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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.
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...
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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...
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Optimising pellet processing to boost pellet quality and profitability
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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:...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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Overview of Performance of Listed Vitamin Companies in 2023
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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...
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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? ...
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How does genetic improvement (modern pigs) have an influence on nutrient requirements and physiological development (esp. GI) of pigs (weaners to finisher). ...
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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...
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Optimising pellet processing to boost pellet quality and profitability
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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,...
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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,...
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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...
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Hi to all Mark here I wanted to start a boar station of 100 boar in india. i already have pig farm of 600 sows.and we are located in the centre of india (nagpur) maharashtra so I wanted some company to do joint-venture with my company nisarg animal farming pvt.ltd(incorporated under the companies act.,1956,roc, goverment of india) so we can export the genetic to south east asia.in that case we can export genetic to any were within 12 hrs.i have 60 acre of land and a 4000 sq ft farm.only we...
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Introduction Neonatal and pre-weaning mortality represents a very large wastage and loss of efficiency for most production farming businesses. Irrespective of the production system(intensive or extensive) the level of pre-weaning mortality still stands around 11-12% of all piglets that are born alive. The range in this probably is between 8% and 25% in general if we consider national statistics. Even the top 10% of performing herds in the UK...
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Farrowing induction is a production tool that's been used for years in the swine industry. The basic concept is simple: Give an injection to reduce variation in timing of the birthing process such that it is most convenient for staff to attend farrowings. In practice it is somewhat more complicated. Ask yourself: What exactly is your objective? What compound(s) do you use to induce farrowing? When do you treat sows? What other considerations are...
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Overview of Performance of Listed Vitamin Companies in 2023
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I am encountering a problem with Thrombocytopaenic Purpura on a number of farms, seen in piglets about 7 days old.
The problem is caused by sows producing antibodies to platelets in the piglets blood.
Have any of you seen this problem. Or from my case can anything be done to identify boars. I guess that is similar to the Rhesus-factor in human blood.
Thanks,
William ...
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Hello Colleagues, What relationship exists between animal weight and age of the first heat? Thank you for your help! Cheers from Italy! Fabio ...
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