Abstract
Correlation between the length of suckling after farrowing and effect of intrauterine infusion of 2% PVP-I solution 100ml in post-farrowing sows to the reproductive performance were observed in 2 commercial pig breeding farms (F and K) with different suckling periods.
A total of 142 sows of the 2 farms were randomly assigned to 2 groups, treated with PVP-I within 8 days postpartum and non-treated (control).
The suckling periods were 28.3±2.9 days (average±SD) (n=80) in F farm and 20.9±3.0 days (n=62) in K farm, the latter being significantly shorter (p<0.01). The interval from weaning to the first estrus were 6.3±3.4 days (n=39) in the treatment group of F farm, 6.9±4.4 days (n=41) in the control group of F farm, 5.5±2.0 days (n=30) in the treatment group of K farm and 8.5±5.2 days (n=32) in the control group of K farm, the difference between the two groups of K farm being significant (p<0.01). The litter size after treatment significantly increased in the treated group of K farm (p<0.01). However, no significant differences were obtained in the conception rate and farrowing rate among groups.
These results suggest that uterine infusion of PVP-I in early postparturient sows would be more effective on the reproductive performance in sows with a shorter suckling period.
