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Swine genetics and reproduction
The performance of pigs is the result of two influences: genetics and environment. Because the genetics of a pig plays an important role in its performance and meat quality, all pig producers should be familiar with the potential and application of genetic selection.
The genetic potential of pigs can have a major influence on the productivity and profitability of a pig enterprise. It is the combination of genetics, nutrition, health, environment and management that influences such factors as litter size, growth rates and carcass quality.
The reproductive herd is for the multiplication of maternal and paternal lines that are prized for economically valuable reproductive traits, or, traits that generate desirable offspring reliably. Typically, prized reproductive traits include litter size, particularly total number of pigs born, and pigs weaned, weight of the litter of piglets at birth and weaning, wean-to-estrus interval (WEI), and pigs per sow per year (PSY). In more recent years, length of time a sow remains productive in the herd (longevity or survivability) is increasing in priority for major genetic lines. These traits are prioritized due to the impact on value of the sow to the herd.
Introduction As the economic success of sow husbandry relies very much, but not solely, on the ability of sows to produce a high number of piglets per sow per year, a high sow litter size contributes to this goal. Genetic selection for higher litter size has resulted in a steady increase in sow litter size in the last decades, and this increase in litter size still continues. For example, in the Netherlands, sow litter size (total number born) has increased...
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Introduction Despite the wealth of information on the many factors that affect sexual maturation and the early breeding performance of gilts, it has been difficult to establish the needed protocols that produce a consistent supply of “good quality” replacement females. In the context of the latest genotypes available to the production industry, it is important to keep addressing the changing biology of the nucleus sows from which replacement...
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Introduction Pork’s historic position as the world’s most popular meat is no more. 2019 was characterized by the explosion of African Swine Fever in China and subsequent slaughter of approximately half of that country’s pigs, representing about 25% of the world's production. Allowing for this catastrophe the exorable rise in the global consumption of chicken ensured it always going to result in its accession to No.1 spot worlds, but...
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Introduction In a recent detailed review of the factors determining reproductive development in the gilt (Patterson and Foxcroft, 2019), we suggested that “Substantial evidence supports successful management of gilts as an absolutely necessary component of breeding herd management and the pivotal starting point for the future fertility and longevity of the breeding herd”. We also discussed the link between earlier sexual maturation and improved...
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INTRODUCTION Estrus synchronization is a well-established tool for the reproductive management of a variety of livestock species. Manipulating the estrous cycle of domestic animals is thus essential for improving livestock productivity, as it helps to generate more income for the farmer through the utilization of assisted reproductive techniques like artificial insemination, in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer technologies. In gilts, estrus manipulation is being...
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Introduction This article identifies the most significant research innovations that, in our opinion, have been applied by the North American pork industry in the past decade. They are primarily the result of leading edge research in North America. Research discoveries were not considered unless they were being integrated into practice, with the exception of gene editing for pathogen control, which is in the approval process. Innovations that we identified as...
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Optimal sulfur amino acids: lysine ratio and bioavailability of DL-Met and liquid MHA-FA in 10-20 kg pigs
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Introduction All over the world, E. coli is an important cause of a wide range of diseases in pigs, including postweaning diarrhea (PWD) (Fairbrother et al., 2019). Diarrhea due to E. coli may result in significant economic losses due to morbidity, mortality, decreased weight gain, and cost of treatment, vaccinations and feed supplements. Clinical signs fluctuate with time and regions and may range from mild diarrhea with 1.5 to 2% mortality...
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Introduction Resilience was historically ignored in commercial swine breeding programs. One reason was that breeding companies need to supply high health animals to the commercial sector of the swine industry. Nucleus herds needed to be naïve or at least negative for major diseases such as porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSv), Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae (APP), Mycoplasma hyopneumonaie , and other major diseases....
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Speculation over the Provisional Ruling on Anti-dumping Duties of Lysine by the EU Against China
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Dr. Billy Flowers (NC State University) discusses reproductive management in depth during a Swine It interview with host Márcio Gonçalves....
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Dr. Steve Pollmann (DSP Consulting LLC) discussed many aspects of the pork production industry in this Swine It interview with host Márcio Gonçalves....
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1. Introduction Increasing robustness, resilience and efficiency of livestock are pivotal topics in animal science because of their importance to profitable meat and dairy production, but also for ethical, animal welfare and sustainability reasons [1,2]. In this review, we investigate and discuss potential benefits of omics technologies for optimizing stress resilience and reducing damaging behaviour in livestock, in particular pigs. Resilience, i.e., the capacity to quickly...
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Background Although selenium (Se) acts as part of hormones and enzymes influencing the activity of all organs and tissues, the major metabolic role of Se in the body is related to selenoproteins and the antioxidant system. However, in embryos, fetuses, and newborns, the synthesis of selenoproteins from Se-methionine (SeMet) is impaired due to the inactivity of cystathionine gamma lyase in the metabolic pathway, in spite of its mRNA expression [1, 2]. This would imply...
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The swine industry has made great strides in swine reproduction; most specifically in the areas of increased litter size, increased milk production and improvements in productivity traits. With such rapid growth and improvement in those areas, other areas are lacking because sows’ diets haven’t all been adjusted yet to account for the nutritional and physiological demands of increased productivity. In general, piglet birth weight has decreased due to larger litter sizes...
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Optimal sulfur amino acids: lysine ratio and bioavailability of DL-Met and liquid MHA-FA in 10-20 kg pigs
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The trace minerals provide essential nutrients required for various metabolic functions such as growth, development, reproduction and immunity. Even moderate deficiency can adversely effect animal performance. Consequent to urbanization and introduction of exotic breed as well as crossbreeding programme in livestock production, the increasing trends toward confinement of livestock, without access to soil or adequate green forage, increases the importance of...
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Introduction In the early twentieth century, Ivanow reported the use of the artificial insemination technique (AI) in pig(1,2). However, the commercial application of AI began at the 1980s(3). Its success can be attributed to improvement in the boar:sow ratio, increase of the impact of individual boars in both genetic progress and reproductive efficiency; and limited spread of venereal diseases. Improvement in animal management and quality controls of semen doses and their...
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Speculation over the Provisional Ruling on Anti-dumping Duties of Lysine by the EU Against China
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Emily Metz (Genus PLC) explained how can gene editing help in fighting diseases and discussed Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus (PRRS) as an example, during 2019 NIAA Annual Conference: Animal Agriculture - Innovation, Technology and Consumer Engagement in Des Moines, Iowa, USA....
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Swine neonatal diarrhea is one of the major causes of death and economic losses in swine production. The enterotoxigenic (ETEC), verotoxigenic (VTEC) and porcine enteropathogenic (PEPEC) strains are one of the most representative pathogenic variants of E. coli (9, 11, 12). There are a number of virulence factors associated with ETEC strains, such as the production of heat-labile (LT) and heat-stable (ST) toxins with two variants (STa and STb) (2). The mechanism of pathogenicity of ETEC...
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Introduction Site-specific information on the exact levels of vitamin E supplementation to gilts to optimize their reproductive ability and subsequently the body development of the piglets are lacking in most parts of the world particularly in the developing nations like ours. Most estimates on vitamin E supplementation are based on the minimum level required to overcome deficiency symptoms and not necessarily to promote productivity. The fundamental role of vitamin E in...
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