The analysis of several factors that influence the breastfeeding capacity at the PIC sows

Abstract

Because of the technological, nutritional and sanitary-veterinary conditions which are provided nowadays, the number of piglets has increased significantly at parturition and to a lesser extent at the weaning. In the last three decades, it has been achieved an increase of only 0,5 piglets weaned/sow/reproductive cycle, and the main losses were recorded due to the insufficient consumption of milk. Our study is based on the context of the data described above and it was conducted on a batch of lactating sows with suckling piglets in a PIC multiplication farm. It was used an experimental protocol based on the logistics and the recording systems that were already existing in that unit farm, a component of the EUROHYB intensive system. The essence of the study consisted of the evaluation of the sows breastfeeding capacity, on the basis of a score which was given at the weaning and at the end of the previous lactation and it was finally analysed in correlation with fecundity and fertility. The researches were organised under the form of regular investigations, focused on monitoring the “nests” of the lactating sows with suckling piglets, the statistical analysis of the recorded data and the evaluation of the influence of the genotypic, phenotypic and environmental factors over the sows breastfeeding capacity and the growth and health indices at suckling piglets. The statistical analysis of the influence of genetic, phenotypic and environmental factors revealed significant correlation between the weight of the batch at parturition and at 21 days (rfxy=0,494), respectively between the number of living piglets and the size of the batch at weaning (rfxy=0,487), respectively between the number of weaned piglets and the weight of the batch at weaning (rfxy=0,593). We have ascertained that there is a strong phenotypic correlation (rfxy=0,767) between the total number of functional nipples and the number of weaned piglets. We have also observed that the frequency of the requested pairs of nipples has decreased in the order 1 to 8, indicating a positive correlation between the weight of the piglets batch and the quantity of the milk consumed (rxy=0,686). Therefore, according to the regression bxy=5,055, to a functional additional nipple corresponds an extra piglet/batch and an increase of the weight of the batch with 5 kilograms at weaning. The optimization of the morpho-productive features, of the genetic and health indices at PIC sows determined the increase of the milk production level and implicitly, the increase of the breastfeeding capacity, which had led to the reduction of the losses caused by milk subnutrition at suckling piglets.