Effect of non-genetic factors on performance traits in large white Yorkshire sows

Abstract

The effects of non-genetic factors like farm, parity and season of farrowing were analyzed on litter size at birth (LSB) and at weaning (LSW), litter weight at birth (LWB) and at weaning (LWW), body length (BL), body width (BWd), body height (BH) and chest girth (CG) of 100 LWY sows maintained at different farms of Kerala during 2023-24 using GLM for fixed effects. The mean LSB, LSW, LWB and LWW were 8.66±0.24, 5.72±0.24, 10.20±0.28 (kg) and 49.18±2.31 (kg), respectively. The mean BL, BWd, BH and CG (cm) were 144.33±1.02, 66.42±0.79, 56.76±0.46 and 128.59±1.56 respectively. Farm, parity and season significantly influenced the litter size and weight at weaning as well as the body length and width of sows (p≤0.05). The study recommends the optimization of management practices to improve the body condition and nursing ability of the sows for better productivity.