Swine

Effect of Neonatal Birth Weight on Subsequent Growth Traits in Large White x Landrace Commercial Breeding Gilts

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Abstract

The objective of the study was to determine neonatal birth weight effects on gilt development growth performance. Data were collected from 1,052 litters housed at Circle 4 Farms, Milford, UT. A total of 2,960 crossbred Large White x Landrace maternal line gilts entered the research Gilt Development Unit (GDU). Gilts were categorized by their individual neonatal birth weight into 3 groups Group I (£ 1.1 kg; n=772), Group II (1.2 to 1.5 kg; n=1,356), and Group III (³ 1.6 kg; n=832). Growth trait least square means (±SE) for each birth weight group were analyzed using PROC GLM. Fixed effects in the model included birth weight, week of birth and development diet with the random effect of pen within a room and common litter effect. When evaluating body weight (BW) at puberty, a fixed effect for the utilization of PG600 (yes or no) was included in the model. Neonatal birth weight group was a significant (P<0.05) source of variation for gilt growth in development. Gilts from the heaviest birth weight group (Group III) had significantly (P<0.05) larger weaning weight (7.2±0.1 kg), BW at 100 d (45.1±0.3 kg), BW at 142 d (74.3±0.4 kg), BW at 160 d (89.9±0.5 kg) and BW at 200 d (125.7±0.7 kg), faster average daily gain (0.81±0.005 kg/d), and larger BW at puberty (137.7±0.7 kg) when compared to Group I and II. Improving neonatal birth weight will improve gilt development and body weight through puberty.

How to Cite:

Stalder, K. J., Vallet, J. L., Supakorn, C., Lents, C., Prince, T. J., Phillips, C. E., Boyd, R., DeDecker, A. E. & Moeller, G., (2019) “Effect of Neonatal Birth Weight on Subsequent Growth Traits in Large White x Landrace Commercial Breeding Gilts”, Iowa State University Animal Industry Report 16(1).