Research Article Open Access

Assessment of Continuous Vaginal Logger-Based Temperature Monitoring in Fever-Induced Gilts

Mariana Schmidt1, Christian Ammon1, Peter Schon2, Christian Manteuffel2 and Gundula Hoffmann1
  • 1 Leibniz-Institute for Agricultural Engineering Potsdam-Bornim, Germany
  • 2 Leibniz-Institute for Farm Animal Biology Dummerstorf, Germany

Abstract

The aim of this study was to identify a low risk method to induce fever in gilts and to evaluate vaginal sensors for temperature monitoring. Therefore, a rhinitis atrophicans vaccine was used to induce fever to evaluate sensors and behavioral patterns. During 11 trials, two of four animals were injected with 2 mL of the vaccine Porcilis AR-T DF (Intervet) and the other two animals were treated with 2 mL of 0.9% NaCl as controls. A temperature logger (TRIX-8, LogTag Recorders, Auckland, New Zealand) was used to continuously monitor the vaginal temperature. Additionally, rectal temperatures were measured four times daily. The water consumption, food intake and locomotion behaviors of the animals were analysed one day before treatment and during the day of the treatment. The vaccine induced fever in all gilts, which occurred approximately 5.87 h after vaccination. The vaginal logger temperatures and the rectal temperatures showed a linear correlation in 21 vaccinated gilts (r = 0.86; p<0.0001) and 22 non-vaccinated gilts (r = 0.65; P<0.0001). The vaginal logger can be continuously used to measure the core temperature. Water intake decreased (p<0.0001) in the gilts with fever, whereas food intake did not change (p = 0.9411). The vaccinated gilts spent 79±16 more minutes per day lying after the vaccination (p<0.001) in comparison to the day before the vaccination. Treatment with this vaccine provides the opportunity to induce fever over a short time period (5.13 h) and mild sickness behavior in gilts to investigate disease indicators.

American Journal of Animal and Veterinary Sciences
Volume 8 No. 2, 2013, 55-65

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3844/ajavsp.2013.55.65

Submitted On: 23 April 2013 Published On: 3 April 2013

How to Cite: Schmidt, M., Ammon, C., Schon, P., Manteuffel, C. & Hoffmann, G. (2013). Assessment of Continuous Vaginal Logger-Based Temperature Monitoring in Fever-Induced Gilts. American Journal of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, 8(2), 55-65. https://doi.org/10.3844/ajavsp.2013.55.65

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Keywords

  • Gilts
  • Vaccination
  • Temperature
  • Behavior
  • Disease Detection
  • Fever