Associations of Management Factors and Environmental Conditions With the Number of Liveborn Piglets in a Commercial Pig Farm: A Retrospective Field Study

ABSTRACT

The achievement of reproductive goals depends, among others, on semen quality, adequate control of environmental factors (e.g., heat stress) and the practice of annual sow replacement. This retrospective study examined the association of semen type (produced on the farm or purchased from artificial insemination centres), previous oestrus return, parity and thermal environment with the number of liveborn piglets. Data from 522 sows ( n  = 1035) of an industrial Greek pig farm were analysed. Except for parity, no statistical differences were observed in the number of liveborn piglets across the various parameters examined. The number of liveborn piglets was higher for second‐ to fifth‐parity sows compared to both younger and older ones. In conclusion, under the commercial conditions evaluated in the present study, the findings are consistent with previous reports and provide additional field‐based evidence supporting current herd‐management practices in commercial pig production.