Duroc boars have lower progeny mortality and lower fertility than Pietrain boars1

Abstract In pig production, Pietrain and Duroc lines are often used as terminal sire lines to produce crossbred slaughter pigs. The objective of this study was to identify the differences in paternal fertility and mortality during the suckling period of crossbred progeny from Pietrain and Duroc terminal sire lines. In total, 87 purebred Duroc boars and 68 purebred Pietrain boars were used as terminal sires to produce 1,823 crossbred Duroc litters (D-litters) and 1,705 crossbred Pietrain litters (P-litters) in two production herds. The sows were crosses between DanBred Landrace and Yorkshire (F1). All boars were kept at the same artificial insemination (AI) station, and all semen doses were produced in the same laboratory. The experiment was balanced according to herd, boars, and time, with approximately 13 sows from each herd mated to each boar within each breed. The results showed higher fertility expressed as litter size at birth in P-litters compared with D-litters led to 0.5 higher total number born (TNB) for P-litters (P = 0.0076). However, piglet mortality including number of stillborn piglets was lower in D-litters compared with P-litters (P < 0.0001), and 5 d after farrowing, the average litter size in P-litters ranged 0.4 below the litter size in D-litters (P < 0.027). At 21 d after birth, mean litter size in P- and D-litters were 14.5 and 14.9 piglets per litter, respectively (P < 0.015). This indicated that Pietrain progenies were weaker than Duroc progenies, and it was concluded that use of Duroc boars as the terminal sire line led to lower piglet mortality. In the two herds, the mean piglet mortality rate including still born piglets ranged from 19.5% to 23.6% and from 17.6% to 19.1% in P- and D-litters, respectively.

Download Full-text

Production systems of swine in the rural areas of Rangamati and Khagrachari districts of Bangladesh

Bangladesh Journal of Animal Science ◽

10.3329/bjas.v40i1-2.10787 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 40 (1-2) ◽

pp. 28-33

Author(s):

ME Hossain ◽

S Chakma ◽

MM Khatun ◽

M Hasanuzzaman ◽

MY Miah ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Birth Weight ◽

Litter Size ◽

Rural Areas ◽

Economic Condition ◽

Production Systems ◽

Economic Benefits ◽

Disease Prevalence ◽

Pig Production ◽

Average Litter Size ◽

The Mean

The study was undertaken for a period of 60 days to investigate the production systems of swine in Rangamati and Khagrachari districts, Bangladesh. Production systems, particularly housing, feeding, breeding, disease prevalence, vaccination, bio-security, marketing, socio-economic condition and constraints of pig production were investigated during the study period. It was found that the propensity of rearing pig differed significantly (P<0.01) among the pig owners. Pigs were reared mostly by poor and landless peoples (54.7%) followed by marginal (32.1%), medium (9.4%) and large (3.8%). Rearing systems were also different (P<0.01) and the mean figures were 43.4% for free range, 24.5% for tin shed housing , 20.8% for fencing and 11.3% for girth tethering systems. The average litter size, birth weight, post-weaning weight and weaning period were 9.3, 1.72 kg, 9.0 kg and 40.8 days respectively. Prevalence of diseases differed (P<0.01) and most prevalent diseases were diarrhea (35.8%), coccidiosis (20.8%), pneumonia (17.0%) and hemorrhagic septicemia (13.2%). The economic benefits generated from farming were selling of piglets.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjas.v40i1-2.10787Bang. J. Anim. Sci. 2011. 40 (1-2): 28-33

Download Full-text

A note on the effect of white-flowered peas on sow reproductive performance

Animal Science ◽

10.1017/s0003356100006280 ◽

1993 ◽

Vol 56 (1) ◽

pp. 155-158

Author(s):

R. B. Ogle ◽

K. Annér

Keyword(s):

Litter Size ◽

Reproductive Performance ◽

Live Weight ◽

Soya Bean ◽

Weight Gains ◽

Bean Meal ◽

Piglet Mortality ◽

Natal Mortality ◽

Soya Bean Meal ◽

Size At Birth

The effect on sow reproductive performance of including 100 g white-flowered peas (Pisum sativum hortense, cv. Vreta and Lotta) per kg, replacing barley, wheat and soya-bean meal in gestation and lactation diets, was studied over four parities using 24 pairs of crossbred littermate sows. Net sow weight gains and changes in backfat thickness over the complete reproductive cycle were similar for both treatments. Piglet live-weight gains and mean litter size at birth were not influenced by treatment, although litter size at weaning was 0·5 pigs higher (P > 0·05) for the control sows, due to higher post-natal mortality rate in the litters from the sows given the pea diets. It can be concluded that inclusion of white-flowered peas at a rate of 100 g/kg had no adverse effect on reproductive performance, with the exception of slightly higher post-natal piglet mortality.

Download Full-text

Pedigree and Molecular Analyses in the Assessment of Genetic Variability of the Polish Greyhound

Animals ◽

10.3390/ani11020353 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (2) ◽

pp. 353

Author(s):

Małgorzata Goleman ◽

Ireneusz Balicki ◽

Anna Radko ◽

Iwona Rozempolska-Rucińska ◽

Grzegorz Zięba

Keyword(s):

Genetic Variability ◽

Litter Size ◽

Gene Diversity ◽

Population Based ◽

Pedigree Analysis ◽

Molecular Testing ◽

Pedigree Data ◽

Kinship Matrix ◽

Average Litter Size ◽

The Mean

The aim of the study was to assess the genetic variability of the Polish Greyhound population based on pedigree analysis and molecular DNA testing and to determine the degree of relatedness among individuals in the population. Pedigree data of 912 Polish Greyhounds recorded in pedigree books since they were opened for this breed were analyzed. For molecular testing, DNA was obtained from cheek swabs taken from 235 dogs of the tested breed. A panel of 21 markers (Short Tandem Repeat—STR) was used. The mean inbreeding determined for the Polish Greyhound population based on pedigree analyses was low and amounted to 11.8%, but as many as 872 individuals of the 912 dogs in the studied population were inbred. A total of 83 founders (at least one unknown parent) were identified, among which 27 founders had both unknown parents. Full-sibling groups consisted of 130 individuals, with a minimum and maximum litter size of 2 and 16, respectively. The average litter size was 5.969. Gene diversity calculated based on the mean kinship matrix was 0.862 and the population mean kinship was 0.138. The founder genome equivalent based on the mean kinship matrix was 3.61; the founder genome surviving level was 12.34; the mean Ne was estimated at 21.76; and the Ne/N ratio was 0.135. The FIS inbreeding coefficient for 21 STR was negative, and the mean FIS value for all loci had a low negative value (−0.018). These values suggest a low level of inbreeding in the examined breed as well as the avoidance of mating related animals.

Download Full-text

A comparison of the behaviour and performance of sows and piglets in crates and oval pens

Animal Science ◽

10.1017/s135772980005089x ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 69 (2) ◽

pp. 327-333 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

R.H. Bradshaw ◽

D.M. Broom

Keyword(s):

Litter Size ◽

Time Lapse ◽

Production Data ◽

Aggregation Behaviour ◽

Significant Difference ◽

The Mean ◽

Two Indices ◽

Time Of Year ◽

And Performance ◽

Size At Birth

AbstractA comparison was made of sow lying behaviour, piglet aggregation behaviour and performance in crates (no. = 10) and oval pens (no. = 8). Twenty-four hour time-lapse video tapes were made and a farrowing day defined for each sow by noting the 24-h period during which the sow gave birth (09:00 to 09:00 h). Each sow and litter, balanced for parity and time of year, was analysed from 12:00 to 20:00 h during the 24 h immediately following this day. The following analyses were conducted: (1) the number and type of lying behaviour; (2) each litter was scanned every 10 min and at each lying event the number of piglets within 0·3 m of the sow noted; two indices were then calculated, based on the mean of the 10-min scans and the mean for the lying events, for each sow expressed as a proportion of the total litter size. Any dead piglets were removed and cause of mortality established by post-mortem examination. Production data showed that there was no significant difference between litter size at birth and at weaning but overall level of mortality was higher in the pen compared with the crate due to crushing. The majority of crushing events occurred in the first 3 days after farrowing (crate 75%; oval pen 64%). The total number of lying events and related posture changes did not differ between systems; only ‘roll-over’ events (movement from lateral on one side to the other within 10 s) were higher in the oval pen. There was no difference in the proportion of aggregating piglets at the 10-min scans or the lying events. Increased crushing mortality in the pen does not appear to be due to the aggregation behaviour of piglets but to the increased number of sow roll-over behaviours.

Download Full-text

A note on the relationship between litter size at birth and litter weight at weaning in domesticated and feral mice

Animal Science ◽

10.1017/s0003356100040666 ◽

1981 ◽

Vol 33 (2) ◽

pp. 219-222

Author(s):

W. R. Congleton

Keyword(s):

Assortative Mating ◽

Litter Size ◽

Indirect Selection ◽

Litter Weight ◽

The Mean ◽

Selection For ◽

The Relationship ◽

Size At Birth

ABSTRACTThe relationship between litter size at birth and litter weight at weaning is curvilinear, with an intermediate litter size resulting in the heaviest litter weight at weaning. Relative to feral mice, the mean and variation for litter size at birth was larger for domesticated mice which had been selected for fertility and crossbred. Consequently, some of the litters from the crossbred domesticated mice were larger than the litter size at birth which optimized litter weight at weaning, primarily due to increased pre-weaning mortality. If litter weight at weaning is to be optimized by indirect selection for litter size at birth, the variation around an intermediate optimum litter size at birth could be most effectively reduced by negative assortative mating.

Download Full-text

A cross-specific multiplicative binomial recursive model for the analysis of perinatal mortality in a diallel cross among three varieties of Iberian pig

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-020-78346-7 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Luis Varona ◽

José Luis Noguera ◽

Joaquim Casellas ◽

Melani Martín de Hijas ◽

Juan Pablo Rosas ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Perinatal Mortality ◽

Litter Size ◽

Binomial Distribution ◽

Genetic Relationships ◽

Diallel Cross ◽

Binomial Model ◽

Average Litter Size ◽

Or Groups ◽

Iberian Pig ◽

Piglet Mortality

AbstractPerinatal piglet mortality is an important factor in pig production from economic and animal welfare perspectives; however, the statistical analysis of mortality is difficult because of its categorical nature. Recent studies have suggested that a binomial model for the survival of each specific piglet with a logit approach is appropriate and that recursive relationships between traits are useful for taking into account non-genetic relationships with other traits. In this study, the recursive binomial model is expanded in two directions: (1) the recursive phenotypic dependence among traits is allowed to vary among groups of individuals or crosses, and (2) the binomial distribution is replaced by the multiplicative binomial distribution to account for over or underdispersion. In this study, five recursive multiplicative binomial models were used to obtain estimates of the Dickerson crossbreeding parameters in a diallel cross among three varieties of Iberian pigs [Entrepelado (EE), Torbiscal (TT), and Retinto (RR)]. Records (10,255) from 2110 sows were distributed as follows: EE (433 records, 100 sows), ER (2336, 527), ET (942, 177), RE (806, 196), RR (870, 175), RT (2450, 488), TE (193, 36), TR (1993, 359), and TT (232, 68). Average litter size [Total Number Born (TNB)] and number of stillborns (SB) were 8.46 ± 2.27 and 0.25 ± 0.72, respectively. The overdispersion was evident with all models. The model with the best fit included a linear recursive relationship between TNB and the logit of $$\phi$$ ϕ of the multiplicative binomial distribution, and it implies that piglet mortality increases with litter size. Estimates of direct effects showed small differences among populations. The analysis of maternal effects indicated that the dams whose mothers were EE had a larger SB, while dams with RR mothers reduced the probability of born dead. The posterior estimates of heterosis suggested a reduction in SB when the sow is crosbred. The multiplicative binomial distribution provides a useful alternative to the binomial distribution when there is overdispersion in the data. Recursive models can be used for modeling non-genetic relationships between traits, even if the phenotypic dependency between traits varies among environments or groups of individuals. Piglet perinatal mortality increased with TNB and is reduced by maternal heterosis.

Download Full-text

Feeding and breeding of laboratory animals

Journal of Hygiene ◽

10.1017/s002217240001384x ◽

1947 ◽

Vol 45 (2) ◽

pp. 169-172 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

H. M. Bruce

Keyword(s):

Growth Rate ◽

Drinking Water ◽

Litter Size ◽

Female Offspring ◽

Laboratory Animals ◽

Green Food ◽

Average Litter Size ◽

Good For ◽

Pelleted Diet ◽

Size At Birth

1. Breeding records are given of fourteen female Dutch rabbits reared and maintained without green food, and of twelve of their female offspring.2. Fertility, average litter size at birth, and the percentage of young weaned, were good for the breed.3. No difference in growth rate was found between the first and second generations of young.4. With the dry pelleted diet, supplemented by drinking water, fresh green food is unnecessary for breeding rabbits, as it has already been shown to be unnecessary for growing animals (Bruce & Parkes, 1946).I should like to thank Dr A. S. Parkes, F.R.S., for his help in the preparation of the manuscript.

Download Full-text

Effect of lighting schedule, intensity, and colour on reproductive performance of rabbit does

World Rabbit Science ◽

10.4995/wrs.2021.14623 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 29 (1) ◽

pp. 59

Author(s):

Yingjie Wu ◽

Ang Zhao ◽

Yinghe Qin

Keyword(s):

Litter Size ◽

Reproductive Performance ◽

White Light ◽

Artificial Insemination ◽

Red Light ◽

Conception Rate ◽

Reproductive Parameters ◽

Litter Weight ◽

Positive Effect ◽

Size At Birth

In order to establish a lighting regime suitable for rabbit farms in East China, the effects of lighting schedule, intensity and colour on the reproductive performance of rabbit does were evaluated by three experiments, respectively. In experiment 1, does were exposed to different lighting schedules: 16L:8D-continuous, 16L:8D-18d (6 d before artificial insemination (AI) to 12 d post-AI), 16L:8D-6d (6 d before AI to the day of AI) and 12L:12D-continuous. In experiment 2, does were exposed to different light intensities: 40 lx, 60 lx, 80 lx and 120 lx. In experiment 3, does were exposed to different light colours: white, yellow, blue and red. For all experiments, conception rate, kindling rate and pre-weaning mortality were calculated; litter size at birth, litter weight at birth, litter size at weaning, litter weight at weaning and individual kit weight at weaning were recorded. Results showed that none of the reproductive parameters of does were affected by the application of 16L:8D-18d lighting schedule compared with the continuous 16L:8D group(P>0.05). Moreover, rabbits does exposed to 80 lx light performed as well as those under 120 lx light in conception rate, kindling rate, litter size (total and alive) at birth and litter weight at birth (P>0.05). Furthermore, the exposures of 60 lx and 80 lx light were beneficial for litter weight at weaning. In addition, red light had a positive effect, as it led to a larger litter size and litter weight at weaning and lower pre-weaning mortality than white light (P<0.05). In summary, a 16L:8D photoperiod with 80 lx red light from 6 d before AI to 12 d post-AI is recommended for use in breeding of rabbit does according to our results.

Download Full-text

A new parameter describing fertility in rabbits at the farm level: the kit index

Archives Animal Breeding ◽

10.5194/aab-61-463-2018 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 61 (4) ◽

pp. 463-467 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Steffen Hoy

Keyword(s):

Litter Size ◽

Artificial Insemination ◽

Distributed Parameter ◽

Farm Level ◽

Average Litter Size ◽

Genetic Strains ◽

The Given ◽

Housing Units ◽

Normally Distributed

Abstract. The kit index (KI) combines the kindling rate (KR) and the average litter size (LS) per group of does, per breeding round, per year, or per farm and represents the number of total or live-born kits per 100 inseminated does. The KR is the percentage of kindlings per number of inseminated does. Mathematically, the KI is the product of the KR multiplied by the average LS. The KI was calculated on the basis of 12 730 inseminated does and 89 864 live-born kits from one rabbit farm during a 25-month period from 2015 to 2017. The average KR was 70.1±9.1 % with a minimum (per breeding round) of 35.4 % and a maximum of 90.8 %. The average LS of total kits born was 9.16±0.91, whilst the average litter size of live-born kits was 8.87±0.90. The KI of total kits born was calculated to be 649± 121 kits per 100 inseminated does (min of 332, max of 971), while the KI of live-born kits ranged between 326 and 944 kits per 100 inseminated does (mean of 626±122). The KI is a normally distributed parameter with respect to both the total kits born and the live-born kits per 100 inseminated does. All three parameters (KR, LS, and KI) were characterized by large variations from week to week with a tendency toward a reduction in the summer months. No difference was found between the two housing units, but large differences were found between the two genetic strains used on the given farm. Therefore, it can be concluded that the KI is able to characterize the complex fertility situation on the given rabbit farm. The KI can be used to demonstrate and to solve problems regarding artificial insemination, in addition to general issues with insemination management.

Download Full-text

The impact of oestrus synchronization by hormone medication and varying numbers of artificial insemination sessions, determined by sow reproductive indices

Veterinarska stanica ◽

10.46419/vs.52.5.6 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 52 (5) ◽

Author(s):

Jani Mavromati ◽

Luigj Turmalaj

Keyword(s):

Uniform Distribution ◽

Litter Size ◽

Artificial Insemination ◽

Average Litter Size ◽

Pig Farm ◽

Synchronization Scheme ◽

The Impact ◽

Farrowing Rate ◽

Reproductive Indices

This study was conducted on a central Albanian pig farm with a capacity of 80 sows. A uniform distribution of piglets born and the number of reared piglets sold every week and month was the target. To achieve this goal, a hormone-based synchronization scheme was used, combined with the use of one, two, or three artificial insemination sessions during the same oestrus. The main reproduction indices of sows were monitored, and the results indicated that the farrowing rate after the first insemination was 78.57%, 83.64% and 83.33% for the three groups in which one, two and three artificial insemination sessions were used during the same oestrus, obtained by inoculation with the hormone Sergon PG 400/200 IU. Average litter size (the number of live born piglets) per farrowing sow was 10.22 ± 0.33, 10.8 ± 0.2 and 10.6 ± 0.3 in the three groups, respectively. The fecundity index (FI) was 803, 905.8 and 883.3 in the three experimental groups of sows, respectively. A total of 1436 piglets from 136 farrowing sows were sold during 2018, achieving uniform sales of over 100 pigs per month with a weight over 90 kg. Therefore, it can be concluded that oestrus synchronization of sows with the Sergon PG 400/200 hormone can achieve a uniform distribution of piglets born and consequently a uniform distribution of piglets sales per week or month, regardless of the fact that this should be achieved at a larger scale. The best result as seen in the reproductive indicators was achieved by the use of artificial insemination with two sperm inoculations at a 12-hour interval during the same oestrus, synchronized by the Sergon PG 400/200 hormone.

Download Full-text