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Litter productivity in Large White pigs: 1. The relative importance of some sources of variation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

G. S. Strang
Affiliation:
A.R.C. Animal Breeding Research Organisation, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JQ
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Summary

Data from 38000 Large White litters farrowed in 146 British herds were analysed to investigate the relative importance of various sources of variation affecting litter productivity. The effects of the season and the year of farrowing were very small relative to the effect of the herd of farrowing which was particularly large on the litter and average pig weights at three weeks. There was a small increase in the size of gilt litters as the age of the gilt at first farrowing increased. Litter size increased progressively with parity up to around the fourth litter and then declined gradually at higher pari-ties. There was a suggestion that the sire of a litter may hve a very small effect on litter size at birth but not at three weeks or eight weeks.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1970

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References

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