Abstract
BackgroundThis study was to investigate the utilization and reproductive performance of gilts in large-scale pig farms. Data of this descriptive study included 169,013 gilts of 1540 gilts’ batches on 105 large-scale pig farms from April 2020 to March 2021. According to the upper and lower 25th percentiles of piglets weaned per sow per year (PSY) during the research stage, pig farms were divided into three productivity groups: high-performing (HP), intermediate-performing (IP) and low-performing (LP) farms. On the basis of breeds, LP (LP-Total) farms was further divided into LP-breeding pig (LP-BP) and LP-commercial pig (LP-CP) groups. Average utilization, estrus and first mating data was collected from a total of 1540 gilts’ batches. The age-related factors (introduction age, age at first estrus and age at first mating) and litter production (total number of piglets, number of piglets born alive and number of weaned piglets, as well as their proportion distribution) among HP and LP groups were compared. The litter production in different age groups were also analyzed.ResultsThe introduction age, mortality and culling rate of HP farms were lower compared with LP farms. Total number of piglets per litter, number of piglets born alive per litter and number of weaned piglets per litter in HP farms were significantly more than those of LP groups, respectively. The proportion distribution peaks of litter production in HP farms were shifted about two more than those in LP groups, respectively; and the proportion of low litter production (eight per litter or less) was lower than that in LP groups. The results of different age groups showed that total number of piglets per litter and number of piglets born alive per litter in 220–279 d were the most, while that of 370 d was the least.ConclusionsThe overall utilization and reproductive performance of gilts in HP farms was better than those of LP farms. The difference in utilization was reflected in introduction source, culling rate and mortality. While the age at first estrus and first mating, breeds and litter production were the main differences for reproductive performance.
Highlights
Mortality CullingGilts’ batches Self-breeding1 Internal introduction2 External introduction3Average introduction number of giltsAverage introduction age Mortality of gilts4 Total mortality5 Culling rate of g ilts6 Total culling rate7235 73.0% ± 8.2%ab23.8% ± ± 7.8% 3.2% ± 1.9%a121 ± 6.94 202 ± 3.76a 1.8% ± 0.2%a 5.6% ± 0.5%a 9.4% ± 1.4%a 25.9% ± 2.0%a948 80.8% ± 4.3%a83 ± 5.89 237 ± 1.73b 1.7% ± 0.2%a 15.4% ± 0.9%b 10.5% ± 0.8%a 32.8% ± 1.1%b357 54.6% ± 6.7%b174 ± 16.21 224 ± 2.56c 6.6% ± 1.0%b 19.1% ± 1.4%c 14.9% ± 1.4%b 40.4% ± 1.8%c
The high productivity of HP farms is mainly due to better development of gilts, better breeding management, more advanced productive technology and better piglets care during lactation [11]
HP farms had the lowest mortality of gilts, total mortality, culling rate of gilts and total culling rate, mortality of gilts and culling rate of gilts were not statistically different from IP farms
Summary
Mortality CullingGilts’ batches Self-breeding Internal introduction External introduction3Average introduction number of giltsAverage introduction age Mortality of gilts Total mortality Culling rate of g ilts Total culling rate7235 73.0% ± 8.2%ab23.8% ± ± 7.8% 3.2% ± 1.9%a121 ± 6.94 202 ± 3.76a 1.8% ± 0.2%a 5.6% ± 0.5%a 9.4% ± 1.4%a 25.9% ± 2.0%a948 80.8% ± 4.3%a83 ± 5.89 237 ± 1.73b 1.7% ± 0.2%a 15.4% ± 0.9%b 10.5% ± 0.8%a 32.8% ± 1.1%b357 54.6% ± 6.7%b174 ± 16.21 224 ± 2.56c 6.6% ± 1.0%b 19.1% ± 1.4%c 14.9% ± 1.4%b 40.4% ± 1.8%c. This study was to investigate the utilization and reproductive performance of gilts in large-scale pig farms. According to the upper and lower 25th percentiles of piglets weaned per sow per year (PSY) during the research stage, pig farms were divided into three productivity groups: high-performing (HP), intermediate-performing (IP) and low-performing (LP) farms. The age-related factors (introduction age, age at first estrus and age at first mating) and litter production (total number of piglets, number of piglets born alive and number of weaned piglets, as well as their proportion distribution) among HP and LP groups were compared. When sows are culled from the pig herd due to high parities or low reproductive performance, gilts must be introduced to ensure the reasonable parity structure of the sows in the pig farm. There are differences between pig farms of different production levels, but no research have been found on HP and low performance (LP) of Chinese pig farms
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