Lifetime and per year productivity of sows in four pig farms in the tropics of Mexico

Abstract

The objectives of this study were to estimate the lifetime and per year productivity of sows and to determine the effect of some factor on those traits in four pig farms in the tropics of Mexico. Data from 7526 sows for lifetime number of piglets born alive per sow (LBA), lifetime kilograms of piglets at farrowing (LKF), number of piglets born alive per year (NPF/Y), and kilograms of piglets at farrowing per year (KPF/Y); and data from 7230 sows for lifetime number of piglets weaned (LPW), lifetime kilograms of piglets weaned (LKW), number of piglets weaned per year (NPW/Y), and kilograms of piglets weaned per year (KPW/Y) per sow were used. The statistical model for all traits included the fixed effects of farm, year of first farrowing, season of first farrowing, litter size at first farrowing, age at first farrowing, removal reason, simple interactions, and the error term. The means for LBA, LKF, NPF/Y, and KPF/Y were 45.1 piglets, 67.1 kg, 22.7 piglets, and 33.7 kg, respectively. The means for LPW, LKW, NPW/Y, and KPW/Y were 43.2 piglets, 251.9 kg, 21.5 piglets, and 125.1 kg, respectively. All factors were significant for all traits, except for age at first farrowing on LPW and LKW. Sows with large litter sizes and those that farrowed the first time, at an early age, had the highest lifetime and per year productivity. Therefore, more care and better management should be provided to those types of sows to improve the farms profit.

Genetic correlations between first parity and accumulated second to last parity reproduction traits as selection aids to improve sow lifetime productivity

“…Similarly, Thai researchers found that NBA1 increased as age at first mating increased in Landrace sows [16]. Also in agreement with these results, sums of reproduction traits from the second to the last parity or lifetime production traits were found to decrease as age at first farrowing increased in Landrace (Sweeden; [17]), Yorkshire (Findland; [18]) and in commercial swine herds (Mexico; [19]).…”

Genetic relationships between length of productive life and lifetime production efficiency in a commercial swine herd in Northern Thailand

“…In Mexico, gilts which had their first farrowing before 337 days of age had higher LBAY, LPWY, LBWY and LWWY than gilts which had their first farrowing after 347 days of age (Ek‐Mex et al . ). Additionally, Saito et al .…”

“…Ek‐Mex et al . () reported a LBAY of 23 piglets, 22 piglets for LPWY, 34 kg for LBWY and 125 kg for LWWY in four commercial farms in Mexico. The LPL for Landrace (526 days) and Yorkshire sows (573 days) in this population were lower than in other swine populations in Thailand (806 to 875 days for Landrace and 817 to 884 days for Yorkshire; Keonouchanh ) and Mexico (763 days for Yorkshire; Segura‐Correa et al .…”

Effect of reduced or increased number of pigs born alive at second farrowing on lifetime productivity of sows in southeastern Mexico

“…The climate of the region is sub-humid tropical, with average temperature of 26.6°C, average rainfall of 1.100 mm, and relative humidity of 78% (INEGI 2004). The data from the farms used in this study had been previously used in another study about lifetime performance of sows (Ek-Mex et al 2015). Data were obtained from the computer recording system (PigCHAMP ®) of the four farms from 2007 to 2011.…”

“…The productivity per year was defined as the number of piglets born alive per sow per year (PBY). PBY was calculated as LBA divided by the total days from entry date and removed or culling date from the breeding herd multiplied by 365 days; when the total days from entry date and removed or culling date was ≤ 365 days, the PBY of a sow was equal to the LBA (Ek-Mex et al 2015). Based on DNBA sows were categorised into eleven groups: ≤ -5,-4, -3, -2, -1, 0, +1, +2, +3, +4 and ≥ +5 piglets.…”