Explore all the information on
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.
I have been reading some really good research lately, but something about it bothers me. I do understand that a lot of sows are culled before Third Parity, and that this is a good place to start with Sow Longevity. For me personally, five or six parities should be the average for all sows that have farrowed at least once. Good Sow Longevity in my mind is Parity 7 or 8 or more! Are you able to get good Piglet Birth Weights with today’s...
Comments : 0
Recommendations: 0
For class I had to summarize a paper by Dr. W.L Flowers titled “Trouble-shooting Fertility Problems”. From this summary I was to make a “Decision Tree” to help decide where Fertility Problems occur. I thought that it might be helpful to others. Please let me know if you would add anything to it, or even change it. I would love to hear from you as to its usefulness to you! For clarity of definitions: A “Regular Return to...
Comments : 0
Recommendations: 0
Mycotoxins semiannual survey of mycotoxin in feed in 2023 Taiwan - Second Half
Suggested link
Efficient sow reproduction is fundamental to achieving a successful, sustainable and economically viable swine industry. The key criteria used to assess the efficiency of sow performance are the number of piglets weaned per litter, per year or per lifetime. The modern hyperprolific sow has a great potential to produce piglets and 30 piglets weaned per year is an achievable target. If performance is less than this, then action needs to be taken to identify those...
Comments : 0
Recommendations: 0
Under the teaching of Dr. William Flowers Ph.D this semester, I have learned about some new concepts in how to rear Replacement Gilts. Research shows that Replacement Gilts raised in litters of 7 or less will be more productive as sows over their first three parities. I would imagine even keeping the Replacement Gilt litters to 10 piglets or less will help the Replacement Gilts develop better than if their dam’s litter size is larger. What is the reason...
Comments : 0
Recommendations: 0
Pork CRC research into the performance and eating quality of entire male pigs and those immunised against gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH), using Improvac™, has revealed that androstenone and skatole, the compounds linked to boar taint, were significantly higher in the belly fat of entire males than in immunised males.
...
Comments : 0
Recommendations: 0
I have been using the drug PG 600 for 4 years regularly for induction of estrus and I am satisfied, but now a new product appears on the market (OVUCEL) at a much lower price. Since we only have 15 sows, I would like to gather as much information as I can before trying it. Composition and method of the Vademecum are practically the same, but the price is certainly not. Please, if you have experience with this, would you give me a piece of advice? Thank...
Comments : 0
Recommendations: 0
.jpg&w=3840&q=75)
1. Introduction Artificial insemination (AI) of swine is widely practiced in countries with intensive pig production. In Western Europe, more than 90% of the sows have been bred by AI for more than two decades (Gerrits et al., 2005; Vyt, 2007). When compared with natural mating, AI is a very useful tool to introduce superior genes into sow herds, with a minimal risk of disease (Maes et al., 2008). The outcome of AI...
Comments : 0
Recommendations: 0
1 PigCHAMP Pro Europa S.A. C/ Gremios Segovianos, 13. 40195 Segovia. Spain 2 IRTA. Finca Camps i Armet. 17121 Monells. Spain 3 Pfizer Salud Animal. Avda. de Europa, 20B. Parque Empresarial La Moraleja. 28108 Alcobendas (Madrid). Spain 4 NUTEGA. C/ Marconi, 9. 28823 Coslada (Madrid). Spain Spanish Journal of Agricultural Research 2010 8(3), 599-606 Available online at www.inia.es/sjar ISSN:...
Comments : 0
Recommendations: 0
APIs and Vitamin MARKET - The weak demand for the APIs
Suggested link
I would like to hear from others their experiences with inducing sows to farrow. In the early 1990’s, while working as a “First-Week Farrowing Supervisor”, I was taught to induce sows to farrow. If I remember correctly, we used 1cc of Lutalyse. Our sows were supposed to have a natural gestation average of 114 days, and I would Lutalyse the sows on day 111 to farrow on day 112.
I was taught to inject the sow in her vulva, and I quickly learned to hit the middle of the flesh as the shot...
Comments : 0
Recommendations: 0
Introduction
Improvest® (Pfizer Animal Health) is approved in a number of countries for immunological castration of male pigs. There is an increasing amount of research evaluating the growth performance and carcass characteristics of immunologically- compared to physically-castrated male pigs. However, there has been little if any research comparing the responses of these two genders during pre-harvest handling and...
Comments : 1
Recommendations: 0
Mycotoxins semiannual survey of mycotoxin in feed in 2023 Taiwan - Second Half
Suggested link
Introduction
Due to decreased production costs and improved lean gain, raising entire male pigs (EM) is preferred. However, the presence of boar taint compounds in meat from EM raises consumer acceptability issues. Additionally, the conventional use of surgical castration to circumvent boar taint is under continuing scrutiny from animal welfare groups and consumers. Immunization against gonadotropin-releasing...
Comments : 0
Recommendations: 0
Abstract This report reviews the latest knowledge on boar semen diluents used in artificial insemination procedures. The requirements of an effective fresh semen diluent are discussed and currently available extenders are compared. Finally, we suggest directions to be taken in future research on this topic. A semen extender should be carefully selected according to its proposed use. For a...
Comments : 0
Recommendations: 0
Introduction
The breeding objective for a swine nucleus selection program is to improve crossbred commercial performance. Most genetic improvement programs are based on an assumed relationship between purebred performance in a nucleus herd and their relatives' crossbred performance in a commercial herd. Since nucleus animals have fewer parities to shorten the generation interval and longevity is important at the commercial level, it is...
Comments : 0
Recommendations: 0
This is ACMC veterinary consultant, Paul Thompson´s tip regarding the storage of semen during cold weather: Semen for AI on pig farms should be stored at 17oC in temperature-controlled cabinets. AI suppliers take care to ensure that semen is in good condition on delivery. A weak area on many pig farms, particularly in cold weather, can be where all the doses needed for the morning’s services are taken out and left by the...
Comments : 1
Recommendations: 0
What are piggeries breeding in this day and age? Is colour an important issue due to the warming of the world and the possibility of cancer in the white pigs? Is the quality of the meat changing and how can we better serve the customer and provice a good sound fat free meat that is not full of drugs and antibiotics? ...
Comments : 2
Recommendations: 0
How does genetic improvement (modern pigs) have an influence on nutrient requirements and physiological development (esp. GI) of pigs (weaners to finisher). ...
Comments : 10
Recommendations: 0
APIs and Vitamin MARKET - The weak demand for the APIs
Suggested link
Altrenogest, marketed for use in horses as Regumate, is a synthetic progestin that is marketed for use in pigs as MATRIX. It effectively regulates the occurrence of estrus in randomly cycling gilts if it is provided for 14 or more days at a daily dose of 15 mg/day. It is important to assure that each gilt receives her full dose; otherwise problems of cystic follicles and reduced fertility may be observed. Introduction It has long...
Comments : 2
Recommendations: 0
I would like some advice in regards to the proper dosage rate for oxytocin in sows, at present here in Russia our manufacturers recommend 2-3ml/sow of oxytocin 10iu, worked in the swine industry for many years i find this dosage far too high, i would prefer using 0.5-1.0ml/sow, we are experiencing an increase of stillbirths which i put down to the russian dosage rate. I would appreciate your views. Regards, Anthony CJ Rollason Bsc,...
Comments : 8
Recommendations: 0
Mycotoxins semiannual survey of mycotoxin in feed in 2023 Taiwan - Second Half
Suggested link
Many farms will experience reduced fertility over the next few months due to summer and autumn infertility, warns Paul Thompson, veterinary consultant to pig-breeding company ACMC Ltd.
Summer infertility is related to periods of heat stress in boars and sows due to hot conditions while autumn infertility is triggered by falling day lengths. On many units analysis of farm records show that this is a predictable event,...
Comments : 1
Recommendations: 0
Summary Oxytocin is frequently used to decrease farrowing time and birth interval as an aid to prevent stillbirths. However, recent research has shown that oxytocin use can increase the number of pigs stillborn when used too early in the birth process. This research indicates that the reason for increased stillbirths was increased ruptured umbilical cords leading to compromise of the pigs oxygen supply...
Comments : 2
Recommendations: 0