{"title":"Evaluation of Sow Caliper for body condition measurement of gestating sows","authors":"Yuzhi Z. Li, S. Cui, S. Baidoo, L. Johnston","doi":"10.54846/jshap/1232","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"Objectives: To evaluate correlation between Sow Caliper measurement and backfat depth (BFD), and to determine the ideal caliper measurement that predicts optimal BFD prefarrowing to support performance of lactating sows. Materials and methods: Multiparous sows (n = 928, Parity 1-9) were group housed in pens from day 35 to 109 of gestation. Caliper measurements, BFD, visual body condition scores (BCS), and body weight were recorded upon sows’ entry and exit of gestation pens. Subsequent farrowing performance was recorded. Caliper measurements were classified into five categories: category 1 = 4.0 to 8.0 units, category 2 = 8.5 to 10.0 units, category 3 = 10.5 to 12.0 units, category 4 = 12.5 to 14.0 units, and category 5 = 14.5 to 18.0 units. Results: Caliper measurement was correlated positively with BFD (r = 0.71-0.75; P < .001) and BCS (r = 0.67-0.75; P < .001) on days 35 and 109 of gestation. Based on sow performance over one reproduction cycle and BFD recommendations, caliper category 4 on day 109 of gestation was deemed ideal for prefarrowing sows. The estimated lower and upper limits of BFD for prefarrowing sows in caliper category 4 were 15.6 and 18.0 mm, respectively. Caliper measurements explained about 55% of variation in BFD of gestating sows prefarrowing. Implications: The Sow Caliper can be used to evaluate body condition of gestating sows. To maintain body condition and reproductive performance, caliper measurements of 12.5 to 14.0 units are recommended for prefarrowing sows across parities, excluding gilts.","PeriodicalId":17095,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Swine Health and Production","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.7000,"publicationDate":"2021-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Journal of Swine Health and Production","FirstCategoryId":"97","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.54846/jshap/1232","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"Agricultural and Biological Sciences","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Objectives: To evaluate correlation between Sow Caliper measurement and backfat depth (BFD), and to determine the ideal caliper measurement that predicts optimal BFD prefarrowing to support performance of lactating sows. Materials and methods: Multiparous sows (n = 928, Parity 1-9) were group housed in pens from day 35 to 109 of gestation. Caliper measurements, BFD, visual body condition scores (BCS), and body weight were recorded upon sows’ entry and exit of gestation pens. Subsequent farrowing performance was recorded. Caliper measurements were classified into five categories: category 1 = 4.0 to 8.0 units, category 2 = 8.5 to 10.0 units, category 3 = 10.5 to 12.0 units, category 4 = 12.5 to 14.0 units, and category 5 = 14.5 to 18.0 units. Results: Caliper measurement was correlated positively with BFD (r = 0.71-0.75; P < .001) and BCS (r = 0.67-0.75; P < .001) on days 35 and 109 of gestation. Based on sow performance over one reproduction cycle and BFD recommendations, caliper category 4 on day 109 of gestation was deemed ideal for prefarrowing sows. The estimated lower and upper limits of BFD for prefarrowing sows in caliper category 4 were 15.6 and 18.0 mm, respectively. Caliper measurements explained about 55% of variation in BFD of gestating sows prefarrowing. Implications: The Sow Caliper can be used to evaluate body condition of gestating sows. To maintain body condition and reproductive performance, caliper measurements of 12.5 to 14.0 units are recommended for prefarrowing sows across parities, excluding gilts.
期刊介绍：
The Journal of Swine Health & Production (JSHAP) is an open-access and peer-reviewed journal published by the American Association of Swine Veterinarians (AASV) since 1993. The aim of the journal is the timely publication of peer-reviewed papers with a scope that encompasses the many domains of applied swine health and production, including the diagnosis, treatment, management, prevention and eradication of swine diseases, welfare & behavior, nutrition, public health, epidemiology, food safety, biosecurity, pharmaceuticals, antimicrobial use and resistance, reproduction, growth, systems flow, economics, and facility design. The journal provides a platform for researchers, veterinary practitioners, academics, and students to share their work with an international audience. The journal publishes information that contains an applied and practical focus and presents scientific information that is accessible to the busy veterinary practitioner as well as to the research and academic community. Hence, manuscripts with an applied focus are considered for publication, and the journal publishes original research, brief communications, case reports/series, literature reviews, commentaries, diagnostic notes, production tools, and practice tips. All manuscripts submitted to the Journal of Swine Health & Production are peer-reviewed.
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