Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-42gr6 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-25T01:16:35.768Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Evaluation of piglet mortality in 28 two-breed crosses among eight breeds of pig

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

M. H. Fahmy ,
W. B. Holtmann ,
T. M. MacIntyre  and
J. E. Moxley
M. H. Fahmy
Affiliation:
Agriculture Canada, Laval University and MacDonald College, Canada
W. B. Holtmann
Affiliation:
Agriculture Canada, Laval University and MacDonald College, Canada
T. M. MacIntyre
Affiliation:
Agriculture Canada, Laval University and MacDonald College, Canada
J. E. Moxley
Affiliation:
Agriculture Canada, Laval University and MacDonald College, Canada
Get access

Abstract

Records of piglet mortality were taken on 775 first and 657 second litters farrowed at four locations and representing 28 combinations of two-breed crosses involving eight breeds. All the sows were mated to Poland China boars. Overall mortality was 18% of which 4·2% occurred at birth, 13·2% between birth and 21 days and 1·2% from 21 to 42 days. Landrace x Yorkshire dams had the lowest mortality rate (10·4%) followed by Duroc x Lacombe (12·3%) whereas the highest rate was found in the Hampshire x Lacombe sows (21·6%). Piglets with Tamworth and Yorkshire ancestry had the lowest mortality (16·2 and 16·7%) while those with Berkshire ancestry had the highest (20·0%). Mortality rate was slightly (2%) higher in first than in second parity litters, and highest in summer and similar in the three other seasons. Mortality rate was highest in very small and very large litters and among the lightest and the heaviest piglets. The results showed a linear relationship between mortality rate and homogeneity of piglet weights at birth within litter, mortality rising with the increase in intra-litter variation. The effect of sires on piglet mortality was significant in one, and non-significant in the three other locations.

Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Production , Volume 26 , Issue 3 , June 1978 , pp. 277 - 285
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1978

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Backstrsm, L. 1973. Environment and animal health in piglet production. Afieldstudy of incidences and correlations. Acta vet. scand. (supp. 41).Google Scholar
Bereskin, B., Shelby, C. E. and Cox, D. F. 1973. Some factors affecting pig survival. J. Anim. Sci. 36: 821–827.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bille, N., Nielson, N. C., Larsen, J. L. and Svendsen, J. 1974. Preweaning mortality in pigs. 2. The perinatal period. Nord. Vet Med. 26: 294–313.Google ScholarPubMed
Fahmy, M. H. and Bernard, C. S. 1971. Causes of mortality in Yorkshire pigs from birth to 20 weeks of age. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 51: 351–359.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fahmy, M. H., Bernard, C. S. and Holtmann, W. B. 1971. Crossbreeding swine: reproductive performance of seven breeds of sows bred to produce crossbred progeny. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 51: 361–370.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Harvey, W. R. 1964. Computing procedures for a generalized least-squares analysis program. Colorado State Univ., Fort Collins, Colorado, USA. (Mimeograph.)Google Scholar
Holtmann, W. B., Fahmy, M. H., MacIntyre, T. M. and Moxley, J. E. 1975. Evaluation of female reproductive performance of 28 one-way crosses produced from eight breeds of swine. Anim. Prod. 21: 199–207.Google Scholar
Jensen, P., Philipsson, J., Ewert, J. and Wiggen, J. 1969. Effect of incidence level of the variate on the analysis of all-or-none traits. Group report. Internordic Licentiate Course in Quantitative Genetics, pp. 119–125. NLH Landbruksbokhandelen, Vollebekk.Google Scholar
Nielson, N. C., Christensen, K., Bille, N. and Larsen, J. L. 1974. Preweaning mortality i n pigs. 1. Herd investigations. Nord. Vet Med. 26: 137–150.Google Scholar
Pomeroy, R. W. 1960. Infertility and neonatal mortality in the sow. III. Neonatal mortality and foetal development. J. agric. Sci., Camb. 54: 31–56.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Van Vleck, L. D. 1972. Estimation of heritability of threshold characters. J. Dairy Sci. 55: 218–225.CrossRefGoogle Scholar