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Freitas PHF, Johnson JS, Wen H, Maskal JM, Tiezzi F, Maltecca C, Huang Y, DeDecker AE, Schinckel AP, Brito LF. Genetic parameters for automatically-measured vaginal temperature, respiration efficiency, and other thermotolerance indicators measured on lactating sows under heat stress conditions. Genet Sel Evol 2023; 55:65. [PMID: 37730542 PMCID: PMC10510300 DOI: 10.1186/s12711-023-00842-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Genetic selection based on direct indicators of heat stress could capture additional mechanisms that are involved in heat stress response and enable more accurate selection for more heat-tolerant individuals. Therefore, the main objectives of this study were to estimate genetic parameters for various heat stress indicators in a commercial population of Landrace × Large White lactating sows measured under heat stress conditions. The main indicators evaluated were: skin surface temperatures (SST), automatically-recorded vaginal temperature (TV), respiration rate (RR), panting score (PS), body condition score (BCS), hair density (HD), body size (BS), ear size, and respiration efficiency (Reff). RESULTS Traits based on TV presented moderate heritability estimates, ranging from 0.15 ± 0.02 to 0.29 ± 0.05. Low heritability estimates were found for SST traits (from 0.04 ± 0.01 to 0.06 ± 0.01), RR (0.06 ± 0.01), PS (0.05 0.01), and Reff (0.03 ± 0.01). Moderate to high heritability values were estimated for BCS (0.29 ± 0.04 for caliper measurements and 0.25 ± 0.04 for visual assessments), HD (0.25 ± 0.05), BS (0.33 ± 0.05), ear area (EA; 0.40 ± 0.09), and ear length (EL; 0.32 ± 0.07). High genetic correlations were estimated among SST traits (> 0.78) and among TV traits (> 0.75). Similarly, high genetic correlations were also estimated for RR with PS (0.87 ± 0.02), with BCS measures (0.92 ± 0.04), and with ear measures (0.95 ± 0.03). Low to moderate positive genetic correlations were estimated between SST and TV (from 0.25 ± 0.04 to 0.76 ± 0.07). Low genetic correlations were estimated between TV and BCS (from - 0.01 ± 0.08 to 0.06 ± 0.07). Respiration efficiency was estimated to be positively and moderately correlated with RR (0.36 ± 0.04), PS (0.56 ± 0.03), and BCS (0.56 ± 0.05 for caliper measurements and 0.50 ± 0.05 for the visual assessments). All other trait combinations were lowly genetically correlated. CONCLUSIONS A comprehensive landscape of heritabilities and genetic correlations for various thermotolerance indicators in lactating sows were estimated. All traits evaluated are under genetic control and heritable, with different magnitudes, indicating that genetic progress is possible for all of them. The genetic correlation estimates provide evidence for the complex relationships between these traits and confirm the importance of a sub-index of thermotolerance traits to improve heat tolerance in pigs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro H F Freitas
- Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Jay S Johnson
- USDA-ARS Livestock Behavior Research Unit, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Hui Wen
- Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Jacob M Maskal
- Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Francesco Tiezzi
- Department of Animal Science, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
- Department of Agriculture, Food, Environment and Forestry, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Christian Maltecca
- Department of Animal Science, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | | | | | - Allan P Schinckel
- Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Luiz F Brito
- Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA.
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Bortolozzo FP, Zanin GP, Ulguim RDR, Mellagi APG. Managing Reproduction in Hyperprolific Sow Herds. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:1842. [PMID: 37889779 PMCID: PMC10252095 DOI: 10.3390/ani13111842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Revised: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The rearing of large litters from hyperprolific sows is a characteristic of modern genotypes. However, these sows have body and reproductive characteristics that differentiate them from the genotypes of the past decades, making it necessary to adopt different management strategies. This review describes the main care and challenges associated with the hyperprolificity of sows during the period in which replacement gilts are selected, along with gestation, parturition, lactation, and the weaning-estrus interval. It describes the challenges that these sows' piglets will face during the lactation period and includes some strategies adopted to develop these surplus piglets. In addition, it identifies areas where more research is needed to understand the reproductive management of modern genotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernando Pandolfo Bortolozzo
- Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Setor de Suínos, Porto Alegre 90540-000, RS, Brazil
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Zhukorskyi ОМ, Tsereniuk ОМ, Vashchenko PА, Khokhlov AM, Chereuta YV, Akimov ОV, Kryhina NV. The effect of the ryanodine receptor gene on the reproductive traits of Welsh sows. REGULATORY MECHANISMS IN BIOSYSTEMS 2022. [DOI: 10.15421/022248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The reproductive performance of sows largely determines the efficiency of the entire pig farming industry. The purpose of our work is the evaluation of polymorphism of the ryanodine receptor gene and its impact on the reproductive traits of sows of the Welsh breed of pigs. For this study, 148 pigs of the Welsh breed were used. The reproductive traits of sows were evaluated in two adjacent generations. We conducted a comprehensive assessment of the reproductive ability of sows using the SIRQS (selection index of reproductive qualities of sows), determined phenotypic consolidation coefficients and assessed the genetic potential of the animals’ productivity. The polymorphism of the RYR1 gene was determined using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis (PCR-RFLP). Data processing was performed using single-factor analysis of variance (ANOVA). Polymorphism of the ryanodine receptor gene in sows of the Welsh pig breed was evaluated. 8.0% of the animals were identified as carriers of the mutant allele of the RYR1 gene. However, no homozygous RYR1-nn animals were found. Pigs of the maternal generation carrying the homozygous NN genotype had better reproductive performance in all indicators. Sows that were carriers of the mutant allele were characterized by lower values of the genetic productivity potential compared with the entire estimated population for all productive traits. Sows which were free of the mutant allele of the RYR1 gene were characterized by large values of the SIRQS index. The values of the coefficients of phenotypic consolidation of the number of live born piglets in sows without the mutant allele were lower than in sows with the mutant allele n. Better performance of sows free of the mutant allele of the RYR1 gene was established over sows carrying it in all evaluated traits of reproductive capacity (for different traits P ranged from 0.021 to 1.0*10–4), except for number of piglets born alive per sow in the daughter generation. Sows with the NN genotype had better selection index values by 15.7% in the maternal generation and by 10.2% in the daughter generation. In order to increase the reproductive ability of sows in the studied population of Welsh pigs and achieve similar results in other herds of this breed, animals free from the mutant allele of the RYR1 gene should be selected for further reproduction in the process of breeding, while on the contrary, carriers of this gene should be gradually eliminated from the herd. To carry out breeding work, further research is needed on the entire population of Welsh pigs for the RYR1 gene.
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Vargovic L, Harper JA, Bunter KL. Traits Defining Sow Lifetime Maternal Performance. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12182451. [PMID: 36139312 PMCID: PMC9495076 DOI: 10.3390/ani12182451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Revised: 09/04/2022] [Accepted: 09/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary In pig production, the ability of a sow to produce and rear a high number of viable piglets that meet weight targets for a desired age at slaughter is the ultimate goal. To achieve this, both management and breeding programs have to be tailored and continuously optimized. Reproductive characteristics, maternal attributes, and the ability to maintain body condition are highly variable, both within sows and amongst sows. For individual sows, maternal performance alters with age, and the environmental factors have a large impact on sow performance. This study demonstrated that the sow influences the number of high-quality slaughter pigs produced, which is not solely related to variation in litter size. Accounting for the sow’s influence on the number of tail-enders in breeding programs could assist with producing more high-quality slaughter pigs. Abstract Declining sow performance with increasing parity or an increase in the number of poor- quality pigs potentially impacts on farm productivity. This study investigated the phenotypic and genetic background of the sow’s influence on (i) the number of pigs not meeting the industry standards (tail-enders) and (ii) changes in performance with parity. Data were available for 3592 sows and their litters (13,976 litters) from a pig production system in NSW, Australia. The mean, standard deviation (SD), and slope for trait values over time were estimated for the sow characteristic traits: number of born-alive (NBA) and stillborn (SB) piglets and body condition of sow recorded with a caliper (CAL), along with maternal effects on piglet performance, represented by: average piglet birth weight (APBW), number of weaned piglets (WEAN), and tail-enders (TEND). Traits were analyzed in ASReml 4.2, by using an animal model. The number of tail-enders produced by a sow is a heritable trait, with a heritability estimate of 0.14 ± 0.04. Sow characteristics and maternal effects on piglet performance expressed by mean and slope had similar heritability estimates, ranging from 0.10 ± 0.03 to 0.38 ± 0.05, whereas estimates for SD traits were generally not different from zero. The latter suggests individual variability in sow characteristics or maternal performance between parities is largely not genetic in origin. This study demonstrated that more attention is required to identify contributions to the problem of tail-enders, and that slope traits could potentially be useful in the breeding program to maximize lifetime performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Vargovic
- Animal Genetics and Breeding Unit, A Joint Venture of NSW Primary Industries and the University of New England, University of New England, Armidale 2351, Australia
- Correspondence:
| | | | - Kim L. Bunter
- Animal Genetics and Breeding Unit, A Joint Venture of NSW Primary Industries and the University of New England, University of New England, Armidale 2351, Australia
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Monteiro MS, Matias DN, Poor AP, Dutra MC, Moreno LZ, Parra BM, Silva APS, Matajira CEC, de Moura Gomes VT, Barbosa MRF, Sato MIZ, Moreno AM. Causes of Sow Mortality and Risks to Post-Mortem Findings in a Brazilian Intensive Swine Production System. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12141804. [PMID: 35883351 PMCID: PMC9312163 DOI: 10.3390/ani12141804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Revised: 07/06/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The present study was conducted to investigate the risk factors for post-mortem findings and causes of sow mortality. A post-mortem examination and microbiological investigation were conducted on 123 sows from a breeding herd with 15,000 dams. The mortality of spontaneous death in sows occurred mostly in the peripartum period (53%; p < 0.05). The spontaneous deaths were associated with heart failures, hemorrhagic and perforating gastric ulcers, and liver torsion, while in the euthanized sows, the post-mortem findings were associated with locomotor disorders. A higher body condition score (BCS ≥ 3.5) increased (p < 0.05) heart failure on the post-mortem examination. The excessive use of manual obstetric interventions increased sow deaths resulting from cervix/uterus ruptures and increased the odds of death (p < 0.05) due to metritis. Sow mortality had a multifactorial etiology. Infections were polymicrobial. The main microbial agents identified from a septic lesion in locomotor, genitourinary, and respiratory systems were Trueperella pyogenes, Escherichia coli, and Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae, respectively. In conclusion, sow mortality involved multiple risk factors and several bacterial agents. These results indicate that better management practices can reduce sow mortality in swine production and increase sow welfare.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matheus Saliba Monteiro
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine and Animal Health, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, Av. Prof. Dr. Orlando Marques de Paiva, 87, São Paulo 05508-270, SP, Brazil; (M.S.M.); (A.P.P.); (M.C.D.); (L.Z.M.); (B.M.P.); (A.P.S.S.); (C.E.C.M.); (V.T.d.M.G.)
| | - Débora Novais Matias
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, School of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Lavras, Lavras 37200-000, MG, Brazil;
| | - André Pegoraro Poor
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine and Animal Health, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, Av. Prof. Dr. Orlando Marques de Paiva, 87, São Paulo 05508-270, SP, Brazil; (M.S.M.); (A.P.P.); (M.C.D.); (L.Z.M.); (B.M.P.); (A.P.S.S.); (C.E.C.M.); (V.T.d.M.G.)
- Phibro Animal Health Corporation–Av. Pres. Tancredo de Almeida Neves, 1063, São Paulo 071112-070, SP, Brazil
| | - Maurício Cabral Dutra
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine and Animal Health, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, Av. Prof. Dr. Orlando Marques de Paiva, 87, São Paulo 05508-270, SP, Brazil; (M.S.M.); (A.P.P.); (M.C.D.); (L.Z.M.); (B.M.P.); (A.P.S.S.); (C.E.C.M.); (V.T.d.M.G.)
| | - Luisa Zanolli Moreno
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine and Animal Health, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, Av. Prof. Dr. Orlando Marques de Paiva, 87, São Paulo 05508-270, SP, Brazil; (M.S.M.); (A.P.P.); (M.C.D.); (L.Z.M.); (B.M.P.); (A.P.S.S.); (C.E.C.M.); (V.T.d.M.G.)
- Phibro Animal Health Corporation–Av. Pres. Tancredo de Almeida Neves, 1063, São Paulo 071112-070, SP, Brazil
| | - Beatriz Martins Parra
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine and Animal Health, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, Av. Prof. Dr. Orlando Marques de Paiva, 87, São Paulo 05508-270, SP, Brazil; (M.S.M.); (A.P.P.); (M.C.D.); (L.Z.M.); (B.M.P.); (A.P.S.S.); (C.E.C.M.); (V.T.d.M.G.)
| | - Ana Paula Santos Silva
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine and Animal Health, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, Av. Prof. Dr. Orlando Marques de Paiva, 87, São Paulo 05508-270, SP, Brazil; (M.S.M.); (A.P.P.); (M.C.D.); (L.Z.M.); (B.M.P.); (A.P.S.S.); (C.E.C.M.); (V.T.d.M.G.)
| | - Carlos Emílio Cabrera Matajira
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine and Animal Health, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, Av. Prof. Dr. Orlando Marques de Paiva, 87, São Paulo 05508-270, SP, Brazil; (M.S.M.); (A.P.P.); (M.C.D.); (L.Z.M.); (B.M.P.); (A.P.S.S.); (C.E.C.M.); (V.T.d.M.G.)
- Faculty of Basic Science, Universidad Santiago de Cali, Calle 5 #62-00, Cali 4102, Colombia
| | - Vasco Túlio de Moura Gomes
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine and Animal Health, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, Av. Prof. Dr. Orlando Marques de Paiva, 87, São Paulo 05508-270, SP, Brazil; (M.S.M.); (A.P.P.); (M.C.D.); (L.Z.M.); (B.M.P.); (A.P.S.S.); (C.E.C.M.); (V.T.d.M.G.)
| | - Mikaela Renata Funada Barbosa
- Environmental Company of the State of São Paulo (CETESB), Av. Prof. Frederico Hermann Júnior 345, São Paulo 05459-900, SP, Brazil; (M.R.F.B.); (M.I.Z.S.)
| | - Maria Inês Zanoli Sato
- Environmental Company of the State of São Paulo (CETESB), Av. Prof. Frederico Hermann Júnior 345, São Paulo 05459-900, SP, Brazil; (M.R.F.B.); (M.I.Z.S.)
| | - Andrea Micke Moreno
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine and Animal Health, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, Av. Prof. Dr. Orlando Marques de Paiva, 87, São Paulo 05508-270, SP, Brazil; (M.S.M.); (A.P.P.); (M.C.D.); (L.Z.M.); (B.M.P.); (A.P.S.S.); (C.E.C.M.); (V.T.d.M.G.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +55-11-3091-1377
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