Large White genetics in organic system: breeding for piglet survival - INRAE - Institut national de recherche pour l’agriculture, l’alimentation et l’environnement
Conference Papers Year : 2023

Large White genetics in organic system: breeding for piglet survival

Abstract

A multi-generation selection to improve the survival of piglets in organic condition was initiated with the POWER project and is ongoing with the PPILOW project (Horizon 2020 EU’s Research and Innovation programmes No. 727495 and No. 816172). The experiment is carried out using Large White animals. In 2019, daughters of sows (G0) with good performance from the national scheme (kept in farrowing crate during lactation) were recruited as G1 for the organic farm. All sows are inseminated with semen from Large White boars with higher genetic merit for litter survival rate and a not too high genetic merit for litter size. Sow performance and behaviour are used to select future breeders. In G1 sows, we studied the effect of temporary crating around farrowing on performance, with comparison of two groups genetically similar. In one batch (n=4 per parity), pairs of sisters were inseminated with the same boar. One sister was 100% free to move in an individual pen (L), while the other was restricted to a crate around farrowing (B). The 24 pairs of sisters were evaluated over their first 3 parities. Causes of piglet death, piglet growth and sow behaviour were analysed. Prolificacy tended to increase between the 1st and 3rd litter in B sows. Piglet survival rate was 75-88% in the 48 h after farrowing and 64-75% until weaning; it varied greatly between sows and sisters. The number of piglets weaned in parity 1 was higher in L sows than in B sows. In parity 2, prolificacy was higher in B sows than in L sows (16.8 vs 14.4 live born piglets, P=0.01), but survival rate tended to differ (60.2 vs 69.7%) which led to equivalent litter sizes at weaning (9.9 vs 9.6). Mortality seemed to be slightly delayed in crated compared to loose-housed sows. Sows that were more maternal (at return of their piglets on day 1) had higher litter survival, especially those temporarily crated. First results indicate that G2 sows produced slightly fewer piglets in their two first litters as compared to G1 sows. Survival rate until 48h after farrowing was slightly higher in G2 sows than G1 sows (88.1 vs 83.7%). Response to selection will be further investigated.
No file

Dates and versions

hal-04286544 , version 1 (15-11-2023)

Identifiers

  • HAL Id : hal-04286544 , version 1

Cite

Laurianne Canario, Stéphane Ferchaud, Stéphane Moreau, Catherine Larzul, Armelle Prunier. Large White genetics in organic system: breeding for piglet survival. 74. Annual meeting of the european federation of animal science (EAAP), EAAP, Aug 2023, Lyon, France. pp.735. ⟨hal-04286544⟩
17 View
0 Download

Share

More