What are the reasons why sows are difficult to breed in summer?
Why is it difficult to breed sows in summer?
(Agricultural Wealth Network) Many farmers have found that in summer the conception rate of sows is low, which affects production efficiency. To solve this problem, one must first understand its root causes. Generally speaking, there are four main reasons.
I. Ambient temperature too high
The vitality of boar semen is negatively correlated with ambient temperature within a certain range; the higher the ambient temperature, the lower the semen vitality. In summer, boars' libido declines, semen becomes thin, dead and weak sperm increase, and vitality drops noticeably, which is the most direct cause of low conception rates in sows in summer.
II. Nutritional causes
First, summer temperatures are high, sows have difficulty dissipating heat, and feed intake decreases. The intake of nutrients needed for sow reproduction is insufficient, leading to irregular estrus and ovulation, affecting mating and conception, and resulting in stillborn and weak fetuses.
Second, in high-temperature seasons, vitamins in feed are poorly stable, leading to vitamin deficiency or insufficiency in the feed. This is one of the basic causes of low conception rates and abnormal embryonic development.
Third, the lack or insufficiency of green fodder causes constipation in boars and sows.
III. Insufficient exercise
In hot weather, sows exercise little, and weakness in the hind limbs affects mating; boars that exercise too little have reduced semen vitality, directly affecting the conception rate. Let sows and boars move in the exercise yard for about 1 hour at a fixed time every day.
IV. Disease causes
First, parvovirus disease: infected sows may return to estrus, or may neither come into estrus nor farrow, or may farrow only a few piglets per litter, or produce mummified fetuses.
Second, atypical swine fever: the pig's immunity declines, and sows infected with swine fever virus often suffer reproductive disorders, embryonic death and resorption, and sows farrow few piglets or return to estrus.
Third, Japanese encephalitis: it occurs frequently in summer. In boars, it mainly manifests as orchitis, reduced sexual function, and decreased semen quality; after sows develop Japanese encephalitis, it manifests as difficulty in mating, abortion, stillbirth, and so on.
Fourth, leptospirosis: this disease can cause fetal death, abortion, and reduced piglet survival rates.
Fifth, uterine infection: the most common are Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus albus. Bacteria in the uterus are introduced by the boar during mating (preputial fluid, the semen itself), and may also come from the vagina. Bacterial contamination of the uterus is most harmful to gilts being mated for the first time.
Sixth, porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (blue ear disease): sows show emaciation, and the ears, abdomen, and udder turn blue, with abortion, premature birth, and the birth of stillborn and weak piglets. Sows have no milk after farrowing, and piglet mortality can reach 100% at its highest.
Seventh, toxoplasmosis: when pregnant sows develop toxoplasmosis, they will experience abortion, stillbirth, and mummified fetuses.
Eighth, porcine eperythrozoonosis: sows in late gestation and after farrowing develop mastitis, and some sows abort or give birth to stillborn piglets.
V. Measures to take
After understanding the main reasons for low conception rates in sows, farmers should take targeted measures in the following six aspects to improve sow breeding work.
1. Do a good job in heat prevention and cooling: install ventilation or spray cooling equipment. In summer, the temperature in the pig house should be controlled below 25°C.
2. Appropriately supplement green fodder: provide 2-3 kg of green fodder per breeding animal per day; add compound electrolytic multivitamins to drinking water to supplement vitamin deficiencies.
3. Adjust the daily ration of breeding pigs: increase the protein level of the feed. Control feed protein for breeding boars at 14%. Control feed protein for open sows at 12.1%. At the same time, increase the supply of vitamins, especially the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, and E.
4. Use breeding stock reasonably: first, control the mating frequency. Breeding boars should be mated no more than 5 times per week in summer, and artificial insemination should be used more; second, adjust the mating time, changing summer mating from morning and evening to mating at night.
5. Do a good job in vaccination: reasonably formulate an immunization program according to the disease situation on the farm. In addition to routine immunization for breeding stock, Japanese encephalitis vaccine injections should also be given every spring.
6. Do a good job in sow health care: especially health care during the perinatal period. Add broad-spectrum antibiotics to the sow feed for 1 week before and after farrowing to purify sow diseases. Pay attention to the one injection after farrowing for sows, that is, use long-acting oxytetracycline or "streptomycin + penicillin" intramuscularly within 6 hours after farrowing to prevent and treat endometritis
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I. Ambient temperature too high
The vitality of boar semen is negatively correlated with ambient temperature within a certain range; the higher the ambient temperature, the lower the semen vitality. In summer, boars' libido declines, semen becomes thin, dead and weak sperm increase, and vitality drops noticeably, which is the most direct cause of low conception rates in sows in summer.
II. Nutritional causes
First, summer temperatures are high, sows have difficulty dissipating heat, and feed intake decreases. The intake of nutrients needed for sow reproduction is insufficient, leading to irregular estrus and ovulation, affecting mating and conception, and resulting in stillborn and weak fetuses.
Second, in high-temperature seasons, vitamins in feed are poorly stable, leading to vitamin deficiency or insufficiency in the feed. This is one of the basic causes of low conception rates and abnormal embryonic development.
Third, the lack or insufficiency of green fodder causes constipation in boars and sows.
III. Insufficient exercise
In hot weather, sows exercise little, and weakness in the hind limbs affects mating; boars that exercise too little have reduced semen vitality, directly affecting the conception rate. Let sows and boars move in the exercise yard for about 1 hour at a fixed time every day.
IV. Disease causes
First, parvovirus disease: infected sows may return to estrus, or may neither come into estrus nor farrow, or may farrow only a few piglets per litter, or produce mummified fetuses.
Second, atypical swine fever: the pig's immunity declines, and sows infected with swine fever virus often suffer reproductive disorders, embryonic death and resorption, and sows farrow few piglets or return to estrus.
Third, Japanese encephalitis: it occurs frequently in summer. In boars, it mainly manifests as orchitis, reduced sexual function, and decreased semen quality; after sows develop Japanese encephalitis, it manifests as difficulty in mating, abortion, stillbirth, and so on.
Fourth, leptospirosis: this disease can cause fetal death, abortion, and reduced piglet survival rates.
Fifth, uterine infection: the most common are Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus albus. Bacteria in the uterus are introduced by the boar during mating (preputial fluid, the semen itself), and may also come from the vagina. Bacterial contamination of the uterus is most harmful to gilts being mated for the first time.
Sixth, porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (blue ear disease): sows show emaciation, and the ears, abdomen, and udder turn blue, with abortion, premature birth, and the birth of stillborn and weak piglets. Sows have no milk after farrowing, and piglet mortality can reach 100% at its highest.
Seventh, toxoplasmosis: when pregnant sows develop toxoplasmosis, they will experience abortion, stillbirth, and mummified fetuses.
Eighth, porcine eperythrozoonosis: sows in late gestation and after farrowing develop mastitis, and some sows abort or give birth to stillborn piglets.
V. Measures to take
After understanding the main reasons for low conception rates in sows, farmers should take targeted measures in the following six aspects to improve sow breeding work.
1. Do a good job in heat prevention and cooling: install ventilation or spray cooling equipment. In summer, the temperature in the pig house should be controlled below 25°C.
2. Appropriately supplement green fodder: provide 2-3 kg of green fodder per breeding animal per day; add compound electrolytic multivitamins to drinking water to supplement vitamin deficiencies.
3. Adjust the daily ration of breeding pigs: increase the protein level of the feed. Control feed protein for breeding boars at 14%. Control feed protein for open sows at 12.1%. At the same time, increase the supply of vitamins, especially the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, and E.
4. Use breeding stock reasonably: first, control the mating frequency. Breeding boars should be mated no more than 5 times per week in summer, and artificial insemination should be used more; second, adjust the mating time, changing summer mating from morning and evening to mating at night.
5. Do a good job in vaccination: reasonably formulate an immunization program according to the disease situation on the farm. In addition to routine immunization for breeding stock, Japanese encephalitis vaccine injections should also be given every spring.
6. Do a good job in sow health care: especially health care during the perinatal period. Add broad-spectrum antibiotics to the sow feed for 1 week before and after farrowing to purify sow diseases. Pay attention to the one injection after farrowing for sows, that is, use long-acting oxytetracycline or "streptomycin + penicillin" intramuscularly within 6 hours after farrowing to prevent and treat endometritis
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Thanks for sharing, bumping this