Minimally invasive biomarkers to detect maternal physiological status in sow saliva and milk

In this study, we aimed to validate existing plasma assays to measure biomarkers for maternal signalling in milk and saliva of lactating sows. These biological samples are minimally invasive to the animal and could give a physiological profile of maternal qualities available to their piglets. Sows were farrowed in a zero-confinement system, and their colostrum and milk samples were manually collected during naturally occurring let-downs (i.e....