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  • Udder characteristics of importance for teat use in purebred and crossbred pigs
    Ocepek, Marko, 1978- ...
    Possible side effects of the current sow selection criteria on udder characteristics and their influ - ence on teat use and functionality have not yet been investigated. The first aim of the present ... study was to investigate differences in udder morphology character - istics (distance between teats in a pair, teat length, and teat diameter) in 2 different pure breeds (Norsvin Duroc [ND; n = 12] and Norsvin Landrace [NL; n = 12]) and 1 crossbreed (Norsvin Landrace % Yorkshire [NL%Y; n = 14]) at 3 different time periods (Days 1, 21, and 35) during lactation. Second, we also investigated the association between udder morphology and teat use on d 1 and if some of these characteristics influence wheth - er teats become nonfunctional (from d 1 to 35) during lactation. During lactation, udder morphology (teat pair distance, teat length, and diameter of functional teats) and teat use (from 6 consecutive nursings: functional teats being used/not being used and which teat row [left or right] was uppermost) were documented. The NL had shorter distance between teat pairs than ND ( P = 0.030). Teat pair distance increased with sows% par - ity ( P = 0.010) and was affected by teat position ( P < 0.001). The ND had shorter teats than NL and NL%Y ( P < 0.001). Teat length and diameter increased with parity ( P = 0.027 and P = 0.043, respectively) and were affected by teat position ( P < 0.001 and P < 0.001, respectively). Functional teats were less used on d 1 postpartum (21.4%) than at 2 later time periods (10.4% on Day 21 and 4.7% on Day 35; P < 0.001) during lac- tation. On d 1, the greater the distance between teat pairs in the middle and posterior position, the higher was the proportion of not-used functional teats ( P = 0.003), with a larger decline in the lower teat row ( P < 0.001), where approximately half of middle and posterior teats were not used. Proportion of not-used functional teats in the lower middle position increased when the teat pair dis- tance exceeded 16 cm, whereas in the lower posterior position, this limit was 14 cm. Furthermore, the propor - tion of not-used teats on d 1 influenced teats becoming nonfunctional during lactation ( P < 0.001). The greater the distance between pairs, the more teats became non- functional irrespective of teat position ( P < 0.001). The present results suggest that teat pair distance is of impor - tance for teat use in all breeds and should be included in the breeding program to ensure colostrum intake and maintain teat functionality during lactation.
    Vir: Journal of animal science. - ISSN 0021-8812 (Vol. 94, No. 2, 2016, str. 780-788)
    Vrsta gradiva - članek, sestavni del
    Leto - 2016
    Jezik - angleški
    COBISS.SI-ID - 4161324

vir: Journal of animal science. - ISSN 0021-8812 (Vol. 94, No. 2, 2016, str. 780-788)

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