Effect of Forced Exercise During Gestation on Reproductive Performance of Sows

Ferket, S. L.; Hacker, R. R.

doi:10.4141/cjas85-100

Cited by 23 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…More opportunity for locomotion may also be advantageous, because exercise during the final 6 wk before parturition results in improved ease of calving and earlier release of the placenta (Lamb et al, 1979). Similar results are reported in sows (Hale et al, 1981;Ferket and Hacker, 1985) as well as in humans (Clapp, 1990;Prather et al, 2012).…”

Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 66%

The effect of housing on calving behavior and calf vitality in Holstein and Jersey dairy cows

Campler

Munksgaard

Jensen

2015

Journal of Dairy Science

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The present study investigated how calving behavior and calf vitality in Holstein and Jersey dairy cows were affected by housing during the final 4 wk precalving. One hundred twenty-one cows (36 primiparous and 85 multiparous) were moved either to a group pen with deep straw bedding or into freestall housing 4 wk before the expected calving date. Individual straw-bedded maternity pens were placed adjacent to the straw-bedded group pens, and cows were moved to the maternity pens before calving. Cows that spent more than 12 h in the maternity pen before calving and calved unassisted were included in this study (39 multiparous cows and 15 primiparous cows). Dams were observed from 6 h before calving until 6 h after calving. The time from the onset of rhythmical abdominal contractions (defined as the onset of stage II labor), the time from a visible amniotic sac, and the time from visible calf feet until the birth of the calf were recorded. Furthermore, the cows' latency to stand up after birth was recorded. Calves were observed during the first 6 h after birth and the latency to first standing attempt, to first successful standing, to first suckle attempt, and to first successful suckling were recorded. Cows previously housed in straw pens expelled the calf faster once the calves' feet were visible compared with cows previously housed in freestalls. Multiparous cows stood sooner and licked their calf sooner after birth compared with primiparous cows. Jersey calves of cows previously housed in straw pens also stood up and suckled their dams sooner compared with Jersey calves of cows previously housed in freestalls. Holstein cows previously housed in straw pens tended to stand up sooner compared with Holstein cows previously housed in freestalls. These results suggest that a longer period of housing on deep-bedded straw compared with freestalls with mattresses before calving may facilitate the calving process, whereas the effect on calf vitality needs further investigation.

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Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 66%

The effect of housing on calving behavior and calf vitality in Holstein and Jersey dairy cows

Campler

Munksgaard

Jensen

2015

Journal of Dairy Science

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“…This higher perinatal survival may be due to the higher activity of outdoor in comparison to indoor sows, suggesting that outdoor sows are physically in better condition for farrowing than those kept indoors. There is a significant amount of data to show that stillbirth rate is reduced in indoor loose farrowing systems in comparison with gestation crates, and that sows subjected to obligatory exercise during gestation have faster farrowings (Ferket and Hacker, 1985). However, it may also be an effect of the more accurate post mortem examination to determine stillbirth in the present study than used in standard recording systems of data from outdoor farms, where stillbirths are over-estimated (Edwards et al, 1994).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 80%

Genetic analyses of piglet survival and individual birth weight on first generation data of a selection experiment for piglet survival under outdoor conditions

et al. 2009

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“…This increased perinatal survival may be due to greater activity and the better physical conditions of outdoor sows. For example, Ferket and Hacker (1985) found that sows subjected to obligatory exercise during gestation had faster farrowings. Canario et al (2006) showed that faster farrowing duration led to greater prenatal survival, whereas the risk of stillbirth increased progressively for each supplementary hour elapsed.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Genetic parameters of piglet survival and birth weight from a two-generation crossbreeding experiment under outdoor conditions designed to disentangle direct and maternal effects1

Roehe

Shrestha

Mekkawy

et al. 2010

Journal of Animal Science

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Multivariate Bayesian linear-threshold models were used to estimate genetic parameters of peri- and postnatal piglet survival and individual birth weight of piglets reared under outdoor conditions. Data of 21,835 individual piglet observations were available from a 2-generation crossbreeding experiment selected for direct and maternal genetic effects of postnatal piglet survival on piglet and dam levels, respectively. In the first generation, approximately one-half of the Landrace sires used were selected for large or average breeding values of maternal genetic effects on postnatal piglet survival, whereas in the second generation the Large White sires used were selected for direct genetic effects of the same trait. Estimates of direct and maternal heritability were 0.21 and 0.15, 0.24 and 0.14, and 0.36 and 0.28 for piglet survival at birth and during the nursing period, and individual birth weight, respectively. In particular, direct heritabilities are substantially larger than those from the literature estimated for indoor-reared piglets, suggesting that genetic effects of these traits are substantially greater under outdoor conditions. Direct or maternal genetic correlations between survival traits or with birth weight were small (ranging from 0.06 to 0.17), indicating that peri- and postnatal survival are genetically under rather different control, and survival was only slightly positively influenced by birth weight. There were significant (P < 0.05) negative genetic correlations between direct and maternal genetic effects within each of the analyzed traits ranging from -0.36 to -0.45, which have to be considered when selecting for piglet survival. Adjustment of traits for litter size or inclusion of genetic groups showed insignificant effects on the magnitude of the estimated genetic parameters. The magnitude of genetic parameters suggested that there is substantial potential for genetic improvement of survival traits and birth weight in direct and maternal genetic effects, especially when piglets are kept under outdoor conditions.

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Effect of Forced Exercise During Gestation on Reproductive Performance of Sows

Cited by 23 publications

References 22 publications

The effect of housing on calving behavior and calf vitality in Holstein and Jersey dairy cows

The effect of housing on calving behavior and calf vitality in Holstein and Jersey dairy cows

Genetic analyses of piglet survival and individual birth weight on first generation data of a selection experiment for piglet survival under outdoor conditions

Genetic parameters of piglet survival and birth weight from a two-generation crossbreeding experiment under outdoor conditions designed to disentangle direct and maternal effects1

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