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A total of 125 animals were examined to check the validity of the estimation of the carcass composition of boars and immuno castrates using AutoFOM III (AF3) and the German reference formula for lean meat content based on females and surgical castrates. These animals represented four sex categories, gilts (W), surgical castrates (K), immunological castrates (IM) and boars (ME) originating from two different genetic backgrounds (Duroc and Pietrain sire breeds). Manual dissection was used as reference method. In addition, 32 of the 125 animals were fully dissected into tissue components according to the EU reference method. The percentage of total carcass lean meat was estimated with sufficient accuracy regardless of genetics or category. However, weight estimation of primal cuts by AF3 alone showed in some cases high deviations. An average overestimation of 8.4% in boneless loin weights was found for animals with Duroc sires. In Pietrain, an average overestimation of 5.3% was found for the weight of boneless ham. The AF3 weight estimation of all cuts for ME showed the highest deviations, closely followed by the cut weights from IM. Particularly striking was the extent of the overestimation for boneless loin with an average of 6.3% for ME and 5.6% for IM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The extent to which sows show pronounced nest-building behavior (NBV) on available materials prepartum seems to have an influence on selected parameters in the context of farrowing. In the present study, the NBV of 770 purebred Landrace sows kept in farrowing crates was examined in relation to the course of birth (GV) and the number of piglets born dead (TGF) per litter. The sows were offered jute sacks (JS) and the NBV was assessed using the auxiliary trait "occupation with the JS". The suitability of NBV as a selection trait was examined addtionally. Using a scoring scheme from 1 (no interest in JS) to 5 (JS torn), the NBV of the sows was scored at three points in time: 2 days ante partum (a.p.), one day a.p. and on the day of birth, whereby 3,643 observations were evaluated. The JS were mostly (56.2% of the observations) manipulated by the animal in the hanging state (grade 2). Statistically significant correlations in the low range were determined between NBV and GV as well as the number of TGF per litter. Including the trait NBV of sows in breeding programs is difficult due to the estimated low heritabilities of h2 = 0.02 (h2 = 0.00 to h2 = 0.08) and the lack of standardization. In addition, there are only low phenotypic correlations with the target traits GM and TGF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) conducted various congresses in collaboration with the German Society for Breeding Science (DGfZ) from 2019 to 2022. The presentations of some congresses were filmed and published together with the posters in a new media library of the DGfZ. The media library includes various congresses, including the National Congress for Breeding and Conservation of Old and Endangered Native Livestock Breeds, the Congress for Breeding and Husbandry of Cattle and Pigs, and the International Congress for Breeding of Sheep and Goats. The 29th Central German Pig Workshop also took place, addressing topics such as feeding, profitability, fiber materials for sows and piglets, trace elements and minerals, claw health, tail docking, stunning of fattening pigs, and alternatives to CO2 stunning. The FINGER project on vaccination against boar taint was also discussed, as well as consumer expectations regarding pig farming. The workshop emphasized the need for exchange and collaborative work on solutions. [Extracted from the article]

The present dissertation examines the possibilities of automatic video image analysis for monitoring and evaluating the behavior and health of pigs in the farrowing area. The hypothesis is made that object detection models can support animal keepers and employees in animal monitoring. Two new algorithms have been developed to automatically capture the behavior and body posture of sows before farrowing, as well as the core body temperature of piglets. The accuracy of the algorithms varies, but they demonstrate the potential and limitations of automatic monitoring and evaluation of pigs in the farrowing area. [Extracted from the article]

In the piglet producing farms, the proportion of first litters and the replacement rate decide on the herd structure of sows. The restocking of the sow herd is a relevant indicator for evaluating herd leadership and management. It can be controlled in such a way that an average of more than 5 litters per sow and life is achieved. Retiring sows are to be replaced by gilts that are ready for breeding. Age, animal health aspects as well as fertility and rearing performance are given as the main reasons for dropping out. Depending on the position of the herd in the pyramid-like structure of German pig production, a mean replacement rate of 40 ± 4% is recommended as a guideline for herd replacement. The proportion of first and second litters should not exceed 35%, so that 50% of the sows are assigned to litter numbers 3 to 6, in which they are the most productive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is designed to evaluate the effect of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25(OH)D3) and divalent calcium ion (Ca2+) supplementation in sows' diets on trace elements in blood and milk to assess whether it is beneficial to pig growth or not. A total of 40 sows of 7 to 8 gestational age with good health and nutritional condition were divided into four groups: control group, low calcium group, 25(OH)D3 group and low calcium with 25(OH)D3 group. The blood and milk from sows and neonatal piglets' blood were collected on the day of parturition. Changes in the content of Cr, Mn, Cu, As, Se and Cd were analyzed. The results showed that there was no significant change in the content of Cr, Mn, Se and Cd in sows' blood by changing calcium content or adding 25(OH)D3 alone, while adding 25(OH)D3 alone can significantly reduce the content of copper in sows' blood. Under the combined action of low calcium and 25(OH)D3, the Cr, Mn and Cd content in piglets' blood were significantly lower than that of control group (P<0.05), and the content of copper was significantly increased compared to control group (P<0.01). Low calcium group and 25(OH)D3 group significantly increase the content of Cr, Cu and Se in sows' milk compared to control group (P<0.05), but has no effect on the content of arsenic. Altogether, our results suggest that addition of 25(OH)D3 to sows' diet is beneficial to maintain the balance of trace elements in sows and their fetuses, so 25(OH)D3 may be helpful for the health of mother and normal development of fetus during pregnancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article gives an overview of the development of the mammary glands in sows. Starting from the prenatal phase, the developmental phases up to the first suckling period, the genetic, anatomical, endocrinological and nutritional aspects are discussed. The influence of body condition in prepuberty, at the time of puberty, at the first mating use, during pregnancy, especially the last trimester, and during the first lactation will be discussed. The nutritional intensity in the various phases of rearing, prepuberty and during the first gestation proves to be an important exogenous factor for good mammary gland development in the sows. The development of the mammary gland is closely related to that of the subcutaneous fatty tissue. The parenchymal tissue in the udder is particularly affected. A temporary feed restriction followed by a compensatory feeding phase during rearing and pregnancy has a detrimental effect on the development of the parenchymal tissue of the mammary glands in gilts and sows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reproductive phase begins with puberty. Their entry, as in the female pig, is marked by the first occurrence of oestrus (oestrus). The age of puberty varies, is normally distributed, is influenced by endogenous and exogenous factors, and shows great individual variability. Since the 1960 s, the native German pig breeds were re-bred to emphasize meat, in gilts under intensive husbandry conditions, the onset of sexual maturity was delayed with a wide range of fluctuations from under seven to over eight months. A distinction must be made between sexual maturity and breeding maturity. Sexual maturity is characterized for the first time by the full expression of the oestrus symptoms with the characteristic tolerance reflex, which is highly likely to indicate ovulation. In addition, a type-dependent body mass and condition are required for the breeding maturity of gilts. The onset of sexual maturity shows only a low level of heritability. It can be influenced by environmental factors, the controlled growth process and zootechnical measures. Young sows that are mature for breeding should have a certain amount of body fat, which functions as a production site for the adipocyte hormone leptin and as a depot for 17β-estradiol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Germany, increasing criticism of conventional sow husbandry systems with farrowing crates (FSK) is accompanied with increasing demand for using alternative systems. Group housing (GH) of lactating sows as a husbandry system enables sows to behave in a way natural to their species but is simultaneously associated with higher piglet losses and thus lower revenues, working time requirements and investments. As economic research results on such husbandry systems are hardly available, this study seeks to determine the economic profitability and occupational safety of two group husbandry systems in comparison to Germany's conventional husbandry system in sow farming. Based on experimental data on rearing performance, working time requirements and feed quantities as well as the estimated investment costs, a full cost calculation was carried out for a typical farm with 400 sows. The results validate the above-mentioned negative effects of the GH. Overall, the full costs per piglet for both GH systems (GH 1: 68.89 € and GH 2: 66.39 €) are higher than those of the farrowing system with FSK (59.14 €). Currently, implementating GH in agricultural practice is not recommended from an economic point of view. In order to increase this housing system's profitability, besides the the rearing performance, characteristic complexes such as the affability, utility and the vitality and homogeneity of the litters should be brought back into the focus of breeding for an adaptation that is conducive to GH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In keeping of breeding sows, it is important to use the working time as efficiently as possible to ensure economics within legal production conditions. This can be supported by providing working time requirement data. Therefore, the aim of this study was to generate working time requirement of current group keeping systems in the waiting area of breeding sows. For this purpose, in the keeping systems for small groups with feeding bay and large groups with retrieval station, data was collected using mobile video technology and semi-standardized questionnaires at four farms with current technology. With the gained data, operating models were created under optimized conditions in order to display the working time requirement of work processes for different stock sizes. Both keeping systems differed significantly from each other in the total working time requirement over different stock sizes. The total working time requirement in the waiting area with a typical herd size of 140 breeding sows of Austrian growing farms was 3.58 MPh/sow/year for the small group and 2.68 MPh/sow/year for the large group. The comparison of the available results with data from previous studies indicated the trend of decrease in working hours per sow and year. This was due to technical progress which enabled larger herd sizes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The journal "Züchtungskunde" contains abstracts and dissertations on various topics related to animal breeding and animal husbandry. One of the presented works deals with the use of sensors for early detection of diseases in dairy cows. Another work examines the genetic architecture of horn formation in cattle in order to improve breeding for genetically hornless animals. No direct correlations between hornlessness and performance traits were found, but indications of genetic linkages were discovered. In addition, an unexpected phenotype of "wobbly horns" was observed and genetically analyzed. In pigs, it was found that hyperproliferative sows have a larger uterine capacity and therefore have larger litters. Placental efficiency was higher in hyperproliferative sows, although the placentas were smaller. [Extracted from the article]

Ökonomische Klimapolitik kann effizient und günstig sein, wenn Kostenwahrheit gilt - also alle Kosten, die infolge von CO2-Emissionen entstehen, von den Verursachern getragen werden. Dafür braucht es einen angemessenen CO2-Preis, der die sozialen Kosten von CO2 abbildet, und Steuersenkungen an anderer Stelle. Deutschland könnte etwa die Mehrwert steuersenkung, die im Zuge der COVID-19-Pandemie beschlossen wurde, verstetigen und für den Einnahmeausfall einen entsprechenden CO2-Preis veranschlagen. So könnte das Land zum Vorreiter werden und die globale Klimapolitik prägen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the study was to investigate maternal characteristics, such as behaviour towards piglets and humans, nest-building as well as lying down behaviour of sows and to determine their influence on biological performance data. Repeatability of behaviour across multiple litters and relationships between nest-building, litter quality and sow behaviour towards humans has also been studied. Data were collected on five organic pig farms in Upper Austria and at the „Institute of Organic Farming and Farm Animal Biodiversity", Thalheim/Wels. The observation period lasted from 2013 to 2016. There was a significant correlation between nest-building behaviour and the number of stillborn piglets. Sows with distinct nest-building showed 0.6 stillborn piglets less than sows with weak nest-building. Sows, who were intent, caring and responded to piglet shout, crushed 1.1 piglets on average, while sows with bad mother qualities 3.5 piglets. Sows with vital piglets weaned 9.9 piglets and sows with non-vital piglets 8.2 piglets. There was no significant influence of litter balance on the number of weaned piglets. A correlation between the behaviour of the sow toward humans and the number of weaned piglets could not be statistically proven. The lying down behaviour significantly affected the number of weaned piglets. Sows with controlled lying down behaviour crushed 1.2 piglets and sows with „Slowdropping forehand and dropping hindquarters" crushed 2.6 piglets. Consistent observation of the behaviour of the mother sows will be of great importance for future selection decisions in organic pig farming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sow longevity is an important trait for both economic as well as ethical reasons. Data from all sows under recording in Bavaria indicated that over the last ten years important figures related to sow longevity were almost constant. This study included approximately 60.000 sows from commercial farms raised in multiplier herdbook farms. Longevity was defined as the ability of a sow to have a second litter after a first litter was recorded (stayability), and it was coded as a binary trait. For single-trait analyses of stayability, binomial models fitting a logit-link function as well as linear models were applied. Estimates of heritability were very low for both models (0,04 and 0,02, respectively). Estimates of genetic correlation between stayability and performance test and station test traits were moderate to considerable and unfavourable. Estimates of genetic correlation between stayability and fertility traits were slightly negative. For certain traits it can be very helpful to combine data from herdbook farms and data from commercial farms for breeding purposes. Because of different selection strategies, data for longevity traits like stayability from commercial farms may be more informative than data from herd-book farms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of Zeitschrift für Ernäehrungswissenschaft is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Zeitschrift für Ernäehrungswissenschaft is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)