Factors Affecting Reproductive Performance of Saba Sows

  Objective   Reproductive performance of Saba sows affected by the animal breed, parity, mating, and farrowing were investigated to explore means for improvements.

  Method  From the 2013-2017 records maintained at Chuxiong Prefecture Pig Breeding Farm in Yunnan province on Saba sows that delivered 182 litters, Duroc×Saba sows (DS) that delivered 67 litters, and Landrace×Saba sows (LS) that delivered 67 litters, the reproductive performances of these sows were compared. The number of parities, insemination methods, and farrowing seasons of the litters by the sows were analyzed using the least square model.

  Result  Compared with the Saba sows, DS and LS had 2.56 and 1.98, respectively, more total number born (TNB) (P＜0.01) and 2.36 and 1.99, respectively, higher number born alive (NBA) (P＜0.01) per litter. In general, the 4^th to the 6^th parities performed better than the others (P＜0.05 or P＜0.01), and the highest TNB and NBA occurred on the 6^th while the lowest on the 1^st and 9^th parities. No significant differences were found on the performance whether the sows were impregnated by natural service (NS) or artificial insemination (AI) (P＞0.05). However, farrowing in spring and summer rendered more desirable results than in autumn and winter (P＜0.05 or P＜0.01).

  Conclusion  The reproductive performance of Saba sows could be improved by cross-breeding and/or farrowing in spring and summer in a year.