Reproductive parameters in a banija spotted pig breed population during breed revitalization

Abstract

The aim of the study was to evaluate reproductive parameters in a population of the Banija Spotted (BS) pig breed. A total of 69 breeding sows registered in the herdbook were analysed according to the Order of Parity (OP) (1st, 2nd, 3rd, joint 4th and 5th parity, and all parities). Basic descriptive statistical analyses were used to calculate reproductive parameters such as age at mating and farrowing, Age of the Boar (AB) at mating, gestation length and farrowing interval; the following parameters were analysed for Litter Size (LS): Total Number of Born (TNB), Number of Born Alive (NBA), Number of Still Born (NSB) and Number of Weaned (NW) piglets. Analyses were carried out using the GLM procedure in SAS, whereas the Pairwise Pearson PROC CORR procedure was used to calculate correlation coefficients (r) between LS traits. On average 8.26 TNB, 7.57 NBA, 0.67 NSB and 6.95 NW piglets were determined. Significant differences (P<0.05) were observed between 1st and 2nd, and 1st and 3rd OP for TNB and NBA. NW was significantly different (P<0.05) between 1st and 2nd OP, and between 3rd and joint 4th and 5th parities, with a significant (P<0.05) effect of Gestation Length (GL) and Farrowing Season (FS) on NBA in 2nd parity. A significant effect of Herd Group (HG) and AB on NBA was recorded in 3rd OP. Joint 4th and 5th parities with the lowest number of litters analysed showed a significant effect (P<0.05) of AB on TNB, NBA and NW, as well as of GL on NSB. High correlation coefficients (r = 0.7-0.9; P<0.05, per parity analysed) were found between TNB-NBA, TNB-NW and NBA-NW in all parities and single parity analysed, with the highest value recorded between NBA-NW in the joint 4th and 5th parities (r = 0.94). According to the analysed LS traits, Banija Spotted pig breed is characterised by moderate fertility.