EFFECT OF LACTATION LENGTH ON REPRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE OF LARGE WHITE YORKSHIRE SOWS*

Abstract

Eighteen Large White Yorkshire (LWY) sows from Centre for Pig Production and Research, Mannuthy in last week of gestation were selected for the study. Lactation length of sows in treatment groups, T1, T2 and T3, were 42, 35 and 21 days respectively. Weaning to service interval in all three groups range from 3-8 days post-weaning. Pregnancy diagnosis after seven to eight weeks of mating revealed positive result irrespective of treatment. Lactation weight loss was highest in T1 (15.75 ± 1.62 kg) followed by T2 (11.90 ± 1.20 kg) and T3 (6.93 ± 1.08kg). Body condition score at the time of weaning was 2.83 ± 0.31, 3.00 ± 0.26 and 3.50 ± 0.22 for T1, T2 and T3, respectively. Farrowing interval in T1, T2 and T3 were 159.50 ± 0.99, 158.00 ± 2.75 and 138.33 ± 0.42 days, respectively. Subsequent litter size in T1, T2 and T3, was 13.17 ± 1.01, 11.17 ± 0.87 and 10.17 ± 0.48 respectively. Thus, reducing the lactation length could increase the number of farrowing per sow during its productive life.