Factors affecting standardized milk and fat yields in Alpine goats
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In a pedigree farm of 240 Polish Large White sows litter and piglet weights were assessed in relation to major traits of sows. A total of 2131 litters from the years 1994-1999 were analysed coming from 465 sows. Piglet weight increased along with the increase in daily live weight gain and meat content of carcass of gilts (P<0.05 and P<0.01). However, differences in litter weight were not found significant. The highest litter weight was affected by the number of piglets in the litter (13 and more), but piglets from that group of sows were the lightest (P<0.01). The highest mean live body weight was found in piglets coming from smaller litters (10 piglets and less). A higher litter weight was also the effect of the number of litters born by a sow during its productive life (P<0.01 and 0.05) especially when they were litters of sows giving 4-7 litters during their productive life. Successive years caused an increase in the fertility of sows and in litter weight, but also a decrease in mean piglet weight (P<0.01). Starting from the 7th cycle the uniformity of weight of piglets and of litters was deteriorating. The highest uniformity in litter and piglet weights was found when sows exhibited average weight gain and average meat content of carcass at the age of 180 days, had their first litter at the age of 331-380 days, as well when the litter contained 11-12 piglets or when the piglet and litter originated from sows estimated as of medium fertility (11-12 piglets).
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ABSTRACT One hundred and two Large White × Landrace Fl hybrid sows were allocated over four parities in a factorial design to two levels of target P2 backfat thickness at parturition (20 mm, F v. 12 mm, T), two levels of lactation feeding {ad libitum, H v. 3 kg/day, L), and two sizes of sucking litter (six v. 10). Sows attained 13 mm P2 when first mated at 126 kg live weight. Fatness (P2, mm) at weaning was significantly influenced by target fatness at parturition (14·2 v. 9·3), lactation feeding level (13·7 v. 10·0), and litter size (12·7 v. 11·0). Changes in backfat (P2, mm) during 28-day lactation were significantly influenced by target fatness at parturition (—5·0 v. —2·5), lactation feeding (-2 0 v. —5·4), and litter size (—2·9 v. -4·6). Sow live weight (kg) at weaning was significantly influenced by target fatness at parturition (211 v. 192), lactation feeding (218 v. 186), and litter size (208 v. 196). Changes in live weight (kg) during 28-day lactation were significantly influenced by target fatness at parturition (—26 v. — 12), lactation feeding (—5 v. —31), and litter size (—12 v. —25). With multiparous sows only, total food intake during 28-day lactation was negatively related to total food intake in pregnancy. Change in backfat (P2, mm) during 28-day lactation = -0·28 - 0·27 P2 at parturition + 0·04 lactation food intake — 0·50 litter size. Change in live weight (kg) during 28-day lactation = -3·8 — 0·15 live weight post partum + 0·36 lactation food intake — 3·3 litter size. Sows with target fat levels of 20 mm P2 at parturition had better food conversion efficiencies than sows with target fat levels of 12 mm. Target fatness at parturition, and especially lactation food intake, but not litter size, significantly influenced the interval (days) from weaning to oestrus in parity 1 (9·1 v. 14·2 and 7·8 v. 15·3, but 11·6 v. 11·5), while n i subsequent parities only litter size influenced the interval (days) from weaning to oestrus (6·0 v. 8·0). Birth weight (kg) of piglets was influenced only marginally by target fatness at parturition (1·4 v. 1·2) in parity 1, and not by the other factors, or in subsequent parities. Piglet growth rate was affected by both target fatness at parturition and litter size, but by lactation feeding level only in the last week of lactation. The relationship between fatness at weaning (mm) and the weaning to oestrus interval (days) for primiparous sows can be expressed as 26·6 — 1·28 P2. High level feeding in lactation imparted production and efficiency benefit in both primiparous and multiparous sows, while pregnancy feeding to a target of 20 mm rather than 12 mm at parturition was of benefit for primiparous sows.
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The objective of this study was to investigate whether nursing a large number of piglets has negative effects on lactation and postweaning performance of primiparous sows and whether a greater lactation feed intake can prevent possible negative effects. Data were recorded on 268 ad libitum-fed sows of three genotypes (G1, G2, and G3) in an experiment where litter size was standardized to 8, 11, or 14 piglets during a 4-wk lactation. Compared to G1 and G2, G3 sows were heavier (P < 0.05) and leaner (P < 0.05) at weaning of their litters, lost similar amounts of BW and backfat, and their piglets grew faster (P < 0.05). Compared to G1, feed intake during lactation was higher for G3 sows (P < 0.05), and their risk of a prolonged weaning-to-estrus interval was lower (P < 0.01). Daily feed intake by sows was not affected by litter size in G1 and G3, but it was quadratically affected in G2 (P < 0.05), with a maximum at 10.8 piglets. Backfat loss of the sows increased linearly with litter size (P < 0.05) in G1 and G3. In G2, backfat loss increased only at litter sizes > 9.8 piglets (P < 0.01). Body weight loss of the sow and litter weight gain increased linearly with litter size (P < 0.001). Per extra piglet nursed, sows had a 23% (P < 0.01) higher probability of a prolonged weaning-to-estrus interval. A higher daily feed intake during lactation reduced tissue loss of the sow, increased litter weight gain (P < 0.01), and reduced the probability of a prolonged weaning-to-estrus interval (by 42% per extra kilogram; P < 0.01). Sows with a lower daily body weight loss during first lactation had a larger second litter (1.28 piglets/kg; P < 0.01), and their probability of a prolonged weaning-to-estrus interval was reduced by 61% per kilogram (P < 0.001). With increasing litter size, it is therefore recommended to reduce body weight loss during lactation by stimulating daily feed intake and by genetic selection.
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SUMMARY Several studies have suggested that lactation performance may be programmed by the number of fetuses during pregnancy, whereas other studies indicate that processes during lactation are more important. As gestation litter size and litter size in lactation are usually strongly correlated, separating the roles of pregnancy and lactation in lactation performance is difficult. To break this link, we experimentally manipulated litter size of MF1 mice to five or 16 pups per litter by cross-fostering. Litter size and mass at birth were recorded on day 1 of lactation prior to litter size manipulation. Maternal body mass and food intake, litter size and litter mass were measured daily throughout. After weaning, the potential differential utilisation of body tissues of the mothers was investigated. Relationships between maternal mass and food intake, including asymptotic daily food intake at peak lactation, offspring traits and other maternal parameters suggested that the number of fetuses the females had carried during pregnancy had no effect on lactation performance. Litter mass increases depended only on maternal food intake, which was highly variable between individuals, but was independent of fetal litter size. The sizes of key organs and tissues like the liver and alimentary tract were not related to maximal food intake at peak lactation or to fetal litter size, but the masses of the pelage, mammary glands and retroperitoneal fat pad were. These data suggest that while growth of the mammary glands and associated structures may be initiated in gestation, and vary in relation to the number of placentas, the ultimate sizes and activities of the tissues depends primarily on factors during lactation.
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Four hundred and three litters were used at six stations to evaluate the effects of protein levels during gestation and lactation on litter size and pig weight at birth and 14 days of age. Dietary treatments, based on corn and soybean meal, included two gestation protein levels, 9 and 15%, and three lactation protein levels, 12, 16 and 20%. Several stations participated in the lactation phase, whereas one station fed the gestation protein levels and the 12 and 16% lactation protein diets. Daily feed intake was restricted to 2.0 kg per head daily during gestation. Feed was allowed ad libitum during lactation or was fed at a daily rate of 3.6 kg to first-litter gilts, 4.3 kg for second-litter sows and 5.0 kg for sows having three or more litters. Analysis of the data from four stations using all six diet treatments showed that the diet response within a station was similar and that there were no station by diet interactions. Sows fed 9% protein during gestation tended to farrow fewer pigs per litter; however, gestation protein level had little effect on average pig birth weight or number and weight of pigs at 14 days of age. Birth weight of live pigs farrowed decreased (P<.05) and 14-day weight increased (P<.05) with increasing lactation protein level, particularly between the 12 and 16% protein level. The gestation by lactation protein level interaction was statistically significant for birth weight of live pigs farrowed. With the 9% gestation protein level, pig birth weight decreased with increasing lactation protein level; whereas, with the 15% gestation protein level pig birth weight was similar among lactation protein levels. Although not statistically significant pig weight and gain at 14 days of age was improved more with an increase in lactation protein level from 12 to 16% in sows fed a 9% gestation level than with increasing lactation protein levels in sows fed a 15% gestation protein level. Results of the study show that the N.R.C. recommended lactation protein level (15%) is sufficient for optimal reproduction performance.
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A total of 335 sows at a commercial operation (Hitch Pork Producers Inc, Guymon, OK) was used to determine dietary effects of yeast culture supplementation (XPC TM , Diamond V Mills) on litter performance.Sows were grouped by parity (parity 1 to 12).Pigs within a group were then allotted to treatments.Treatments consisted of: CON (no added yeast culture) and YC (12 and 15 g/d XPC during gestation and lactation, respectively).Sows were housed individually and fed their assigned gestation and lactation diets from d 35 of gestation to d 21 of lactation.Sows were fed 2.0 kg/d during gestation and ad libitum during lactation.Voluntary feed intake was measured daily during lactation.At farrowing, numbers of pigs born total and alive were measured.Weights of litters were measured at birth and weaning on d 21 of lactation.Litter weight gain of the YC treatment was 6.9% greater (p<0.01)than that of the CON.However, voluntary feed intake of sows and litter size did not differ between treatments.This study indicates that dietary yeast culture supplementation benefits sow productivity by improving litter weight gain.At present, it is not confirmed if improved litter weight gain was due to milk production, which remains to be investigated.
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