EFFECT OF LOCATION OF THE TEAT SUCKLED, BREED AND PARITY ON PIGLET GROWTH

Abstract

The effect of location of the teat suckled on piglet growth was evaluated on 919 piglets in 111 litters from 20 Yorkshire (Y) and 17 Yorkshire × Lacombe (YL) sows over the 2nd to 4th parities. Analysis of covariance was used to adjust the data for the effect of birth weight and number of piglets born alive. Piglet weight at 35 d of age was correlated with birth weight (r = 0.606) and the number of piglets born alive (r = −0.256). A breed difference was observed only for piglet weight gain (adjusted for litter size) with Y piglets being lighter (P < 0.01) than YL piglets at both 21 (Y, 3.77 kg vs. YL, 4.10 kg) and 35 (Y, 6.84 kg vs. YL, 7.95 kg) days of age. Piglets suckling the three anterior teats were heavier (P < 0.01) at 21 and 35 d of age than piglets suckling the three to four posterior teats. The effect of teat location on piglet weight was apparent both as a main effect and through its interaction with sow breed and with parity. At 21 d of age the weight, adjusted for birth weight and number born alive, of Y and YL piglets suckling the anterior teats was similar (Y, 5.43 kg; YL, 5.55 kg) and greater (P < 0.05) than the weight of piglets suckling the posterior teats. For piglets suckling the posterior teats, the Y piglets were heavier (P < 0.05) than YL piglets (Y, 5.18 kg vs. YL, 4.78 kg). At 35 d of age, the Y piglets suckling the anterior teats were lighter (P < 0.05) than YL piglets (Y, 8.78 kg vs. YL, 9.35 kg), and heavier (P < 0.05) than piglets suckling the posterior teats. The weight of Y and YL piglets suckling the posterior teats was similar (Y, 8.33 kg; YL, 8.24 kg). For weight gain (adjusted for number born alive) the differences at 21 and 35 d of age were YLa (anterior teats)>Ya>YLp (posterior teats) = Yp, and YLa>Ya = YLp>Yp, respectively. The parity × teat location effect was an increase in the difference in average piglet weight between piglets suckling the anterior and posterior teats from 2nd to 4th parity (21 d, 0.33–0.65 kg, P = 0.137; 35 d, 0.39–1.17 kg, P = 0.085). For weight gain, these differences were significant (21 d, 0.31–0.75 kg, P = 0.017; 35 d, 0.43–1.26 kg, P = 0.007). These results indicate that the effect of location of the teat suckled on piglet weight is specific to the breed of dam and influenced by parity with piglets suckling the more anterior teats being heavier. Key words: Piglet weight, teat location, breed, parity