Signs of long-term adaptation and their relationship with the indicators of reproductive qualities in sows of the universal direction of productivity

Abstract

The paper presents the results of the study of signs of long-term adaptation and indicators of reproductive qualities of sows of the universal direction of productivity, as well as calculates the economic efficiency of research results. The experimental part of the work was performed in the agricultural formations of the Dnipropetrovsk region and the laboratory of animal husbandry of the State Institution “Institute of Grain Crops of NAAS of Ukraine”. The work was performed in accordance with the research program № 31 “Genetic improvement of farm animals, their reproduction and conservation of biodiversity (Genetics, conservation, and reproduction of bioresources in animal husbandry)”, task – 31.02.01.18. pigs of different genotypes and to develop an integrated system for creating a highly productive population” (№ DR 0121U107903). Evaluation of sows on the indicators of long-term adaptation and reproductive qualities was carried out taking into account the following characteristics: life expectancy, months; duration of breeding use, months; farrowing was obtained; received piglets total, ch.; obtained live piglets, ch.; multiplicity, ch.; nest weight at the time of weaning at the age of 28 days, kg; safety of piglets before weaning, %. The index “level of adaptation” was calculated according to the method of Smirnov (2003), the index of reproductive qualities – according to the method of M. D. Berezovsky. Economic efficiency of research results and biometric processing of the obtained data were carried out according to generally accepted methods. It is established that sows of large white breeds of the controlled herd are characterized by rather high indicators of reproductive qualities and level of adaptation to conditions of intensive technology of operation. The life expectancy of sows in the main herd is 44.1 months, the duration of breeding use – 32.8 months, the index “level of adaptation” – 11.87 points. According to the indicators of fertility and nest weight at the time of weaning, the animals of the main herd belong to the first class and the elite class. Taking into account intra-breed differentiation according to the index “level of adaptation” sows of class M- significantly outperformed peers of class M+ in life expectancy by 54.77 %, duration of breeding use – by 71.48 %, index “level of adaptation” – by 66.09 %. Significant differences between groups of animals of these classes were found by multiplicity (td = 2.22; P < 0.05), nest weight at the time of weaning at the age of 28 days, kg (td = 2.56; P < 0.01) and index MD Berezovsky (td = 2.60; P < 0.01). The coefficients of pair correlation between traits that characterize the level of adaptation and reproductive qualities of sows range from -0.704 (tr = 10.80) to +0.982 (tr = 213.05). The use of sow class M- according to the index “level of adaptation” provides an increase in additional products at the level of +5.71 %, or 140.80 UAH. We propose to select repair young stock from sows of the leading group with the index “level of adaptation” of 6.55–8.08 points in the conditions of breeding plants and breeders, as well as industrial complexes.