Does intrauterine crowding affect locomotor development? A comparative study of motor performance, neuromotor maturation and gait variability among piglets that differ in birth weight and vitality

摘要: In polytocous species, such as pigs, the growth of an individual fetus is affected by competition from its littermates and sow. This intrauterine greatly influences postnatal traits birth weight vitality (physical strength). A lowered most often observed among low piglets. Since it has been argued that locomotion might be key to unraveling vitality-related differences, we compared gait development in piglets with a (L piglets) normal (N means spatio-temporal analysis during at self-selected speed. Video recordings L N walking along corridor ten time points (between 96 h after birth) were made footfalls digitized. Hence, speed, characteristics symmetry analyzed compare motor performance, neuromotor maturation (motor task, interlimb intralimb coordination) variability for The included both absolute normalized data (according dynamic similarity concept), distinguish effects caused growth. Results indicate crowding affects locomotion, mainly impairing utero, performance first age consequence. difference skills was also visible, though only swing stance duration, implying utero. However, further days does not seem crowding. We can therefore conclude considered smaller fictitious younger version