Impact of Methods of Synchronising Gilt Breeding on Sow Longevity
Gilts that had had their oestrus synchronised farrowed more piglets but reared the same number in the first farrowing as the control group in a study at the University of Guelph in Canada; productive life was not affected by the treatment.
16 July 2014
2 minute read
By: The method and results for a project looking at the effect of hormone induction of puberty in gilts on longevity and performance, explains Dr Bob Friendship of the University of Guelph in a report for Canada's Prairie Swine Centre of work sponsored by Ontario Pork.
In his experiment, half of the 532 gilts were injected with PG600® at 153 days of age, and half were left as controls. Gilts were bred, weaned and some were reassigned as nurse sows.
After one or two litters, sows were randomly assigned for another treatment of PG600.
The results show the first treatment group of PG600 had larger litters but the same number of piglets were weaned in the treatment and control groups with 10.5 and 10.4, respectively.
PG600 increased the percentage of sows bred within eight days of weaning from 66 per cent to 85 per cent. Furthermore, nurse sows had larger next litters, and an increased percentage bred within eight days of the second weaning.
Oestrus synchronisation did not affect the rate or reason for culling in this study.
July 2014
