• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.18 no.10
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• pp.1475-1478
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• 2005

Statistical analysis was conducted on sow stillbirth traits of three genotypes with 2,400 litters including the Erhualian, Large White and the $F_1$ cross of these two breeds. Number of stillborn piglets per litter in the Erhualian, Large White and the $F_1$ averaged 0.85, 0.31 and 0.70, and percentage born alive averaged 95.0%, 97.0% and 95.5%, respectively. Erhualian sows with a greater litter size also had a higher stillbirth rate. Results of analysis of variance indicated that genotype, parity, farrowing year${\times}$farrowing season interaction and total number born had highly significant effects on both number of stillborn piglets per litter and percentage born alive in sows (p<0.0001). Farrowing year had no significant effect on number of stillborn piglets per litter (p>0.05), and highly significant effect on percentage born alive (p<0.01). Farrowing season had highly significant effects on both number of stillborn piglets per litter and percentage born alive (p<0.01). From parity one to parity ten, least squares means for number of stillborn piglets per litter progressively increased with increasing parity and least squares means for percentage born alive progressively decreased with increasing parity. Sows that farrowed in winter had the highest number of stillborn piglets per litter and the lowest percentage born alive, sows that farrowed in autumn had the lowest number of stillborn piglets per litter and the highest percentage born alive. With increasing total number born, least squares means for number of stillborn piglets per litter markedly increased and least squares means for percentage born alive markedly decreased. Results from analysis of paternal half sibs indicated that the heritabilities for number of stillborn piglets per litter and percentage born alive were 0.110 and 0.124, and the genetic, phenotypic and environmental correlations between them were -0.989, -0.951 and -0.948, respectively. These results indicated that number of stillborn piglets per litter and percentage born alive were traits with the similar genetic background.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.63 no.1
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• pp.1-15
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• 2021

As a result of intensive breeding, litter size has considerably increased in pig production over the last three decades. This has resulted in an increase in farrowing complications. Prolonged farrowing will shorten the window for suckling colostrum and reduce the chances for high-quality colostrum intake. Studies also agree that increasing litter sizes concomitantly resulted in decreased piglet birth weight and increased within-litter birth weight variations. Birth weight, however, is one of the critical factors affecting the prognosis of colostrum intake, and piglet growth, welfare, and survival. Litters of uneven birth weight distribution will suffer and lead to increased piglet mortality before weaning. The proper management is key to handle the situation. Feeding strategies before farrowing, management routines during parturition (e.g., drying and moving piglets to the udder and cross-fostering) and feeding an energy source to piglets after birth may be beneficial management tools with large litters. Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1)-driven recovery from energy losses during lactation appears critical for supporting follicle development, the viability of oocytes and embryos, and, eventually, litter uniformity. This paper explores certain management routines for neonatal piglets that can lead to the optimization of their colostrum intake and thereby their survival in large litters. In addition, this paper reviews the evidence concerning nutritional factors, particularly lactation feeding that may reduce the loss of sow body reserves, affecting the growth of the next oocyte generation. In conclusion, decreasing birth weight and compromised immunity are subjects warranting investigation in the search for novel management tools. Furthermore, to increase litter uniformity, more focus should be placed on nutritional factors that affect IGF-1-driven follicle development before ovulation.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.543-555
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• 2010

The objectives of this research were the estimation of genetic parameters and trends for weaning-to-first service interval (WSI), and litter traits in a commercial swine population composed of Landrace (L), Large White (T), LT, and TL animals in Chiang Mai, Northern Thailand. The dataset contained 4,399 records of WSI, number of piglets born alive (NBA), litter weight of live piglets at birth (LBW), number of piglets at weaning (NPW), and litter weight at weaning (LWW). Variance and covariance components were estimated with REML using 2-trait analyses. An animal model was used for WSI and a sire-dam model for litter traits. Fixed effects were farrowing year-season, breed group of sow, breed group of boar (litter traits), parity, heterosis (litter traits), sow age, and lactation length (NPW and LWW). Random effects were boar (litter traits), sow, permanent environment, and residual. Heritabilities for direct genetic effects were low for WSI (0.04${\pm}$0.02) and litter traits (0.05${\pm}$0.02 to 0.06${\pm}$0.02). Most heritabilities for maternal litter trait effects were 20% to 50% lower than their direct counterparts. Repeatability for WSI was similar to its heritability. Repeatabilities for litter traits ranged from 0.15${\pm}$0.02 to 0.18${\pm}$F0.02. Direct genetic, permanent environment, and phenotypic correlations between WSI and litter traits were near zero. Direct genetic correlations among litter traits ranged from 0.56${\pm}$0.20 to 0.95${\pm}$0.05, except for near zero estimates between NBA and LWW, and LBW and LWW. Maternal, permanent environment, and phenotypic correlations among litter traits had similar patterns of values to direct genetic correlations. Boar genetic trends were small and significant only for NBA (-0.015${\pm}$0.005 piglets/yr, p<0.004). Sow genetic trends were small, negative, and significant (-0.036${\pm}$0.013 d/yr, p<0.01 for WSI; -0.017${\pm}$0.005 piglets/yr, p<0.007, for NBA; -0.015${\pm}$0.005 kg/yr, p<0.01, for LBW; -0.019${\pm}$0.008 piglets/yr, p<0.02, for NPW; and -0.022${\pm}$0.006 kg/yr, p<0.003, for LWW). Permanent environmental correlations were small, negative, and significant only for WSI (-0.028${\pm}$0.011 d/yr, p<0.02). Environmental trends were positive and significant only for litter traits (p<0.01 to p<0.0003). Selection based on predicted genetic values rather than phenotypes could be advantageous in this population. A single trait analysis could be used for WSI and a multiple trait analysis could be implemented for litter traits.

• Proceedings of the National Institute of Ecology of the Republic of Korea
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.76-81
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• 2021

With continuous decline of Philippine forest cover, sustainable forest management and restoration are essential to restore destroyed forest ecosystems. Unfortunately, of ten most planted trees in reforestation projects in the Philippines, eight are exotic species, with large leaf mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla) being the most dominant. In this study, effect of Swietenia macrophylla in reforestation projects on native tree species was evaluated. Effects of S. macrophylla leaf litter, frequency, and canopy closure on the growth of the Philippine native species Pterocarpus indicus were investigated. Results showed that S. macrophylla leaf litter significantly inhibited the growth of P. indicus seedlings based on root collar-to-shoot height. The standardized growth rate of seedlings in plots without S. macrophylla leaf litter was significantly higher than the growth rate of seedlings in plots with leaf litter. Furthermore, there was no significant difference in the standardized growth rate of seedlings between plots without leaf litter and a control plot. On the contrary, S. macrophylla tree frequency and canopy closure showed no significant effect. These results attest to the negative effect of widely planted S. macrophylla to a valuable Philippine native tree P. indicus. With accumulating scientific evidence about negative effects of S. macrophylla on native trees, discontinued use in tree planting and reforestation efforts with active management of restoration sites previously planted with large leaf mahogany are needed.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.60 no.5
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• pp.13.1-13.7
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• 2018

Background: The objective of this study was to underline that litter size as a key trait of sows needs new parameters to be evaluated and to target an individual optimum. Large individual variation in litter size affects both production and piglet's survival and health negatively. Therefore, two new traits were suggested and analyzed. Two data sets on 5509 purebred German Landrace sows and 3926 Large White and crossing sows including at least two parental generations and at least five parities were subjected to variance components analysis. Results: The new traits for evaluating litter size were derived from the individual numbers of total born piglets (TBP) per parity: In most cases, sows reach their maximum litter size in their fourth parity. Therefore, data from at least five parities were included. The first observable maximum and minimum of TBP, and the individual variation expressed by the range were targeted. Maximum of TBP being an observable trait in pig breeding and management yielded clearly higher heritability estimates ($h^2{\sim}0.3$) than those estimates predominantly reported so far. Maximum TBP gets closer to the genetic capacity for litter size than other litter traits. Minimum of TBP is positively correlated with the range of TBP ($r_p=0.48$, $r_g$ > 0.6). The correlation between maximum of TBP and its individually reached frequency was negative in both data sets ($r_p=-0.28$ and - 0.22, respectively). Estimated heritability coefficients for the range of TBP comprised a span of $h^2=0.06$ to 0.10. Conclusion: An optimum both for maximum and range of total born piglets in selecting sows is a way contributing to homogenous litters in order to improving the animal-related conditions both for piglets' welfare and economic management in pig.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.20-25
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• 2021

Objective: The objective of the study was to investigate the possibility of utilizing an early litter size trait as an indirect selection trait for longevity and to estimate genetic parameters between sow stayability and litter size at different parities using a linear-threshold model for longevity in Thai Large White (LW) and Landrace (LR) populations. Methods: The data included litter size at first, second, and third parities (NBA1, NBA2, and NBA3) and sow stayability from first to fourth farrowings (STAY14). The data was obtained from 10,794 LR and 9,475 LW sows. Genetic parameters were estimated using the multiple-trait animal model. A linear-threshold model was used in which NBA1, NBA2, and NBA3 were continuous traits, while STAY14 was considered a binary trait. Results: Heritabilities for litter size were low and ranged from 0.01 to 0.06 for both LR and LW breeds. Similarly, heritabilities for stayability were low for both breeds. Genetic associations between litter size and stayability ranged from 0.43 to 0.65 for LR populations and 0.12 to 0.55 for LW populations. The genetic correlation between NBA1 and STAY14 was moderate and in a favorable direction for both LR and LW breeds (0.65 and 0.55, respectively). Conclusion: A linear-threshold model could be utilized to analyze litter size and sow stayability traits. Furthermore, selection for litter size at first parity, which was the genetic trait correlated with longevity, is possible when one attempts to improve lifetime productivity in Thai swine populations.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.179-182
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• 2004

The polymorphism of the locus FSHRB in intron6-Exon7 of FSHR gene was investigated by PCR-RFLPs in Erhualian, Large White and Landrace${\times}$Large White; The association of polymorphism and litter size was analyzed by using SAS. The results showed that 1) the polymorphism of the locus FSHRB was significantly associated with litter size; 2) the total born number (TBN) and number born alive (NBA) of the sows with BB genotype were increased (p<0.05) with additive effects of 1.02-1.42 and 1.04-1.27 pigs per litter, respectively; 3) among the sows with genotype AA, AB or BB, there was an insignificant difference in born weight and weaning weight. This gene may be an effective potential tool used in conjunction with traditional selection methods.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.160-165
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• 2007

Dispersion parameters for the number of piglets born alive were estimated using a repeatability and random regression model. Six sow breeds/lines were included in the analysis: Swedish Landrace, Large White and both crossbred lines between them, German Landrace and their cross with Large White. Fixed part of the model included sow genotype, mating season as month-year interaction, parity and weaning to conception interval as class effects. The age at farrowing was modelled as a quadratic regression nested within parity. The previous lactation length was fitted as a linear regression. Random regressions for parity on Legendre polynomials were included for direct additive genetic, permanent environmental, and common litter environmental effects. Orthogonal Legendre polynomials from the linear to the cubic power were fitted. In the repeatability model estimate of heritability was 0.07, permanent environmental effect as ratio was 0.04, and common litter environmental effect as ratio was 0.01. Estimates of genetic parameters with the random regression model were generally higher than in the repeatability model, except for the common litter environmental effect. Estimates of heritability ranged from 0.06 to 0.10. Permanent environmental effect as a ratio increased along a trajectory from 0.03 to 0.11. Magnitudes of common litter effect were small (around 0.01). The eigenvalues of covariance functions showed that between 7 and 8 % of genetic variability was explained by individual genetic curves of sows. This proportion was mainly covered by linear and quadratic coefficients. Results suggest that the random regression model could be used for genetic analysis of litter size.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.49-52
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• 1994

This study was carried out to compare farrowing rate and litter traits for European and American lines with boar sperm frozen in straws. Farrowing rate, litter size and mean pig weght at birth and 21 days were investigated. A total of 36 gilts Landrace, Large white and Duroc were investigated at the Chungnam Provincial Animal Breeding Station. We obtained higher farrowing rate and litter traits for European line boars compared to American line boars.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.408-418
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• 2022

Marine accidents involving the entanglement of marine litter have continued to increase, with over 300 to 400 cases per year according to the statistical agency. Entanglement of marine litter may also lead to large-scale marine accidents which cause capsizing and sinking, thereby further causing detrimental casualties and material damages, and thus exceptional attention and care are required. In this study, Incheon, Busan, and Geoje and Tongyeong were found to be the high-frequency locations for accidents, which were selected by considering the ArcGIS analysis about the marine accidents of entanglement of marine litter and the occurrence frequency by the standard. The characteristics of the multiple accident areas involving entanglement of marine litter were the coastal cities where fishing facilities or marine leisure related conditions were activated, with the port which handles much of the traffic of outbound and inbound vessels located nearby. Marine plastic pollution impacts not only the marine ecosystem and food chain, but also the hull and engine of ships, and may further pose threats to the safety of vessels and crews. It is necessary to find a common link between the relevant areas and to strive to remove the root causes of marine accidents by reducing marine litter.