The effect of dam parity on growth of pigs differs between herds

Abstract

Dam parity affects growth of pigs (Standal, 1973). An Australian study examined the effects of dam parity on piglet performance and immunity in detail (Miller et al., 2012). However, information about the effects of dam parity on lifetime growth of progeny is surprisingly sparse. The effects of dam parity on growth of progeny are influenced by on-farm husbandry practices. Knowledge of differences between herds may be used to identify management strategies to alleviate the effects of dam parity on the performance of growing pigs. Further, information about the effects of dam parity on the performance of growing pigs is required to derive the economic value for sow longevity (Ludemann et al., 2013). The aim of this study was to quantify the effects of dam parity on growth of pigs for different herds.