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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]
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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

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