Articles - Genetics and reproduction

The farm reports a problem of low prolificacy (mean annual live births of 11.91) and low fertility in summer, with a marked increase in acyclic returns.

We recommend that producers pay more attention to gilts and sows that are at risk of increasing NPD. Situations of increased risk are described.

This second part deals with the problems caused by not  recording properly the cause of abortions, sows and piglets deaths, nurse sows and hormonal treatments.

This first part deals with backward and impossible data, i.e. the sows that are no longer in the farm but still appear both in the management softwatre and the 100% delivery rates in gilts.

Production of a minimum number of doses to maintain profitability and the increase in post-cervical insemination leads to an increase of the doses produced per boar and, therefore, their share of responsibility in the production process.

The shorter and lower dose regime saves money but there is an increased risk of follicular cyst development, which may occur at doses below 13mg/day.

Introduction of post-cervical insemination has a very significant economic impact on the whole of the pork industry, and is a challenge of parallel magnitude to that raised by the transition from natural service to artificial insemination.

Meeting batch breeding targets requires availability of enough service-ready weaned sows and gilts.

This article lists the critical points that must be considered for a successful post-cervical insemination in sows.

Neonatal mortality does not only depend on the design of the farrowing crate, but also on genetic and management factors, as well as litter size, especially with the increased use of hyper-prolific dam lines.

The month of the sow's birth affects the number of piglets born alive in the first farrowing.

It is necessary to find alternatives to definitely implement this technique in primiparous sows and start its use in gilts.

Purchasing decisions are complex because, even though some consumers prefer meat with no fat in sight, they prefer the meat with the highest marbling degree when they taste it.

Traits of high or moderate heritability are easily improved by testing and selection. However, for traits of low heritability, improvements come from exploiting heterosis and by the use of BLUP.

Benefits and risks of heterosis and inbreeding in pig production.

We can predict a sow's production based on the number of piglets born alive at first farrowing. In addition, the best sows' performance will outdo the others' continuously.

This tool allows us to model the growth of animal body tissues in vivo and to study the effect of different factors (genetics, gender, nutrition) on this growth.

This trick consists in using a spring for holding the semen bag during the insemination.

This article explains how the massive use of hormones helps synchronize heats and farrowings when workload scheduling, synchronization and production rates stability are priorities.

A strict schedule allows us to concentrate all the important events, and time periods where more attention/work is required, within the working days.

Although piglet birth weight is the most influential factor affecting piglet survival other behavioral factors such as vitality and vigor of piglets at birth contribute to the overall likelihood of the offspring surviving.

Sows inseminated with encapsulated semen had more sperm cells concentration at the site of fertilization.

Encapsulation allows to reduce the dose per sow and a sequential release of sperm.

Thanks to the combination of a decrease in the number of stillborn and an almost 30% decrease of preweaning mortality (down to 10.2%), the ultimate goal is finally achieved: to wean an additional piglet per sow.