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Laurianne Canario presents Poster 27 during the poster sessions in the Aula.
Session theme 3: Improving animal welfare by adapting animals to their environment
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Poster 27
GENETIC TRENDS FOR FARROWING BEHAVIOUR IN FRENCH LARGE
WHITE SOWS FROM 1977 TO 1998 ESTIMATED BY USE OF FROZEN
SEMEN
L. Canario 1 , L. Rydhmer 2 , J. Gogué 3 , J.P. Bidanel 1
1 INRA UR337 Station de Génétique Quantitative et Appliquée, Jouy-en-Josas, France
2 Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Dept. of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Uppsala, Sweden
3 INRA UE332 Domaine expérimental de Bourges, Osmoy, France
In pigs, the consequences of selective breeding are assessed on production traits recorded in the
selection herds. However, possible changes in behaviour are not estimated.
Over the last 30 years, French Large White pigs have been genetically improved for lean growth
efficiency, meat quality and, since 1990, litter size. The progress in prolificacy was achieved at the
expense of higher stillbirth and losses in lactation.
The aim was to compare farrowing in two genetic groups of sows (G77 and G98) that were
obtained by inseminating sows with semen from boars born either in 1977 or in 1998. Sows were
housed in crates with floor covered with a thin layer of straw. 2 nd Generation sows were considered.
Direct observations were performed on ∼60 parturitions in each group; those from 23 G77 and 21
G98 sows (including fifteen 2 nd -parity sows in each group) were analysed using video recordings.
Genetic differences were estimated with linear or generalized linear mixed models. Litter size and
number of stillbirths of video recorded sows were similar in both groups.
G98 sows started farrowing more frequently outside of staff working hours (p=0.04). Both groups
reacted similarly to first piglet handling (postural and vocal reactions).
From video recordings, we found that G77 and G98 sows spent the same amount of time lying over
the first 6 hours and their activity drastically decreased over time. At the beginning, G77 sows spent
more time standing (p