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Periparturient stress represents a critical challenge to sow welfare and productivity, particularly in intensive production systems where restricted movement and environmental stressors exacerbate physiological and psychological strain. Therefore, effective strategies to mitigate farrowing-related stress are warranted. Porcine appeasing pheromone (PAP), a synthetic analog of maternal pheromones, has been found to promote behavioral stability and physiological regulation in pigs; however, its effects on periparturient stress in sows remain unclear.
Objective: This study investigated the effects of PAP exposure on behavioral, inflammatory, and immune responses, as well as colostrum quality and offspring growth, in periparturient sows under intensive housing conditions.
Methods: A total of 104 healthy crossbred sows with comparable body weight and body condition score, no history of disease, and an age range of approximately 330–450 days were enrolled in this study.
Results: PAP exposure significantly reduced stress-related and stereotypic behaviors in periparturient sows, suggesting enhanced behavioral stability. Consistent with this behavioral improvement, PAP attenuated the physiological stress response, as evidenced by reduced inflammation and stress-associated indicators, alongside enhanced immune status during the early postpartum period. Furthermore, these physiological benefits translated into improved colostrum quality, with PAP-treated sows showing higher immunological quality despite no significant changes in major nutritional components. Consequently, offspring from PAP-treated sows exhibited superior growth performance, reflected by increased weaning weight and average daily gain.
Conclusion: Collectively, these findings demonstrate that PAP exposure alleviates periparturient stress and improves physiological and productive outcomes, providing practical implications for enhancing sow welfare in intensive production systems.
Shuang Liu, Liang Wang, Xu-Kai Nie, Chun-Yu Song, Ying-Han Chen, Lin Wang, Cai-Yu Lian. Exposure to a Porcine Appeasing Pheromone in Periparturient Sows: Effects on Behavior, Health Status, and Reproductive Performance. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 2026, 107103, ISSN 0168-1591. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2026.107103.