ABSTRACT
The
objective was to quantify relationships between sow body condition and
subsequent reproduction. Multiparous sows were measured at breeding (n = 1571) and farrowing (n = 887) on
a commercial farm in eastern North Carolina.
Sow body condition measures included: sow body condition caliper (CS),
weight (BW), backfat, longissimus muscle area (LMA) and visual body condition
score (BCS). Sow production traits were: number born alive (NBA), litter birth
weight (LBW), number weaned (NW), piglet survival (PS), litter weaning weight (LWW), wean-to-conception interval
(WCI), farrowing rate and lactation
average daily feed intake. Data were analyzed in SAS using PROC GLM for
continuous traits and PROC GLIMMIX for categorical traits. Breeding CS
had a curvilinear relationship (P < 0.05)
with NBA, LBW, NW, PS and WCI, with a
CS of 15 being optimal for NBA, NW and PS and 14 ideal for LBW and WCI.
Breeding LMA had a curvilinear relationship (P < 0.05)
with PS, with
51.5 cm2 maximizing survival. Breeding BCS had a curvilinear
relationship (P < 0.05) with NBA, LBW, NW,
PS and WCI, with
3.2 being optimal for NBA, NW and WCI and 3.0 ideal for LBW and PS. Farrowing
CS had a curvilinear relationship (P < 0.05)
with NW and PS, with
15 being optimal. Farrowing BCS had a
curvilinear relationship (P < 0.05)
with NW and PS, with 3.6 being ideal. Farrowing BW had a curvilinear relationship (P < 0.05) with LWW and PS, with a BW of 220 and 210
kg, respectively, being optimal. Farrowing LMA had a curvilinear relationship
(P < 0.05) with WCI, with 51.6 cm2 being ideal. Results provide sow body condition targets to maximize
reproductive throughput. The present study suggests feeding sows to a target sow body condition caliper score of 14 to 15
(representing a back angle of 130˚ to 132.5˚) to maximize sow productivity.