DOI: https://doi.org/10.5513/JCEA01/16.2.1578
Original scientific paper
THE EFFECT OF THE BACKFAT THICKNESS LOSS ON REPRODUCTION IN LACTATING SOWS
2015, 16 (2) p. 1-9
Luboš Brzobohatý , Roman Stupka, Jaroslav Čítek , Michal Šprysl, Monika OKROUHLÁ, Karel Vehovsky, David Kureš
Abstract
The work discusses the influence of the backfat thickness change, during sow´s lactation, on their subsequent litter characteristics. The reproduction potential of 478 sows of two genotypes was assessed. The genotypes were 50 Large White (LWD) sows and 428 crossbreeds Large White x Landrace (LWD x L) sows. The backfat thickness decline was examined in accordance to P2, backfat thickness in sows during lactation namely 1 day before planned parturition as well as weaning. From the obtained results it can be stated that the backfat thickness decline level during lactation has a small influence on the number of total born piglets. In contrast, the number of piglets born alive increased when backfat thickness rate increased. With a moderate backfat thickness decline, the average birthweight piglets gradually increased. However, the opposite trend was shown for the average weight at weaning. The backfat thickness decline level during sow´s lactation influences their farrowing interval. Animals with a lower increase of the backfat thickness subsequently showed a shorter farrowing interval (148.99, respectively 151.86 days), as well as a shorter weaning – estrus interval.
Keywords
backfat thickness, pigs, reproduction, sows
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