Acta Univ. Agric. Silvic. Mendelianae Brun. 2012, 60(6), 267-274 | DOI: 10.11118/actaun201260060267

Analysis of piglet losses in farrowing houses with different technologies

Pavel Nevrkla, Marie Čechová, Zdeněk Hadaš
Ústav chovu a šlechtění zvířat, Mendelova univerzita v Brně, Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Česká republika

The aim of this study was to analyse the losses of piglets caused by different factors (due to overlaying, biting and/or other reasons) within the period from birth to weaning, reared with their mothers in different types of housing technology. The experiment involved 90 hybrid sows (Czech Large White x Czech Landrace) housed in two farrowing houses with two different types of technology. Each experimental variant involved 45 sows with 45 litters and the aim was to demonstrate the effect of the technology on losses of piglets. One variant (Technology I) was modern and originated from the year 2002 while the other (Technology II) was older (1994). Piglets were weaned in age of 28 days. The obtained results indicate that the overlaying was the most significant cause of piglet losses till the age of 7 days. As far as the overlaying as a cause of losses was concerned, there was a highly significant differences between both technologies (P < 0.001) in sows on the 2nd and 3rd litter while on the 4th and 5th litter the differences between both technologies were only significant (P < 0.05). The effect of biting and other causes of losses till the age of 7 days was insignificant. As compared with the first week of life, the losses within the period from the 8th day of life to the day of weaning were very low. It was demonstrated that the technology of housing of lactating sows influenced losses of piglets within the period from birth to weaning. In general, it can be concluded that in a more modern Technology I the parameters of sow performance were better than in the older Technology II, where the analysed losses from birth to weaning were higher. This indicates that it is very important to modernize technologies installed in farrowing houses.

Keywords: technology, losses, piglets, sow, reproduction
Grants and funding:

This study was supported by the project of MENDELU internal grant agency, Faculty of Agriculture No. TP 1/2012 and the NAZV Project No. QI 111A166 of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Czech Republic.

Received: June 27, 2012; Prepublished online: July 19, 2013; Published: July 20, 2013  Show citation

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Nevrkla, P., Čechová, M., & Hadaš, Z. (2012). Analysis of piglet losses in farrowing houses with different technologies. Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis, 60(6), 267-274. doi: 10.11118/actaun201260060267
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