TY - JOUR
T1 - Influence of Mating Frequency on Sow Reproductive Performance
AU - Xue, Jinliang
AU - Dial, Gary D.
AU - Trigg, Todd
AU - Davies, Peter
AU - King, Vickie L.
PY - 1998/1/1
Y1 - 1998/1/1
N2 - Gilts and sows were bred one, two, or three times during a single estrous period in a commercial herd for evaluating the effect of mating frequency on reproductive performance. Estrus detection started at approximately 0630 daily by applying back pressure to females with the presence of a mature boar. Natural mating was used. Gilts detected in estrus were mated in the morning of d 1 (AM), the morning of d 1 and 2 (AM-AM), and the morning and afternoon of d 1 and morning of d 2 (AM-PM-AM) for mating frequencies 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Sows were bred in the AM, AM-AM, AM-PM-AM (1), and morning of d 1 and morning and afternoon of d 2 [AM-AM-PM (2)] for mating frequency 1, 2, 3 (1), and 3 (2), respectively. Breeding events in the morning and afternoon started at approximately 0730 and 1530. Females were randomly assigned to a mating frequency. Boars were randomly assigned to each breed- ing event. In total, 256 gilts and 766 sows were involved in the study. Gilts with a single mating (76.5%, P = .06) and triple matings (80.4%, P < .05) had higher farrowing rates than those with double matings (65.3%). No differences (P > .1) in the farrowing rates of sows were observed between mating frequencies 1, 2, 3 (1), and 3(2). Double-mated gilts had more (P < .03) total born (9.7 vs 8.6) and pigs born alive (9.3 vs 8.2) than did single-mated gilts. There were no differences (P > .3) in total born and pigs born alive in sows between mating frequencies. We concluded that triple-mating gilts and sows did not improve farrowing rate and litter size compared with single and double matings. There were no differences in farrowing rate and litter size between double- and single-mated sows. Gilts with double matings had a larger litter size than those with a single mating.
AB - Gilts and sows were bred one, two, or three times during a single estrous period in a commercial herd for evaluating the effect of mating frequency on reproductive performance. Estrus detection started at approximately 0630 daily by applying back pressure to females with the presence of a mature boar. Natural mating was used. Gilts detected in estrus were mated in the morning of d 1 (AM), the morning of d 1 and 2 (AM-AM), and the morning and afternoon of d 1 and morning of d 2 (AM-PM-AM) for mating frequencies 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Sows were bred in the AM, AM-AM, AM-PM-AM (1), and morning of d 1 and morning and afternoon of d 2 [AM-AM-PM (2)] for mating frequency 1, 2, 3 (1), and 3 (2), respectively. Breeding events in the morning and afternoon started at approximately 0730 and 1530. Females were randomly assigned to a mating frequency. Boars were randomly assigned to each breed- ing event. In total, 256 gilts and 766 sows were involved in the study. Gilts with a single mating (76.5%, P = .06) and triple matings (80.4%, P < .05) had higher farrowing rates than those with double matings (65.3%). No differences (P > .1) in the farrowing rates of sows were observed between mating frequencies 1, 2, 3 (1), and 3(2). Double-mated gilts had more (P < .03) total born (9.7 vs 8.6) and pigs born alive (9.3 vs 8.2) than did single-mated gilts. There were no differences (P > .3) in total born and pigs born alive in sows between mating frequencies. We concluded that triple-mating gilts and sows did not improve farrowing rate and litter size compared with single and double matings. There were no differences in farrowing rate and litter size between double- and single-mated sows. Gilts with double matings had a larger litter size than those with a single mating.
KW - Farrowing rate
KW - Gilts, sows
KW - Litter size
KW - Mating frequency
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U2 - 10.2527/1998.76122962x
DO - 10.2527/1998.76122962x
M3 - Article
C2 - 9928598
AN - SCOPUS:0032254198
SN - 0021-8812
VL - 76
SP - 2962
EP - 2966
JO - Journal of animal science
JF - Journal of animal science
IS - 12
ER -