Investigations on the effects of puerperal diseases in sows on the fertility

Abstract

Investigations with a total number of 1403 farrowings in one farm during 8 years have shown a frequency of puerperal diseases (MMA = mastitits, metritis, agalactiae) of 31.6 % with significant differences between gilts (41.2 %) and sows (27.9 %; p < .05). Gilts and sows without MMA after farrowing had a lower frequency of animals without estrus after weaning of the piglets (.2 % vs 1.1 %), a lower rate of late onset of estrus (3.4 % vs 6.2 %), a lower frequency of non-pregnant sows (16.0 % vs 22.2 %), less sows with abortion (.9 % vs 2.2 %) and a lower rate of mortality (1.1 % vs 4.0 %) compared with gilts and sows with MMA. The same effects have been demonstrated both in gilts and sows.