The birthing process of a piglet
Scott Phillips, a pig farmer from Missouri, shows how he pays individual attention to the mother pigs as they give birth to their piglets.
Page 31 of articles about genetics-reproduction
Distinguishing sows with different genetics using cards and ear tags with different colours
Usual standard on many farms to identify a sow with different genetics quickly.
Porcine semen as a vector for transmission of viral pathogens
Prevention of viral semen contamination should be the primary focus because it is easier to prevent contamination than to eliminate viruses once present in semen.
Heritability
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.
Pigs that are resistant to PRRSv developed at University of Missouri
Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) virus was first detected in the U.S. in 1987. Pigs that contract the disease have extreme difficulty reproducing, don’t gain weight and have a high mortality rate. The disease costs North American farmers more than $660 million annually. Now, a team of researchers from the University of Missouri, Kansas State University, and Genus plc have bred pigs that are not harmed by the disease.
Heterosis (hybrid vigour) and inbreeding
Benefits and risks of heterosis and inbreeding in pig production.
Influences on semen traits used for selection of young AI boars
A minimum age is proposed for young boars to qualify for selection, or alternatively, age-related semen quality thresholds in young boars should be established.
At long last, we can now predict a sow's performance from her first farrowing
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.
FAO: Making genetic diversity part of climate change adaptation
FAO issues guidelines on conservation and use of world’s genetic resources for food and agriculture
Evidence that periweaning failure-to-thrive syndrome (PFTS) has a genetic predisposition
The findings point to the existence of individual genetic susceptibility to this syndrome.
Effects of dietary 0.5% aniseed extract on milk yield of sows and their offspring
Sow dietary supplementation with aniseed extract during late gestation and lactation improves milk yield and litter performance.
Outcomes of gestation length in relation to farrowing performance in sows and daily weight gain and metabolic profiles in piglets
In conclusion, premature births increase the number of intra-partum deaths and result in lower birthweights, the presence of apnoea, and severe metabolic alterations in piglets.
Moderate changes in the nutrition of gestating sows have no harmful effects on the development of their offspring
Diet deprivation and subsequent over-allowance during gestation does not impair postnatal piglet growth.
Optimal timing of boar exposure relative to parturition for stimulation of lactation oestrus
This study evaluated the effect of full physical boar exposure at different stages of lactation on the incidence of lactation oestrus in both primiparous and multiparous sows.