Czech J. Anim. Sci., 2020, 65(3):97-103 | DOI: 10.17221/12/2020-CJAS

Influence of the use of nurse sows on their lifetime performanceOriginal Paper

Kamila Pokorná ORCID...*,1, Jaroslav Čítek1, Kateřina Zadinová1, Monika Okrouhlá1, Nicole Lebedová2, Michal Komosný3, Roman Stupka1
1 Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Czech Republic
2 Department of Cattle Breeding, Institute of Animal Science, Uhříněves, Czech Republic
3 Czech Breeding Services, s. r. o., Grygov, Czech Republic

Using nurse sows is a common practice for intensive pig farming because large numbers of piglets per litter result from intensive breeding. This aim of this study was to compare reproductive parameters of nurse sows and non-nurse sows in relation to subsequent reproductive performance. The study evaluated 463 breeding sows that produced at least one litter. The sows were divided into two groups: non-nurse sows (350 sows) and nurse sows (113 sows) at their first farrowing. The average length of first lactation was 35.12 days for nurse sows and 29.79 days for non-nurse sows. At first parity, nurse sows weaned 5.18% more piglets than did non-nurse sows (P < 0.05). At second parity, nurse sows had 2.25% more live born piglets than did non-nurse sows. Nurse sows also had 9.59% more total live born piglets and they were removed from the breeding herd later (on average by 67.1 days) than were non-nurse sows. In conclusion, using sows as nurse sows in their first lactations provides a good solution when there are large numbers of piglets per litter, and this practice has no negative effect on sows' subsequent reproductive performance.

Keywords: lactating sow; farrowing; litter size; piglet; reproduction; wean

Published: March 31, 2020  Show citation

ACS AIP APA ASA Harvard Chicago Chicago Notes IEEE ISO690 MLA NLM Turabian Vancouver
Pokorná K, Čítek J, Zadinová K, Okrouhlá M, Lebedová N, Komosný M, Stupka R. Influence of the use of nurse sows on their lifetime performance. Czech J. Anim. Sci. 2020;65(3):97-103. doi: 10.17221/12/2020-CJAS.
Share...
Download citation
  • BibTeX (.bib)
  • Bookends (.ris)
  • EasyBib (.ris)
  • EndNote (.enw)
  • EndNote 8 (.xml)
  • ISI WoS (.isi)
  • Medlars (.medlars)
  • Mendeley (.ris)
  • MODS (.xml)
  • Papers (.ris)
  • RefWorks (.txt)
  • RefManager (.ris)
  • RIS (.ris)
  • MS Word (.xml)
  • Zotero (.ris)
    • Open full article

    References

    1. Alvasen K, Hansson H, Emanuelson U, Westin R. Animal welfare and economic aspects of using nurse sows in Swedish pig production. Front Vet Sci. 2017 Dec 1;4:204. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    2. Bobcek B, Rehacek P, Matousek V. Analysis of reproduction and production parameters in dam populations of pigs and genealogical sire populations by means of M BLUP - AM method in Slovakia. Czech J Anim Sci. 2003 Apr 1;48(4):164-9.
    3. Bruun TS, Amdi C, Vinther J, Schop M, Strathe AB, Hansen CF. Reproductive performance of "nurse sows" in Danish piggeries. Theriogenology. 2016 Sep 1;86(4):981-7. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    4. Cabrera RA, Boyd RD, Jungst SB, Wilson ER, Johnston ME, Vignes JL, Odle J. Impact of lactation length and piglet weaning weight on long-term growth and viability of progeny. J Anim Sci. 2010 Jul;88(7):2265-76. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    5. Costa EP, Amaral Filha WS, Costa AHA, Carvalho FF, Santos AK, Silva AF. Influence of the lactation length in the subsequent litter size of sows. Anim Reprod. 2004 Oct-Dec;1(1):111-4.
    6. CZSO - The Czech Statistical Office. Pig breeding - 2nd half of 2018 [Internet]. Prague, Czech Republic: The Czech Statistical Office; 2018 [cited 2019 Feb 2]. Available from: https://www.czso.cz/csu/czso/pig-production-2nd-halfof-2018.
    7. Dewey CE, Martin SW, Friendship RM, Wilson MR. The effects on litter size of previous lactation length and previous weaning-to-conception interval in Ontario swine. Prev Vet Med. 1994 Feb 1;18(3):213-23. Go to original source...
    8. Hidalgo DM, Friendship RM, Greiner L, Manjarin R, Amezcua MR, Dominguez JC, Kirkwood RN. Influence of lactation length and gonadotrophins administered at weaning on fertility of primiparous sows. Anim Reprod Sci. 2014 Oct;149(3-4):245-8. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    9. Koketsu, Y, Takahashi, H, Akachi, K. Longevity, lifetime pig production and productivity, and age at first conception in a cohort of gilts observed over six years on commercial farms. J Vet Med Sci. 1999 Sep;61(9):1001-5. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    10. Koketsu Y, Tani S, Iida R. Factors for improving reproductive performance of sows and herd productivity in commercial breeding herds. Porcine Health Manag. 2017 Jan 9;3(1):1-10. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    11. Le Cozler Y, Dagorn J, Dourmad JY, Johansen S, Aumaitre A. Effect of weaning-to-conception interval and lactation length on subsequent litter size in sows. Livest Prod Sci. 1997 Nov 1;51(1-3):1-11. Go to original source...
    12. Leenhouwers JI, Van Der Lende T, Knol EF. Analysis of stillbirth in different lines of pig. Livest Prod Sci. 1999 Feb 1;57(3):243-53. Go to original source...
    13. Mei H, Yang CY, Xie O, Yang Y, Luo X, Jiao H, Gan L. Effects of γ-aminobutyric acid on aggressive behaviour, jejunum villus morphology, serum biochemical indicators and hippocampal neuropeptide mRNA levels in piglets at weaning with mixing. Czech J Anim Sci. 2019 April;64 (4):151-9. Go to original source...
    14. Morrow WEM, Leman AD, Williamson NB, Morrison RB, Robinson RA. An epidemiological investigation of reduced second-litter size in swine. Prevent Vet Med. 1992 Jan 1;12(1-2):15-26. Go to original source...
    15. Randall GCB, Penny RHC. Stillbirth in the pig: An analysis of the breeding records of five herds. Br Vet J. 1970 Nov;126(11):593-603. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    16. Rekiel A, Czuminska K, Wiecek J, Bielecki W, Kulisiewiczi J. Functional state of mammary gland of sows dried off by different techniques. Czech J Animl Sci. 2007 Mar 1; 52(3):62-9. Go to original source...
    17. Rothschild MF. Genetics and reproduction in the pig. Anim Reprod Sci. 1996 Apr 1;42(1-4):143-51. Go to original source...
    18. Schenkel AC, Bernardi ML, Bortolozzo FP, Wentz I. Body reserve mobilization during lactation in first parity sows and its effect on second litter size. Livest Sci. 2010 Aug 1;132(1-3):165-72. Go to original source...
    19. Schmitt O, Baxter EM, Boyle LA, O'Driscoll K. Nurse sow strategies in the domestic pig: I. Consequences for selected measures of sow welfare. Animal. 2018 Jul 10; 13(3):580-9. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    20. Serenius T, Stalder KJ. Genetics of length of productive life and lifetime prolificacy in the Finnish Landrace and Large White pig populations. J Anim Sci. 2004 Nov;82(11): 3111-7. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    21. Thaker MYC, Bilkei G. Lactation weight loss influences subsequent reproductive performance of sows. Anim Reprod Sci. 2005 Sep;88(3-4):309-18. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    22. Vernunft A, Maass M, Brussow KP. Placental characteristics of German Landrace sows and their relationships to different fertility parameters. Czech J Anim Sci. 2018 Sep; 63(9):339-46. Go to original source...
    23. Wolf J, Wolfova M. Genetic parameters including the service sire effect for the sow traits stillbirth and piglet losses in Czech Large White and Landrace. Czech J Anim Sci. 2012 Sep;57(9):402-9. Go to original source...
    24. Xue JL, Dial GD, Marsh WE, Davies PR, Momont HW. Influence of lactation length on sow productivity. Livest Prod Sci. 1993 Apr 1;34(3-4):253-65. Go to original source...
    25. Xue JL, Dial GD, Marsh WE, Lucia T. Association between lactation length and sow reproductive performance and longevity. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 1997 Apr 1;210(7):935-8. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...

    This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY NC 4.0), which permits non-comercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original publication is properly cited. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.


    Return to the content