Litter of Origin on Sow Lifetime ProductivityJ Patterson, G Foxcroft, N. Holden, T. Werner, M. Allerson, E. Triemert, L. Bruner, J-C Pinilla

Leman Swine ConferenceSeptember 22, 2015

Outline• “Litter of origin” has a major effect on the lifetime

productivity (Foxcroft 2015).• Evidence for induced “litter phenotypes” in commercial

sow populations.• Impact of the LBWT phenotype on maternal and

commercial sows.• Productivity of the LBWT phenotype sow• Lifetime productivity of replacements produced

• Management interventions:• Planned culling• Post-natal management strategies

• Conclusions

Consequences of low birth weight pigs• Considerable negative economic impact for pork production systems (Foxcroft et al., 2009).

• Within-litter variation in birth weight has many negative effects on pre- and post-natal development:

Runting Pre-wean Mortality

Growth Rate

Carcass quality

Reproductive

potentialIntra-Uterine Growth Retardation

Relationship between birth weight and how long they remain in the herd

Reviewed by Flowers 2015, NPB

1.1 kg1.1 – 1.6 kg

1.6 kg

Low birth weight phenotype (‘litter of origin’)

1. Evidence for induced “litter phenotypes” in commercial sow populations.

2. The entire litter is affected, not just individual pigs within the litter

3. Low birth weight phenotype of economic importance.

Causes of low birth weights

Genotype

Phenotype

Ovulation Rate Uterine Capacity

Embryonic/fetal survival Placental function

Litter average birth weight vs total born

NPB Project, 2015

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 240.5

0.7

0.9

1.1

1.3

1.5

1.7

1.9

2.1

2.3

2.5

f(x) = − 0.0339443164880017 x + 1.84011532348303R² = 0.241749107258964

P1-3

Total born

Ave

rage

litt

er w

eigh

t (kg

)

Low average litter birth weight is not just a consequence of high TB

NPB Project, 2015

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 240.5

0.7

0.9

1.1

1.3

1.5

1.7

1.9

2.1

2.3

2.5 P1-3

Total born

Ave

rage

litt

er w

eigh

t (kg

)

Increasing lack of high birth weight litters due to prolificacy

"Extreme Low Birth Weight Phenotype", irrespective of TB (20%)

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 240.00

0.50

1.00

1.50

2.00

2.50

Total born

Ave

rage

litte

r wei

ght (

kg)

Low Birth Weight Phenotype

High Birth Weight Phenotype

Low litter BW is a repeatable trait

Low litter BW is a repeatable trait

1 2 30.5

1

1.5

2

Number of litters measured (within sow)

ALB

W

1 2 30

5

10

15

20

25

Number of litters measured (within sow)

Litte

r siz

e

NPB Project, 2015

Low litter BW is a repeatable trait

1 2 30.5

1

1.5

2

Number of litters measured (within sow)

AL

BW

1 2 30

5

10

15

20

25

Number of litters measured (within sow)

Litt

er s

ize Confirms previous results in terminal-line sows, no

nucleus/multiplication sows first giving birth to a Low average BW litter produced a High BW litter at the

next farrowing.

Low birth weight phenotypeOvulation Rate Uterine Capacity

Embryonic/fetal survival Placental function

“Litter of origin”LOW birth weight phenotype

Productivity of the LBWT sow&

Lifetime productivity of replacements produced

-

What is the impact of the LBWT phenotype in maternal line sows on SLP?

“The total number of quality pigs weaned during the productive lifetime of a female; from the time she becomes breeding eligible until she leaves the herd.” (NPB, 2010)

replacement gilts produced

Sows that exhibit a repeatable LBW phenotype: Have poor/low selection rates

Produce very few “select” replacement gilts Replacement gilts may have compromised SLP

Pass these traits onto their progeny (replacement gilts)

0/7 Select

1/6 Select

1/9 Select

LBWT Sows have poor selection ratesSowID Gilt Tag Litter Size Birth Wt Cull Age Cull Reason5559 9085 TB 20 0.93 8 Overlay5559 9087 BA 16 0.82 21 Runt5559 9086 0.95 21 Runt5559 9084 1.18 21 Runt5559 9082 1.36 21 Runt5559 9083 1.25 24 Runt5559 9081 0.93 32 Overlay6424 8335 TB 15 1.43 20 Runt6424 8336 BA 13 0.95 147 Runt6424 8337 0.84 41 Euthanize condition6424 8338 1.45 6424 8339 0.93 147 Runt6424 8340 0.59 23 Runt5412 9114 TB 21 0.86 5 Overlay5412 9115 BA 20 0.93 167 limited viability5412 9116 0.95 5 Overlay5412 9117 0.93 40 Euthanize condition5412 9118 1.18 167 Thin5412 9119 0.98 64 Runt5412 9120 1.09 97 Lost in system5412 9121 1.02 5412 9122 0.95 64 Runt

NPB Project, 2015

Born 30 d 170 d Serve30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100% <1.01-1.251.25-1.51.5-1.75

Ret

entio

n R

ate

Produce very few “select” replacement gilts

NPB Project, 2015

<40% of gilts with a birthweight <1 kg will be served

n449

10011230561241

Replacement gilts may have compromised SLP

0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2 2.20.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1

1.2

1.4

1.6

f(x) = − 0.197696502884615 x² + 0.976757983098268 x + 0.0451798419260355R² = 0.735613568985593

<1.141.14-1.6>1.6

Gilt body weight at birth (kg)

Ute

rine

Wei

ght (

g)

Birth Weight

Linck Moroni, unpublished data

Will these gilts have compromised lifetime fertility?

Dam performance

upto 6 paritiesAve litter BW – 1.5

Ave TB – 12.3Ave litter BW – 1.1

Ave TB – 13.9

Daughter performance

upto 6 parities

Litter of Origin – Performance of daughters

1 2 3 4 5 60.8

1

1.2

1.4

1.6

Daughter Parity

Dau

ghte

r lit

ter

wei

ght

8

10

12

14

(litter sizes of 10-16)

Additional impact on commercial line progeny born to LBWT sows:

• The lean growth potential of the offspring of the entire litter not just the small pigs!

• Increased pre-weaning morality, • reduced survivability, • reduced growth rates and efficiency • Increased variation in pig market weights• Slow growing pigs need to stay in barn

longer to hit carcass weight targets

Smit, 2010

Low birth weight phenotypeOvulation Rate Uterine Capacity

Embryonic/fetal survival Placental function

“Litter of origin”LOW birth weight phenotype

Productivity&

Lifetime productivity of replacements produced

Management & post-natal interventions

Develop selection & production

strategies+-

Management Interventions• Can the efficiency of the nucleus/multiplication farm be

improved by “non-selecting” low birth weight litters at farrowing and early culling of sows with a repeatable low birth weight phenotype?

1 31 61 91 1211511812112412713013313613914214514815115415716016310

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

02468101214161820

Sow

Ave

rage

litte

r wei

ght

Ave

rage

tota

l bor

n

5 % of litters

NPB Project, 2015

Parity TB/BA

2 17/17

3 20/19

4 17/14

5 14/12

6 19/15

17.4/15.4 1.1Average: 12.0/11.8 1.8

Average Litter Wt

1.8

1.8

1.8

2.0

1.4

Low Birth Weight High Birth Weight

Which sow would you cull?

If you don’t measure it, you can’t manage it!

<1.0 >1.75% Weaned 67% 92%% Entered GDU (170 d ) 53% 83%% Served 38% 68%

Average Litter Wt

1.0

0.8

0.9

0.9

1.0

TB/BA

12/12

11/11

13/13

12/12

12/11

(5.7) (8.1)

Post-Natal Management Interventions• Measure birth weight to determine phenotype on sows.• Planned culling of sows that repeatedly display the low

birth weight phenotype.• Segregate sows into farrowing rooms based on expected

birth weight phenotype.• Ensure adequate colostrum intake (Bartol et al., 2013).

• Colostrum provides essential nutritive and protective support to newborns as they transition from prenatal to postnatal life

• Promotes normal uterine development within the first 2 days of life.• Lack of colostrum intake could potentially negatively impact uterine

capacity and reproductive performance as adults.

• Strategic cross-fostering (Billy Flowers, 2015).

• Reduce the litter size in which replacement gilts are raised.• Significantly increased sow longevity, improved farrowing rate, and

tended to increase number of pigs born over 6 parities.

Flowers, 2015

Post-Natal Management Interventions

Flowers, 2015

• A reduction in nursery competition may increase overall growth & enhance early development of reproductive organs

• Minimum # of pigs to be reduced is unknown.

• Best opportunity might be medium sized pigs, or all future replacements.

• Current NPB study will provide strategies (Meli and Flowers).

1.1 kg1.1 kg 1.1 – 1.6 kg 1.6 kg

Conclusions: “Litter of origin”LOW birth weight phenotype

• “Litter of origin” has a major effect on the lifetime productivity.1. Evidence of “low birth weight phenotypes” in

commercial sow populations.2. Low birth weight is a repeatable trait within sow and

over generations.3. Gilts born from low birth weight phenotype sows will

have compromised SLP.

Productivity of LBWT sowLifetime productivity of replacements produced

-

Summary“Litter of origin”

LOW birth weight phenotype

Productivity of LBWT sow&

Lifetime productivity of replacements produced

Management & post-natal interventions +-

• “Management interventions:1. Strategic culling of LBWT sows2. Management Interventions

Future Work – NPB Funded Project on Improving Sow Lifetime Productivity

• Birth weight phenotype determined on 600+ sows• >5000 gilts have been tagged to date and will be monitored

for retention and SLP• Projected studies:

• Strategic cross-fostering & litter manipulation of LBWT phenotype sows (Dr. William Flowers)

• Effect of litter of origin on puberty in gilts (Dr. Robert Knox).• Relate factors associated with puberty and

delayed puberty to litter of origin• Use ultrasound to determine size of ovulatory

follicles, estimates of uterine size, etc.

Acknowledgments• Holden Farms

• Nick Holden• Matt Allerson• Laura Bruner• Troy Werner• Elaine Triemert• Aaron Hansen• Jessica Groenewold

• Juan-Carlos Pinilla• National Pork Board