Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

The objective of this experiment was to determine the possible relationship between a sow’s ease of breeding on the first service and the farrowing rate and total born. This study was conducted in a commercial farrowing unit in the Southern United States utilizing pen gestation with stock of 6,000 head. Five hundred ninety-seven sows were bred between the months of April and May 2017 were selected for this study. All animals were inseminated using a post-cervical artificial insemination catheter unless insertion of the inner catheter was impossible. The semen dose fell within the following parameters: concentration of 1.5 x 109 sperm/40 ml, motility of ≥ 80%, abnormalities in morphology were ≤ 10% for distal and ≤ 10 % for proximal and a total of ≤ 20% total morphological abnormalities. Paper records were cross-referenced with electronic records to ensure accuracy of BQS, breeding technician, total born, and parity status of each animal. Interactions with BQS and farrowing rate were not detected (p > .05), and interactions with BQS and total born were also not detected (p > .05). Interactions with parity and BQS were detected (p < .05) with older animals (P5, P7, and P8) having higher BQS’s than younger animals (P0 and P1). The results of this study did not support the hypothesis that a sow’s BQS was related to farrowing rate or total born.

Year manuscript completed

2017

Year degree awarded

2017

Author's Keywords

Swine, Artificial Insemination, Post-cervical Artificial Insemination, Breed Quality, Semen Volume

Thesis Advisor

Alyx Shultz

Committee Member

Brian Parr

Committee Member

Laura Hoffman

Document Type

Thesis

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