Investigating causal biological relationships between reproductive performance traits in high-performing gilts and sows1.

ABSTRACT: Efficient management of swine production systems requires understanding of complex reproductive physiological mechanisms. Our objective in this study was to investigate potential causal biological relationships between reproductive performance traits in high-producing gilts and sows. Data originated from a nutrition experiment and consisted of 200 sows and 440 gilts arranged in body weight blocks and randomly assigned to dietary treatments during late gestation at a commercial swine farm. Reproductive performance traits consisted of weight gain during late gestation, total number born and number born alive in a litter, born alive average birth weight, wean-to-estrous interval, and total litter size born in the subsequent farrowing. Structural equation models combined with the inductive cau

SUBMITTER: Chitakasempornkul K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6541814 | biostudies-literature | 2019 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature