ACTA VETERINARIA ET ZOOTECHNICA SINICA ›› 2018, Vol. 49 ›› Issue (11): 2402-2408.doi: 10.11843/j.issn.0366-6964.2018.11.011

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The Effect of Age at Puberty on Reproductive Performance in Yorkshire Sows

GUO Hong-zhou1, ZHU Lin2, ZHANG Long-chao1, YAN Hua1, WANG Li-gang1, HOU Xin-hua1, GAO Hong-mei1, ZHAO Fu-ping1, LIU Xin1*, WANG Li-xian1*   

  1. 1. Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China;
    2. Mingxing Agricultural Science and Technology Development Limited Company of Mianyang City of Sichuan Province, Mianyang 621102, China
  • Received:2018-01-30 Online:2018-11-23 Published:2018-11-23

Abstract:

In order to explore the effect of age at puberty on reproductive performance in Yorkshire sows,the data including the total number of born (TNB), the number of born alive (NBA), number of healthy piglets (NHP) and litter birth weight (LBW) of 923 American line Yorkshire sows were recorded and analyzed. According to the days gilts reached puberty, we divided replacement gilts into 4 groups (Group Ⅰ: ≤ 200 d, Group Ⅱ:201-215 d, Group Ⅲ:216-230 d and Group Ⅳ:>230 d) to discuss the influence for sow's reproductive performance. The results showed that:1)the TNB of group Ⅳ in the first parity was 12.05, which was significantly higher than that of Group Ⅰ (11.45, P<0.05), there was no significant difference in other reproductive traits; 2)in second parity, the TNB and NBA in group Ⅱ were 11.84 and 11.40 respectively, which was significantly higher than 11.09 and 10.66 in group Ⅰ (P<0.05); 3)in third and after third parity, the TNB, NBA and NHP in group Ⅱ were 12.47, 11.82 and 11.48 respectively, which were significantly higher than those in group Ⅳ with 11.89, 11.22, 10.85 (P<0.05); 4)the average TNB, NBA and NHP of the first 6 parities in group Ⅱ were 74.23, 71.41 and 68.86 respectively, which were significantly higher than those of group Ⅳ with 70.48, 67.32 and 64.86 (P<0.05). The result indicated that the reproductive performances of early puberty gilts, especially when the puberty ages between 201-215 days,was significantly better than later puberty sows. In conclusion,the best age in days of puberty and first-mating,we found provides a theoretical basis for the selection of replacement gilts and the application of pig farm production.

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