Bred to last?

摘要

An American examination of data from commercial herds has revealed differences between genotypes for the longevity of sows, as measured by the number of litters produced in the animal's lifetime. Escalating death rates for breeding sows are causing concern in the USA. At the extreme, some herds have reported losses of up to 13-14 percent per year. There are also signs that a significant number of sows have had to be removed from production before their planned replacement date. Dr John Mabry is director of the Iowa Pork Industry Center or IPIC at Iowa State University. In recent presentations to American producers, he has suggested that the increase in sow mortality and removals may relate to genetics, housing and management practices within the USindustry.