Reproductive qualities of French breed large white breed sows of different operating value and level of their discretion

Abstract

This work aimed to investigate the lifespan and breeding use, reproductive qualities, and the level of their discreteness in sows of the large white breed of French breeding, considering their operational value. Agroprime Holding LLC of the Odesa region, the laboratory of innovative technologies, and experimental livestock facilities of the Institute of Pig Breeding and AIP of the National Academy of Sciences carried out the practical part of the work. Evaluation of sows according to indicators characterizing the level of their adaptation and reproductive qualities was carried out taking into account the following characteristics: life expectancy, days; duration of tribal use, days; received farts; all live piglets were born, head.; multifertility, ch.; high fertility, kg.; nest weight at the time of weaning at 28 days, kg; preservation, %. The selection index of reproductive qualities of the sow (SIRQS) was calculated according to the method of O. M. Tsereniuk et al. (2010), the coefficient of discreteness (D) – Seromolot and Sviatchenko (1984). Biometric processing of research results was carried out according to generally accepted methods. It has been established that sows of the large white breed of French breeding, provided they are kept in production premises using innovative technologies, are characterized by high indicators of the level of adaptation and reproductive qualities. Thus, their life span is 905.7 days, the duration of breeding use is 680.6 days, and in terms of reproductive qualities, they belong to the elite class. A significant difference between the groups of experimental animals was established in terms of life expectancy, duration of breeding use, total number of live piglets, multifertility, and litter weight at the time of weaning at the age of 28 days. The maximum indicators of high fertility (1.34 kg) and preservation of piglets until weaning at the age of 28 days (100 %) were found in sows of the “low operational value” category. The coefficient of discreteness of life expectancy and breeding use in sows of I, II, and III experimental groups is equal to 0.406, 0.677, and 0.633, reproductive qualities – 0.828, 0.882, and 0.903, respectively. Coefficients of paired correlation between life span and breeding use of sows and signs of reproductive qualities range from -0.055 to +0.904. The maximum increase in additional production was obtained from sows of the “high operational value” category – +6.80 %, and its value is +355.57 UAH/head/ farrowing.