Environmental and Breed Factors Associated with Lifetime and Per Year Productivity of Sows in A Commercial Farm in Michoacan, Mexico
Keywords:
pigs born per year, pigs weaned per year, pigs born per lifetime, pigs weaned per lifetime, kilograms of pigs weaned per year, kilograms of pigs weaned per lifetimeAbstract
The objective of this study was to determine the effects of some environmental and breed group factors on lifetime and per year productivity of sows. A retrospective study was carried out from 1998 to 2007 using information of a production system with 2,400 sows, in La Piedad, Michoacan, Mexico. Data from 6,063 sows belonging to the breed groups PIC Camborough 22, Yorkshire (Y), F1 Landrace (L) x Y (F1 LY) and 3/4Y1/4Lwere used. The response variables were the number of pigs born alive per sow per year (PBY) or per productive lifetime (PBL), number of pigs weaned per year (PWY) or per productive lifetime (PWL), kg of pigs weaned per sow per year (KWY), kg of pigs weaned per sow per lifetime (KWL) and productive lifetime (PLT) of sows. The statistical model included the fixed effect of year of first farrowing (1998-2007), season of first farrowing (spring, summer, fall, winter), breed group of the sow, number of pigs born alive at first farrowing (<7, 7-8, 9-10, >10 pigs) and year by season interaction. Means and standard deviations estimated for PBY, PWY, KPY, PBL, PWL, KWL and PLT were 21.4±3.71 pigs, 18.2±4.04 pigs, 107.5+25.8 kg, 48.3±22.7 pigs, 41.4±3.71 kg, 243.7±122.9 kg and 805.6±338.8 days, respectively. All factors studied had effect on all traits (P < 0.05), except, breed group on PBY, and season on PWY and KWL. The interaction of year by season was not significant only for PBY. Sows farrowing from 2005 to 2007 and in the fall season had the poorest performance. The best performance per year or productive lifetime corresponded to the 1/4L3/4Y breed group, except for PBY where no differences were found. Also, the 1/4L3/4Y sows stayed longer in the herd. The sows with the smallest litter size at first parity (≤ 6 piglets) had the worst performance.
References
Gill, P., Managing reproduction - critical control points in exceeding 30 pigs per sow per year London Swine Conference – Today’s Challenges… Tomorrow’s Opportunities 3-4 April 2007 171-184.http://www.londonswineconference.ca/proceedings/2007/LSC2007_PGill2.pdf
Koketsu, Y., Sasaki, Y., Ichikawa, H. and Kaneko, M., Benchmarking in animal agriculture: Concepts and applications. Journal of VeterinaryEpidemiology2010, 14(2): 105-117.
Ibáñez, N., Àlos, N., Arbonés, M., López, P. y Noguera, J.L., Situación actual y evolución de los principales índices reproductivos de referencia en España. Anaporc, 2007, 37: 44-51.
López, N., and Galíndez, R., Evaluación de la productividad acumulada al destete en cerdas Large White, Landrace y Cruzadas en una granja comercial. Zootecnia Tropical, 2011, 29(4): 445-453.
Stalder, K.J., Knauer, M., Baas, T.J., Rothschild, M.F. and Mabry, J.W., Sow longevity, Pig News and Information, 2004. 25: 53-74.
Serenius, T., and Stalder, K.J., 2007. Longevity is impacted by farm management, leg conformation, sow’s own prolificacy, and sow’s origin, parity and genetics. Animal, 1, 745-750.
INEGI, 2010. DatosGeográficos 2010. In: http://mapserver.inegi.gob.mx/geografia/espanol/datosgeogra/basicos/estados/yuc_geo.cfm 17/04/2013.
SAS, SAS/STAT User´s Guide, Version 9.1, SAS Institute Inc, North Carolina, 2002.
Segura-Correa, J.C., Ek-Mex, E.J., Alzina-López, A., Magaña-Monforte, J.G., Sarmiento-Franco, L., Santos-Ricalde, R.H.Length of productive life of sows in four pig farms in the tropics of Mexico. Tropical Animal Health and Production, 2011, 43(6): 1191-1194.
Koonawootrittriron, S., Nopibool U., Elzo, M.A., and Suwanasopee, T.,. Length of productive life and lifetime production of Landrace, Yorkshire and crossbred sows raised under Thai tropical conditions. Journal of Animal Science, 2012, 90 (E-Suppl. 3): 640.
Yazdi, M.H., Rydhmer, L., Ringmar-Cederberg, E., Lundeheim, N., and Johansson, K., Genetic study of longevity in Swedish Landrace sows, Livestock Production Science, 2000, 63: 255-264.
Tarrés, J., Bidanel, J.P., Hofer, A. and Ducrocq, V., Analysis of longevity and exterior traits on Large White sows in Switzerland, Journal of Animal Science, 2006, 84, 2914-2924.
Engblom, L., Lundehein, N., Strandberg, E., Schneider, M. P., Dalin, M. and Andersson, K., Factors affecting the length of productive life in Swedish commercial sows, Journal of Animal Science, 2008, 86: 432-411.
