIntactMales(%)CastratedMales(%)Oddsratiob(95%CI)Pvalue3Light6.312.22.2(1.09,4.25)0.017Medium2.75.52.1(1.02,4.22)0.041Heavy2.41.50.6(0.15,2.51)0.327aPigsweresplitinthreegroupsaccordingtotheirinitialbodyweight:lightpigs(25%pigswiththelightestinitialbodyweight),mediumpigs(50%pigswithmediuminitialbodyweight)andheavypigs(25%pigswiththeheaviestinitialbodyweight)bOddsratioofdeath3P-valueforsurgicalcastrationtreatmenteffect(Intactvs.Castratedmalepigs)obtainedbymultiplecomparisonsandusingTukey’scorrectionMoralesetal.PorcineHealthManagement (2017) 3:18 Page4of6

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couldexplainthehighermortality.Inourstudy,Pig-MAPserumconcentrationwassignificantlyhigherinCMthaninIMthedayaftercastration,confirmingthatphysicalcastrationcausestissuedamage,inflammationandstress.Thisresultisinaccordancewithapreviousstudy[15],whereasignificantincreaseofhaptoglobinserumconcentration,anotheracutephaseprotein,24hafterphysicalcastrationwasalsoobserved,likelyassoci-atedwithstressorwithaninflammatoryprocess.Sinceinthisstudymostantibioticinterventionswerenotspe-cifictocastration,itwasnotpossibletomakeanassess-mentaboutantibioticusageasaresultofcastrationornon-castration.Furthermore,itshouldbenotedthatallpigletsintheCMgroupreceivedatopicalantibiotic(spray)asapost-surgeryprophylacticmeasure.Castrationreducesundesirableaggressiveandsexualbehaviors,butitalsostimulatesfatdepositionandhasanegativeeffectonfeedconversion[12].Inanotherstudy,adecreaseinthegrowthrateofpigletswasobservedonlyinthedaysfollowingsurgerywhenitwascarriedoutshortlyafterbirth(3days)[16].Thesedifferencesinweightgainhaddisappearedbyweaning,aswasalsoob-servedinthepresentstudy,promptingtheconclusionthatcastrationdoesnothavelong-termimplicationsinthesucklingperiod.However,takingintoaccountourobservationthatthemortalityratewasalmostdoubleinCMgroupcomparedtotheIMgroup,analternativeex-planationismorelikely:i.e.thatthereisadispropor-tionalimpactonweakestpigs(thosewithlowestbodyweight)intheCMgroupwithhighermortalitywhilstintheIMgroupthesurvivalrateoftheselowweightpigletswashigher.Themeangrowthperform-ancepictureinthewholegroupobscurestheeffectoftheseoppositeinteractions.Reducedhealthrecoverymayberelatedtolesstimenursingandmoretimelyingdownofcastratedpigs[17].Adequatecolostrumintakeandregularcon-sumptionofmilkarerequiredforcontrolofgastro-intestinaldiseases,hypoglycemia,starvation,andcrushingofthepre-weanedpig[18].Inaddition,lightweightpigsaremostsusceptibletodiseases[19,20],whichwasconfirmedbytheresultsofthepresentstudy.Thisobservationisespeciallyimportantinthecurrentsta-tusoftheswineindustry,whereselectionformaximumprolificacyhasresultedinanincreaseinlittersizeandmorepigletsweanedperlitter.Thisrapidincreaseinlittersizehasresultedinanincreaseoflight-birth-weightpig-lets[21],thusexacerbatingthe(negative)effectsofcas-trationasacriticalmanagementparameter.Moreover,inthegroupofpigswiththeheaviestbirthweight,evenifsurgicalcastrationdidnotresultinhighermortality,itcompromisedgrowthratestoweaning.Thisobserva-tioncouldbeassociatedwithstressanddiscomfortpromotedbythecastrationprocedure,affectingmilkconsumption.Asaconsequenceofbothhighermortal-ityrateinthelightpigsandpoorergrowthperformanceintheheavypigs,surgicalcastrationappliedin3to6daysofagemalepigletshasanegativeimpactonhealth,performanceandeconomicproductioncostinthesucklingperiod.

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eintheheavypigs,surgicalcastrationappliedin3to6daysofagemalepigletshasanegativeimpactonhealth,performanceandeconomicproductioncostinthesucklingperiod. Fig.1Differentreasonsoflossesinintactandincastratedmalepigsduringthesucklingperiodinpercent.Numberofcasesisdetailedineachcolumn Table3EffectofsurgicalcastrationonPigMAPaserumconcentration(mg/ml)atthreedifferentstudydaysItemIntactMalesCastratedMalesSEMbPvalueDay00.9030.8410.0320.167Day10.8470.9440.0300.025Day100.9900.9020.0730.392aPigmajoracutephaseproteinbStandardErrorofMeanDay0=samplingbeforecastration,day1=1dayaftercastration,andday10=10daysaftercastrationincastratedmales.Inintactmalepiglets,thedayscorrespondtotheinterventionintheirlittermatesMoralesetal.PorcineHealthManagement (2017) 3:18 Page5of6

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ConclusionsSurgicalcastrationpromotesproductivelossesinthesucklingperiodbycausinganincreaseinpre-weaningmortalityinpigsbornwiththelowestbodyweights,andnegativelyaffectsgrowthrateandweaningbodyweightinpigsbornwithhighestbodyweights.Maincausesofmortalityrelatedtosurgicalcastrationwereruntpigs,meningitisandthesurgicalandpost-surgicalcomplica-tionsofthecastrationprocedure.AbbreviationsADG:Averagedailygain;BWW:Bodyweightatweaning;CM:Surgicallycastratedmalepigs;IM:Intactmalepigs;PigMAP:Pigmajoracutephaseprotein;PWM:Pre-weaningmortalityAcknowledgementsThefarmersandtheirstockmenaregreatlyacknowledgedforagreeingtoengageinthetrialandforworkingingoodcooperationwiththeinvestigationteam.AvailabilityofdataandmaterialDataareavailablefromtheauthorsuponreasonablerequestandwithpermissionofJoaquinMorales(correspondingauthor).FundingZoetisInc.fundedthestudy.Authors’contributionsJMwasinvestigatorofthestudyandwrotethemanuscript;ADmonitoredthestudyandparticipatedintheexperimentaldesignofthestudy;AMwasClinicalResearchManager;LFparticipatedinanimalmanipulationsanddatacollection;CPparticipatedintheexperimentaldesignandinthediscussionofresults;EMperformedthestatisticalstudyandreviewedthemanuscript;NWparticipatedintheexperimentaldesign,reviewedthemanuscriptandwrotetheconclusion.Allauthorsreadandapprovedthefinalmanuscript.EthicsapprovalandconsenttoparticipateAnownerconsentwascompletedbythefarmerspriortotheenrolmentofhisanimalsinthestudy.ThisstudywasconductedincompliancewiththeGoodClinicalPracticeGuidanceDocument#85,May9,2001(VICHGL9).AnimalcareandexperimentalproceduresusedinthisstudyfollowedregulationsandguidelinesoftheSpanishgovernmentfortheprotectionofanimalsusedforscientificresearch(RealDecretoEspañol223/88BOE67:8509–8511).ConsentforpublicationAllauthorsconsenttothepublicationofthepresentmanuscript.CompetinginterestsADandNWareemployeesfromthecompanysponsor.Publisher’sNoteSpringerNatureremainsneutralwithregardtojurisdictionalclaimsinpublishedmapsandinstitutionalaffiliations.Authordetails1PigCHAMPProEuropaS.L.c,SantaCatalina,10,Segovia,Spain.2ZoetisInc,HogeWei10,1930Zaventem,Belgium.3Teagasc,PigDevelopmentDepartment,Moorepark,Fermoy,CoCork,Ireland.Received:12April2017Accepted:7July2017

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eandbirthweightongrowth,carcassandporkquality,andtheirrelationshiptopostmortemproteolysis.JAnimSci.2008;86:2357–68.Moralesetal.PorcineHealthManagement (2017) 3:18 Page6of6