A University of Manitoba researcher is trying to find out if the time of day when piglets are weaned affects when the sow is ready to breed again.
“It is very important to get the accurate mating time and anything that we can use to help define the time will save time for the producers and improve, not compromise, the reproductive performance of the animal,” said Laurie Connor, a researcher in the university’s agricultural and food science department.
“Determining the best time to breed is critical to improving the efficiency of the swine industry.”
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Litters will be smaller if the mating time is incorrect, she added.
Using two groups of sows, Connor weaned piglets from one group as soon as the lights in the farrowing barn came on and piglets in the other group were weaned just before the lights went off at the end of the day. In addition to recording behavior and rebreeding, blood samples were taken from sows until the day after mating. The samples were checked to observe the relationship between hormone changes and ovulation.
“So far, our preliminary results show an improved synchronization in return to heat in sows (with litters) weaned at 8 a.m. than those (with litters) weaned at 5 p.m.”
Connor plans to investigate the potential for improving sow breeding times and incorporating this knowledge into practical management schedules.
