• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
• /
• v.58 no.2
• /
• pp.73-79
• /
• 2018

Outbreaks of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) in vaccinated sow herds from occurrence to stabilization were monitored and analyzed in terms of serology and reproductive performance. Three different conventional pig farms experienced severe reproductive failures with the introduction of a type 1 PRRSV. These farms had adopted mass vaccination of sows using a type 2 PRRSV modified live vaccine (MLV). Therefore, to control the type 1 PRRSV, an alternative vaccination program utilizing both type 1 and type 2 MLV was undertaken. Following whole herd vaccinations with both types of MLV, successful stabilization of PRRS outbreaks was identified based on serological data (no viremia and downward trends in ELISA antibody titers in both sows and suckling piglets) and recovery of reproductive performance. Additionally, through comparison of the reproductive parameters between outbreak and non-outbreak periods, it was identified that PRRSV significantly affected the farrowing rate and the number of suckling piglets per litter at all three pig farms. Comparison of reproductive parameters between periods when the different vaccination strategies were applied revealed that the number of piglets born in total and born dead per litter were significantly increased after the introduction of the type 1 PRRS MLV.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.18 no.2
• /
• pp.249-254
• /
• 2005

The objective of this study was to investigate effects of dietary level of CLA and the duration of feeding CLAcontaining diets on reproductive performance in sows and piglet growth rate. Tallow (3% in gestation diet and 5% in lactation diet, respectively) was incorporated as a fat source in control diet, and each 50% (dietary CLA level of 0.75% in gestation diet, and 1.50% in lactation diet, respectively) or 100% (dietary CLA level of 1.50% in gestation diet, and 2.50% in lactation diet, respectively) of tallow was replaced by a commercial CLA preparation containing 50% CLA isomers. Diets containing CLA were fed either from d 15 premating to weaning or d 74 post-mating to weaning. The level of dietary CLA and feeding duration did not affect litter size. High dietary level of CLA, however, decreased piglet weights at birth (p<0.01) and tended to decrease backfat thickness of sows at weaning. Longterm feeding of CLA-containing diets decreased piglet weights at weaning (p<0.05) and backfat thickness of sows at weaning (p<0.05). CLA supplemented in sow diet was transferred to fetus and piglets during pregnancy and nursing period, respectively. CLA contents of femoral muscle of piglets were 2.08 to 2.57 mg per g of fat at birth, and 2.36 to 4.47 mg at 10 days of age in CLA groups, while CLA was not detected in the control group. In conclusion, dietary supplementation of CLA tended to lower backfat thickness of sow and piglets' weight at birth or weaning, but did not affect total litter size. Dietary CLA was transferred efficiently during prenatal and postnatal periods of time through the placenta and milk, respectively.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.31 no.6
• /
• pp.881-887
• /
• 2018

Objective: This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary cashew nut testa (CNT) as an alternative feed ingredient to wheat bran on reproductive performance, litter performance, milk composition, and blood profiles of gestating sows. Methods: Forth multiparous sows ($Yorkshire{\times}Landrace$) were fed experimental diets starting at 35 days of pregnancy and an initial average body weight (BW) of $211.53{\pm}8.86kg$. Each sow was assigned to a treatment based on BW, backfat thickness (BF) and parity with 10 sows per treatment. Treatments were as follows: i) corn-soybean meal based diet with 6% of wheat bran (C0); ii) basal diet with 2% of CNT and 4% of wheat bran (C2); iii) basal diet with 4% of CNT and 2% of wheat bran (C4); and iv) basal diet with 6% of CNT (C6). Results: There were no statistically significant differences in BW and BF of gestating sows throughout the experimental period. However, changes in BF (p = 0.09) and the daily feed intake of sows (p = 0.09) tended to linearly increase during the lactation period. The weaning to estrus interval (WEI) showed a quadratic response to CNT treatment (p = 0.02), and the C2 diet showed the shortest WEI. Litter birth weight (p = 0.04) and piglet birth weight (p = 0.06) were linearly decreased with increase in CNT. Furthermore, there had no significant differences in piglet weight and litter weight in 21 day. Insulin concentration at day 70 of gestation was linearly reduced with increasing CNT level in diets (p = 0.03). Conclusion: When 6% CNT replaced wheat bran in gestating sow diets, there were no negative effects on sow performance, but litter birth weight and piglet birth weight were decreased when CNT level increased in gestating sow diets.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
• /
• v.31 no.3
• /
• pp.249-254
• /
• 2016

It is imperious to know the reproductive parameters of the subsisting swine breed for profitable farming in Bangladesh. This study was designed to compare the reproductive parameters of sows at hilly areas between the local and crossbred at farm and backyard level. A total of 116 breedable sows were included. The data on age at puberty, litter size, birth weight, weaning weight, gestation length, interval between farrowing and number of piglets born per sow in local and crossbred sows were determined and direct questionnaire method was used for data collection. The present study revealed that age at puberty between farm and backyard system of crossbred sows was $8.88{\pm}0.153$ and $9.85{\pm}0.221$ months, respectively. The farrowing interval was shorter in crossbred sows which were kept in farming system rather than backyard system. The interval between farrowing and onset of estrus was shorter in crossbred sows. The gestation length was almost similar between backyard and farm condition. The number of litter size per sow per farrowing was $8.45{\pm}0.41$ in crossbred and $7.17{\pm}0.250$ in local pigs at backyard system. The birth weight and weaning weight were more in farm conditions than backyard system. The age at puberty in local breed was lower than the crossbred and litter size was $8.45{\pm}0.407$ in crossbred which was higher than local breed $7.17{\pm}0.250$ in backyard system. These results suggest that reproductive parameters of local sow need to be improved for better production and crossbred sows should be reared for obtaining desired productivity.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.4 no.2
• /
• pp.143-150
• /
• 1991

The data on reproductive performance of 1065 purebred Landrace, 1254 purebred Yorkshire. 553 purebred Duroc and 327 purebred Pietrain sows bred to farrow purebred litters and data from 3413 Landrace $\times$ Yorkshire, 487 Duroc $\times$ Pietrain and 3191 commericial litters were udsed in this study. The data were collected form litters farrowed form January 1986 to December 1988 in Holiday Hills Stock and Breeding Farms, San Prero, Laguna. The crossbred sows and litters were better in most traits associated with sow productivity than their contemporary purebred sows and litters. The Duroc $\times$ Pietrain crossbred litters showed 16.67% improvement in litter size at weaning, 10.11% improvement in survival rate form birth to weaning and 16.21% more pigs per sow pre year than the averages of their parental breeds. The litters from the Landrace $\times$ Yorkshire crossbred sows sired by either Duroc or Duroc $\times$ Pietrain boars had 11.01% bigger litter size at birth, 20.74% increase in litter size at weaning and 22.86% more pigs weaned per sow per year than the averages of the four parental breeds. Very little improvement in most traits evaluated were observed form the Landrace $\times$ Yorkshire crossbred litters compared with their parental breeds. Year of birth of litter had litter influence on sow productivity. However, the reproductivity performance declined when sows farrowed in June up to September. The best Months of farrowing were found to be from January to April. The breed $\times$ year, breed $\times$ month and year $\times$ month had no significant effects on all traits evaluated.

• Animal Bioscience
• /
• v.36 no.10
• /
• pp.1578-1583
• /
• 2023

Objective: This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of vitamin K (VK) supplementation on reproductive performance and bone metabolism-related biochemical markers in sows. Methods: Twenty-four Large White×Landrace sows (mean parity 4.04) were randomly assigned to two dietary treatments (NC diet, a basal diet with 0.5 mg/kg of VK₃; VK diet, a basal diet with 5 mg/kg of VK₃) with twelve replicates per treatment and one sow per replicate according to parity. The experiment started on day 107 of gestation and lasted until day 21 of lactation (weaning). Results: We observed that there were no differences (p>0.05) in average daily feed intake, backfat loss of sows, live piglet number at birth and weaning, average birth weight, average weaning weight, and average daily gain of piglets between two treatments. The apparent total tract digestibility of phosphorus was increased (p<0.05) in VK sows compared with NC sows. The serum bone alkaline phosphatase, osteocalcin, type I procollagen amino-terminal peptide, and type I procollagen carboxyl-terminal peptide on day of farrowing were higher (p<0.05) in VK sows than in NC sows. The serum phosphorus, parathyroid hormone, tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha on day of weaning were lower (p<0.05) in VK sows compared with NC sows. Conclusion: Therefore, the overall results suggested that increasing dietary VK₃ (0.5 to 5 mg/kg) during lactation improved the apparent total tract digestibility of phosphorus and serum bone metabolism biochemical markers in sows.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.16 no.4
• /
• pp.489-493
• /
• 2003

Reproductive traits of sows are determined chiefly by the genetic background of the dam herself. Whether the breed of the serviced boars also contributes is not yet clear. A total of 8,946 litters of Landrace (L) sows from 68 farms were examined. Of these, 876, 1,260, and 6,810 litters were produced from natural mating with L, Yorkshire (Y), and Duroc (D) breeds, respectively. The birth litter size (BLS), weaning litter size (WLS), live born piglets (LBP), and survival rate % (SR), of every litter were recorded. A general linear-model procedure was followed to estimate the effects of boars' breed (B), parity (P) and B${\times}$P interaction on the reproductive traits of the sows. Results show that BLS, WLS, and LBP were all significantly (p<0.001) affected by B and P. SR% was significantly influenced by B but not by P. L sows crossbred with Y or purebred with L produced litters with higher BLS, WLS, and LBP values than those bred with D. Pure L breeding yielded litters with lower SR% than did crossbreeding with D, while the difference between SR% due to LY and that due to LD crossbreeding was not significant. The interaction of B with P was significant with respect to BLS, WLS, and LBP (p<0.001), but not SR%. No significant B effect on reproductive traits was measured in sows at their first parity; but at latter parities, LL or LY produced litters with similarly high BLS, WLS and LBP, which values were all significantly greater than those of LD litters. The breed of boar evidently affected the subsequent reproductive performance of L sows and this effect may be further manipulated by the parity effect. Breed differences in semen quality and the success of fetus development with different interactions of the genetic background with the uterus function of the sow that may contribute to these effects are discussed.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
• /
• v.43 no.5
• /
• pp.794-801
• /
• 2016

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of supplementation Oreganum aetheroleum essential oil on reproductive performance in sows and growth performance of their offspring of weaning pig. 12 sows ($Landrace{\times}Yorkshire$) were randomly assigned within parities to 1 of 3 dietary treatments to give 4 replicates per treatment. Dietary treatments were as follows: 1) CON (basal diet) 2) ANT (basal diet + Efrotomycin 0.08%) and 3) ORE (basal diet + Oreganum aetheroleum essential oil 0.05%), EXP. 1, diets were fed from d 107 of gestation to weanling. EXP. 2, diets were fed from after weaning to 3 weeks. In the Exp.1, no significant difference (p > 0.05) was observed in sow's average parity, sow backfat thickness, the number of piglets, feed intake of sows, the average of piglet weight, and piglet survival ratio between CON, ANT, and ORE treatments. Besides, in the Exp. 2, the inclusion of efrotomycin and Oreganum aetheroleum essential oil in the diets significantly (p < 0.05) increased final body weight, ADG, ADFI, and G/F in weanling pigs. In addition, weanling pigs fed ANT and ORE diets led to decrease the number of weanling pigs with diarrhea as well as fecal score. In conclusion, supplementation of efrotomycin and Oreganum aetheroleum essential oil enhanced growth performance, and decreased the number of weanling pigs with diarrhea and fecal score. However, no significant effect on grow performance was observed in sow and piglet.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
• /
• v.65 no.3
• /
• pp.562-578
• /
• 2023

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of dietary supplementation of Ca-Mg complex on the longevity and reproductive performance of sows. In total, seventy-two gilts ([Yorkshire × Landrace] × Duroc, average body weight 181 kg) were randomly allocated to 1 of 3 treatments during 4 successive parity in a 4 × 3 factorial arrangement. Treatments consisted of CON (basal diet), CM1 (basal diet -MgO - 0.3% limestone + 0.4% Ca-Mg complex), and CM2 (basal diet - MgO - 0.7% limestone + 0.4% Ca-Mg complex). A higher (p < 0.05) number of totals born and live piglets, and sows increased feed intake during gestation and lactation, increased backfat thickness, and increased estrus interval were observed (p < 0.05) during their third and fourth parity than during their first and second parity. Ca-Mg complex supplementation improved (p < 0.05) the number of total piglets during the first and second parity as well as live-born piglets during the first to third parity, reduction (p < 0.05) in backfat thickness during the third and fourth parity, a higher (p < 0.05) initial and final number of suckling piglets as well as higher weaning weight compared with sows fed CON diet during the first, second, and third parity. The average daily gain (ADG) was higher (p < 0.05) in piglets born to CM1 and CM2 sows regardless of parity. The treatment diets fed to sows lowered (p < 0.05) the duration of first to last piglet birth and placenta expulsion time compared with CON sows. A significant interactive effect (p = 0.042) between parities and treatment diets was observed for the first to last piglet birth. Thus, Ca-Mg complex supplementation by partially replacing limestone in the basal diet enhanced sow performance, specifically during their third and fourth parity, thereby improving sow longevity.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.24 no.8
• /
• pp.1142-1147
• /
• 2011

Lysine intake during gestation has a major impact on subsequent reproductive performance. The objective of this experiment was to determine the effect of lysine intake from mid-gestation until farrowing on the reproductive performance of multiparous sows. On day 30 of gestation, 200 Landrace${\times}$Large White sows were randomly assigned to one of four groups based on body weight and parity (n = 50). The gestation diets contained 0.46, 0.56, 0.65 or 0.74% lysine. Increasing dietary lysine concentration improved sow body condition at farrowing and increased litter weights (p<0.05). Dietary lysine level also had a significant effect on the dry matter (p<0.05) and protein content (p<0.05) of colostrum. Increased lysine intake increased serum insulin concentration (p<0.05) and there was a trend towards increased serum prolactin content (linear, p = 0.07). However, increased lysine tended to decrease blood urea N (quadratic, p = 0.05). These results suggest that higher lysine levels (0.65-0.75%) than those recommended by the National Research Council improved reproductive performance for multiparous gestating sows and this increase may be partially mediated through blood metabolites or metabolic hormone levels.