PSII-7 Farrowing age is a predictor of sow lifetime performance

Abstract Sow lifetime performance can be predicted by sow performance at an early age; however, few studies have examined the relationship between farrowing age (FA) after parity 1 and sow lifetime performance. Therefore, our objective was to examine the association between FA in different parities and sow lifetime performance. Data were extracted from 198,043 sows entered into 155 Spanish herds between 2011 - 2013 and removed between 2011 - 2016. The 1st to 99th percentiles of FA records were analyzed, with FA defined as the number of days from birth to the farrowing date in each parity. A two-level linear mixed-effects model was applied to examine the relationship between FA and lifetime performance of sows (SAS University Edition). Means of FA + SD (range) in parities 1 and 3 were 368.4 + 34.8 (238 - 460) days and 663.5 + 41.4 (501 - 773) days, respectively. The ranges of FA in parity 1 and 3 were 238 - 460 days and 501 - 773 days, respectively. Lifetime performance decreased with higher FA in both parities. For example, in parity 1, as FA increased from 290 to 410 days, lifetime piglets born alive (PBA) decreased by 4.4 piglets, annualized lifetime PBA decreased by 3.5 piglets and nonproductive days increased by 16.8 days. Similarly, in parity 3, as FA increased from 590 to 710 days, lifetime PBA decreased by 5.3 piglets, annualized lifetime PBA decreased by 3.0 piglets and nonproductive days increased by 39.5 days. Also, sows with a lower FA in parity 1 had fewer PBA in that parity than sow with a higher FA (P < 0.05). However, they also had fewer nonproductive days and a shorter weaning-to-first-mating interval and more annualized lifetime PBA. Therefore, these data indicate that FA can be used to predict lifetime performance of the sows.

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PSII-11 Herd size associated with sow lifetime performance in Spanish breeding herds

Journal of Animal Science ◽

10.1093/jas/skab235.582 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 99 (Supplement_3) ◽

pp. 316-317

Author(s):

Moe Hiramatsu ◽

Carlos Piñeiro ◽

Yuzo Koketsu

Keyword(s):

Reproductive Performance ◽

Reproductive Potential ◽

Herd Size ◽

Mixed Effects ◽

Linear Mixed Effects Model ◽

Linear Mixed Effects ◽

Lifetime Performance ◽

Size Groups ◽

Mating Interval ◽

The Relationship

Abstract It is critical for producers to maximize sows’ reproductive potential in commercial herds in order to improve economic efficiency. While it is generally known that large herds have better reproductive performance than small herds, few studies have assessed how much the lifetime reproductive performance of sows is associated with herd size. Therefore, our objective was to examine the relationship between six herd size groups and sow lifetime performance. Data were extracted from 166,335 sows which were entered into 155 Spanish breeding herds from 2011 - 2013 and removed by 2017. Herds were categorized into six groups based on the 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th and 90th percentiles of average sow inventory in 2016: 87 - 195, 196 - 342, 343 - 596, 597 - 1,025, 1,026 - 2,152 and 2,153 - 3,669 sows. A two-level linear mixed-effects model was applied to examine the relationship between herd size and reproductive performance of sows (SAS University Edition). No differences were found between herd size groups and either lifetime total born or lifetime piglets born alive. However, the largest herd group had 23.0 fewer lifetime nonproductive days (NPD), and 2.1 more annualized lifetime piglets weaned than the mid-size (343 - 596 sows) herds (P < 0.05). Also, parity at removal was 0.3 lower in the largest herds than the mid-size herds (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the largest herds also had 0.8 - 1.0 days shorter weaning-to-first-mating interval (WMI), 2.8 - 4.9% higher farrowing rates and 10.2 - 11.9 days shorter repeat intervals than the mid-size herds (P < 0.05). In conclusion, the shorter WMI, fewer NPD and improved reproductive productivity in the largest herds suggest that these herds have better lactational management and quicker culling decision making than mid-size herds.

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A meta-analysis using a logit non-linear mixed effects model for ‘Hass’ avocado postharvest performance data

Postharvest Biology and Technology ◽

10.1016/j.postharvbio.2013.06.023 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 86 ◽

pp. 134-140 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Jeremy Burdon ◽

Patrick Connolly ◽

Nihal de Silva ◽

Nagin Lallu ◽

Jonathan Dixon ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Meta Analysis ◽

Mixed Effects ◽

Performance Data ◽

Mixed Effects Model ◽

Linear Mixed Effects Model ◽

Linear Mixed Effects ◽

Non Linear ◽

Hass Avocado

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Cognate similarity and intervocalic /d/ production in Riverense Spanish

International Journal of Bilingualism ◽

10.1177/1367006921996807 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 136700692199680

Author(s):

Michael Gradoville ◽

Mark Waltermire ◽

Avizia Long

Keyword(s):

Language Contact ◽

Mixed Effects ◽

Frequency Effect ◽

Acoustic Measurements ◽

Linear Mixed Effects Model ◽

Phonetic Variation ◽

Linear Mixed Effects ◽

Contact Language ◽

The Relationship ◽

Phonetic Realization

Aims and objectives: While previous research has shown that phonetic variation in language contact situations is affected by whether a word has a cognate in the contact language, this paper aims to show that such an effect is not monotonic. According to the usage-based model, items in memory are organized according to similarity, thus we anticipated that formally more similar cognates would show a stronger cognate effect. Methodology: This variationist sociophonetic study investigates the relationship between cognate similarity and phonetic realization. We examined this relationship in the bilingual community of Rivera, Uruguay, in which both Portuguese and Spanish are spoken with regularity. Specifically, we focused on intervocalic /d/, which in monolingual Spanish is realized as an approximant [ð̞] or phonetic zero, but in monolingual Brazilian Portuguese is produced as a stop [d] or, in most varieties, an affricate [ʤ] before [i]. Data and analysis: We analyzed a corpus of sociolinguistic interviews of the Spanish spoken in Rivera. Acoustic measurements were taken from approximately 60 tokens each from 40 different speakers. Using a linear mixed-effects model, we examined the relationship between several predictors and the degree of constriction of intervocalic /d/. Findings/conclusions: While there is an overall frequency effect whereby more frequent words exhibit less constriction of intervocalic /d/, as both frequency and cognate similarity increase, less constriction of intervocalic /d/ obtains. Therefore, frequent cognates in Portuguese that have very similar forms affect the production of intervocalic /d/ more so than other cognates. Originality: No previous study has demonstrated that the cognate effect on phonetic variation in a situation of language contact is regulated by form similarity between cognate pairs. Significance/implications: The data support the usage-based model in that similar cognates have more lexical connections and can therefore show greater influence on phonetic realization than can cognates that share less phonetic material.

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