Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-2brh9 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-22T15:28:14.176Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Influence of parity, birth order, litter size and birth weight on duration of farrowing and birth intervals in commercial exotic sows in Zimbabwe

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 March 2007

P. Motsi ,
C. Sakuhuni ,
T. E. Halimani ,
E. Bhebhe ,
P. N. B. Ndiweni  and
M. Chimonyo
P. Motsi
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Science, University of Zimbabwe, PO Box MP 167, Mount Pleasant, Harare, Zimbabwe
C. Sakuhuni
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Science, University of Zimbabwe, PO Box MP 167, Mount Pleasant, Harare, Zimbabwe
T. E. Halimani*
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Science, University of Zimbabwe, PO Box MP 167, Mount Pleasant, Harare, Zimbabwe
E. Bhebhe
Affiliation:
Department of Paraclinical Veterinary Studies, University of Zimbabwe, PO Box MP 167, Mount Pleasant, Harare, Zimbabwe
P. N. B. Ndiweni
Affiliation:
Pig Industry Board, PO Box HG 279, Highlands, Harare, Zimbabwe
M. Chimonyo*
Affiliation:
Department of Livestock and Pasture Science, University of Fort Hare, Post Bag X1314, Alice 5700, Eastern Cape, South Africa
*
†Corresponding author: E-mail: [email protected] ; [email protected]
†Corresponding author: E-mail: [email protected] ; [email protected]
Get access

Abstract

Although the farrowing process has an impact on postnatal piglet survivability and growth performance, information on factors that influence the farrowing process under field conditions is rare. The objective of the study was to determine factors influencing the duration of farrowing and birth intervals in Large White×Landrace crossbred sows. Data were collected from the Pig Industry Board, Acturus, Zimbabwe. The durations of farrowing were log transformed to normalize them, while birth intervals remained skewed after the transformation. As a result, Friedman's test was used to analyse for factors affecting birth intervals. The mean duration of farrowing was 217 min. Number of piglets born alive (NBA), average birth weight and the presence or absence of stillbirths influenced ( P<0·05) the duration of farrowing. The total number of piglets born (NBT) and order of piglets significantly influenced birth intervals ( P<0·05). There was wide variation in birth intervals, with the within-litter coefficient of variation ranging from 50 to 140 percent. The relationship between birth interval and order of birth was: Y=0·1011x2−1·771x+37·917 ( P<0·05). Relative birth order, expressed as a proportion of the total number of piglets born, also showed a significant quadratic relationship with birth interval: Y=0·0021x2−0·121x+23·952 ( P<0·05). The study found that relative birth order, NBA and NBT play an important rôle in influencing birth intervals and duration of farrowing, while parity and piglet weight do not. Logarithmic transformation failed to normalise data on birth intervals, highlighting their highly skewed nature.

Keywords

birth weightfarrowinglitter sizesows
Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Science , Volume 82 , Issue 4 , August 2006 , pp. 569 - 574
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 2006

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Cho, S. J., Dlamini, B. J., Klindt, J., Schwabe, C., Jacobson, C. D. and Andersen, L. L. 1998. Antiporcine relaxin (antipRL540) treatment decreases relaxin plasma concentration and disrupts delivery in late pregnant pig. Animal Reproduction Science 52: 303–316.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cole, D. J. A. and Foxcroft, G. R. 1982. Control of pig reproduction. Butterworth, Nottingham.Google Scholar
English, P. R., Smith, W. J. and MacLean, A. 1988. The sow–improving her efficiency. Farming Press Limited, Suffolk.Google Scholar
Fahmy, M. H. and Flipot, P. 1981. Duration of farrowing and birth and nursing order in relation to piglet growth and survival. World Review of Animal Production 17: 17–25.Google Scholar
Fahmy, M. H. and Friend, D. W. 1981. Factors influencing and repeatability of the duration of farrowing in Yorkshire sows. Canadian Journal of Animal Science 61: 17–22.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fraser, D. 1984. The role of behaviour in swine production: a review of research. Applied Animal Ethology 11: 317–339.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fraser, D., Phillips, P. A. and Thompson, B. K. 1997. Farrowing behaviour and stillbirths in two environments: an evaluation of the restraint–stillbirth hypothesis. Applied Animal Behavioural Science 55: 51–66.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gordon, I. 1997. Controlled reproduction in pigs. CAB International, Wallingford.Google Scholar
Hafez, E. S. E. 1993. Reproduction in farm animals, sixth edition. Lea and Febiger Publishers, Philadelphia.Google Scholar
Hartsock, T. G. and Graves, H. B. 1976. Neonatal behaviour and nutrition–related mortality in domestic swine. Journal of Animal Science 42: 235–241.Google ScholarPubMed
Holness, D. H. 1991. The tropical agriculturalist. (CTA), Macmillan Edinburgh, Wageningen, Netherlands.Google Scholar
Leenhouwers, J. I., Almeida–Junior, C. A., Knol, E. F. and Van der Lende, T. 2001. Progress of farrowing and early post natal pig behaviour in relation to genetic merit for pig survival. Journal of Animal Science 79: 1416–1422.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Leenhouwers, J. I., Van der Lende, T. and Knol, E. F. 1999. Analysis of stillbirth in different lines of pig. Livestock Production Science 57: 243–253.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Merck Veterinary Manual. 2003. University of Georgia. http://www.mercvetmanual.com (accessed 13 March 2005).Google Scholar
Mota–Rojas, D., Martinez–Burnes, J., Trujillo–Ortega, M. E., Alonso–Spilsbury, M. L., Ramirez–Necoechea, R. and Lopez, A. 2002. Effect of oxytocin treatment in sows on umbilical cord morphology, meconium staining and neonatal mortality of piglets. American Journal of Veterinary Research 63: 1571–1574.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Mungate, F., Dzama, K., Mandisodza, K. and Shoniwa, A. 1999. Some non–genetic factors affecting commercial pig production in Zimbabwe. South African Journal of Animal Science 29: 164–173.Google Scholar
Statistical Analysis Systems Institute. 2000. SAS Language guide for personal computers, release 6.03 edition. SAS Institute Inc, Cary, NC.Google Scholar
Taverne, M. A. M. 1992. Physiology of parturition. Animal Reproduction Science 28: 433–440.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tuchscherer, M., Puppe, B., Tuchscherer, A. and Tiemann, U. 2000. Early identification of neonates at risk: traits of newborn piglets with respect to survival. Theriogenology 54: 371–388.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Van Rens, B. T. T. M. and Van der Lende, T. 2004. Parturition in gilts: duration of farrowing, birth intervals and placenta expulsion in relation to maternal, piglet and placental traits. Theriogenology 62: 331–352.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Whittemore, C. 1993. The science and practice of pig production. Longman Scientific and Technical, Essex.Google Scholar
Zaleski, H. M. and Hacker, R. R. 1993. Variables related to the progress of parturition and probability of stillbirth in swine. Canadian Veterinary Journal 34: 109–113.Google Scholar