Reproductive performance of pigs selected for components of efficient lean growth

Kerr, J. C.; Cameron, N. D.

doi:10.1017/s030822960002568x

Cited by 55 publications

(69 citation statements)

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“…The values of PPBD in high-per- forming herds would be feasible targets for commercial herds. Our results are consistent with previous studies reporting that the parity 1 sows with a high percentage of stillborn piglets have a low number of total pigs born [2,10]. Higher PPBD in parity 1 sows than parity 2 and 3 sows can be partially explained by a gilt's first experience of parturition and a difficult farrowing due to a narrow birth canal [17].…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

A High Percentage of Pigs Born Dead in Litters in High-, Intermediate- and Low-Performing Herds

Hoshino

Sasaki

Koketsu

2009

The Journal of Veterinary Medical Science

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ABSTRACT. The objectives of the present study were to measure a percentage of pigs born dead in the number of total pigs born (PPBD), and to investigate an association between PPBD and total pigs born by parity groups and three herd groups formed on the basis of the pigs weaned per mated female per 6 years (PWMFY). The studied data included 236,805 parity records of 51,443 sows in 110 herds. The three herd groups, high-, intermediate-and low-performing herds, were formed on the basis of the upper and lower 25th percentiles of PWMFY. Linear mixed-effects models were performed to analyze the data. Mean ( SEM) PPBD was 9.6 ( 0.03) %. Sows in high-performing herds had lower PPBD for all parity groups than those in low-performing herds (P<0.05). Parity 2 sows had the lowest PPBD between parity groups (P<0.05). The PPBD increased from 7.0 to 13.2% as the parity number increased from 2 to  6. Parity 1 sows had higher PPBD than parity 2 and 3 sows (P<0.05). As the total pigs born increased from 10 to 16 pigs, PPBD increased in all the parity groups (P<0.05). In parity 3 or higher, PPBD in low-performing herds increased more steeply than that in high-performing herds as total pigs born increased form 6 to 10 pigs. We suggest that farrowing management including assisted farrowing improve PPBD for sows in parity 3 or higher.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

A High Percentage of Pigs Born Dead in Litters in High-, Intermediate- and Low-Performing Herds

Hoshino

Sasaki

Koketsu

2009

The Journal of Veterinary Medical Science

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“…Genetic improvement of piglet survival by selection based on birth weight does not seem to be a viable alternative Several studies (Kerr and Cameron, 1995;Roehe and Kalm, 2000) reported that the piglet's individual birth weight was the most important factor affecting pre-weaning mortality. Because of the low heritability of piglet survival and relatively high heritability for BW, the authors suggested selection for increased birth weight to improve survival, rather than direct selection for piglet survival.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Kerr and Cameron, 1995;Roehe and Kalm, 2000) have shown that the piglet's individual birth weight was the most important factor determining pre-weaning mortality. It brings out a hypothesis that selection for higher individual birth weight could be a good alternative to improve survival rate.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Variance and covariance components for liability of piglet survival during different periods

Sörensen

Lund

2008

Animal

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Variance and covariance components for piglet survival in different periods were estimated from individual records of 133 004 Danish Landrace piglets and 89 928 Danish Yorkshire piglets, using a liability threshold model including both direct and maternal additive genetic effects. At the individual piglet level, the estimates of direct heritability in Landrace were 0.035, 0.057 and 0.027, and in Yorkshire the estimates were 0.012, 0.030 and 0.025 for liability of survival at farrowing (SVB), from birth to day 5 (SV5) and from day 6 to weaning (SVW), respectively. The estimates of maternal heritability for SVB, SV5 and SVW were, respectively, 0.057, 0.040 and 0.030 in Landrace, and 0.050, 0.038 and 0.019 in Yorkshire. Both direct and maternal genetic correlations between the three survival traits were low and not significantly different from zero, except for a moderate direct genetic correlation between SVB and SV5 and between SV5 and SVW in Landrace. Direct and maternal genetic correlations between piglet birth weight (BW) and SV5 were moderately high, but the correlations between BW and SVB and between BW and SVW were low and most of them were not significantly different from zero. These results suggest that effective genetic improvement in piglet survival before weaning by selection should be based on both direct and maternal additive genetic effects and treat survival in different periods as different traits.

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“…Selection for litter size has increased the resource demanding processes of pregnancy and lactation, whereas selection for fast lean growth may have indirectly put an increased demand on delivery of nutrients by the placenta and may have put conceptuses at a greater risk of prenatal mortality (Vallet et al, 2002) and stillbirth (Grandinson et al, 2005). Selection for increased lean growth has resulted in higher prenatal mortality in several experiments (Vangen, 1972;Kerr and Cameron, 1995). Since animals from both genetic groups were fed the same diet according to the same norm during gestation, G98 sows may have been restricted in their ability to provide enough nutrients to their foetuses in late gestation.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Estimation of genetic trends from 1977 to 1998 for farrowing characteristics in the French Large White breed using frozen semen

Canario

Rydhmer

Gogué³

et al. 2007

Animal

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The objective of the study was to estimate genetic trends from 1977 to 1998 in the French Large White (LW) breed for stillbirth and associated traits measured at farrowing using frozen semen. Two groups of pigs (G77 and G98) were obtained by inseminating LW sows with semen from LW boars born either in 1977 or in 1998. A second generation was produced by inter se mating in each group. Farrowing was thoroughly supervised through both direct observations and video recording all long farrowing on a total of 137 first-and second-parity litters produced by sows from this second generation (68 G77 and 69 G98 litters, respectively). Measurements included birth time, weight and birth characteristics (including orientation, presence of cyanosis or oedema, membrane obstruction, umbilical cord length/content) of each piglet, as well as sow traits (weight and backfat thickness, farrowing duration, litter size and within-litter variation of weights at birth). The data were analysed using linear or generalised linear mixed models, according to the definition of the trait (continuous or binary data). The importance of several effects to piglet probability of stillbirth was then quantified by computing the reduction of variance associated with the addition of each effect in the model. Litter size did not significantly differ in first parity, but was higher in G98 second-parity sows: the differences for global (including pre partum dead piglets) and total numbers of piglets born per litter were 12.3 6 1.1 and 11.3 6 0.6, respectively. G98 sows also had a higher number of stillbirths in both parities (10.7 6 0.3 stillborn per litter). Piglets from G98 litters were heavier at birth (1130 6 40 g for birth weight adjusted for litter size), without any increase in within-litter heterogeneity of birth weight. No significant difference was detected between G77 and G88 groups for farrowing length and the distribution of time interval between piglet births. G98 stillborn piglets had longer and more often empty umbilical cords at birth. G98 piglets born alive also had more often umbilical nodes than G77 piglets. These characteristics were considered as indicators of increased farrowing difficulties and risk of hypoxia at birth in G98 pigs. Time of birth of each piglet, sow fatness at farrowing and time of first placenta expulsion were the main factors of variation of the piglet's probability of stillbirth.

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Reproductive performance of pigs selected for components of efficient lean growth

Cited by 55 publications

References 0 publications

A High Percentage of Pigs Born Dead in Litters in High-, Intermediate- and Low-Performing Herds

A High Percentage of Pigs Born Dead in Litters in High-, Intermediate- and Low-Performing Herds

Variance and covariance components for liability of piglet survival during different periods

Estimation of genetic trends from 1977 to 1998 for farrowing characteristics in the French Large White breed using frozen semen

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