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The work analyzes the impact of the wild boar on the environment. Its useful role has been demonstrated, emphasizing its sanitary function and usefulness as a bioindicator in monitoring the natural environment. The problems posed by numerous wild boar populations were analyzed, including a sanitary threat to humans and animals, a real threat to soil and ecosystems, damage to the agricultural and forest environment, negative impact on local biodiversity in anthropogenic environments, nuisance to people in urban and suburban areas. Sus scrofa can be considered as a species capable of causing disturbances to biotic and abiotic elements of the environment. The work draws attention to the threats posed by Sus scrofa and/or the threats to the species. The focus is on the animal being the vector of infections for various species of animals and humans because wild boars are susceptible to various highly contagious diseases that sometimes decimate their populations. Wild boars should be seen as beneficial animals (a bioindicator of environmental contamination, sanitary function) and at the same time problematic ones, dangerous to other species, including domestic pigs and humans, and to the environment. Due to the significant damage caused to global agriculture, to agricultural and forest crops, the threat to biodiversity, the nuisance to humans in urbanized areas related to the wild boar, there is an increasing interest in the ecology of the species and the principles of wild boar population management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Representatives of the family Suidae are present on all continents, in extremely varied climatic and environmental conditions. They are represented by populations of highly varied size and range, including species and subspecies with varied reproductive potential. Both high and low reproductive potential of representatives of this family pose a certain threat. Low potential poses a threat to the survival of species/subspecies and to the preservation of biodiversity within the family Suidae. High reproductive potential threatens ecosystems, contributes to environmental degradation and the extinction of local fauna and flora, in extreme cases is dangerous to domesticated animals – farm animals (domestic pigs) and pets, and is also burdensome and sometimes dangerous for humans. Both potential and existing threats should be mitigated through programmes for the conservation of specific species and subspecies, habitat protection, education about nature, and legal and sanitary regulations [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of backfat thickness (mean standardised measurement from in vivo assessment) of Polish Large White (PLW) gilts on their reproductive performance and productive lifespan. The study included 5,122 PLW gilts from 160 breeding herds in Poland, which reproductive performance was analysed on the basis of the rearing results of 20,662 litters. The gilts were divided into two groups differing in mean standardised backfat thickness (P2+P4/2) on the performance test day: I≤10 mm, II>10 mm. Sows in group I vs II had a three month shorter herd life (P≤0.001), gave birth to fewer litters and piglets (P≤0.001), but the average number of piglets born alive and reared to 21 days of age/litter was higher in them (P≤0.001). The number of live-born piglets per 100 days of reproductive life in group I was greater than in group II (P≤0.001). When culling sows in cycles 1–8 and later, there was more intensive culling in group I vs II from cycle 1 to 6 and a lower percentage of sows remaining in the herd. In group I vs II, the proportion of sows with a lifetime productivity of fewer than 30 piglets was 5.5 percentage points higher and that with a production of more than 100 piglets was 1.9 percentage points lower. Our results indicate that the level of fat reserves determined in vivo in breeding gilts can be a preliminary information about the reproductive potential of sows and their predisposition to longevity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A large number of piglets born per litter does not guarantee production success, it is only rearing a large litter that makes production profitable. The aim of the study was to evaluate the frequency of different piglet mortality causes during rearing to 21 days of age depending on litter size. A total of 266 975 litters of Polish Large White and Polish Landrace sows and their crossbreds were analysed for causes of piglet mortality to day 21 of life. Causes of mortality were classified into seven classes: crushing, low birth weight, diarrhoea, cachexia, genetic defects, sow agalactia and others. Mortality was observed in 121 149 litters (45.4%), but it did not occur in 54.6% of litters. Litters with deaths were divided into three groups depending on the number of piglets born in the litter (≤10, 11-14, ≥15 piglets) and the following parameters were calculated: number of live-born piglets/litter, number of piglets on day 21 of life/litter and mortality rate/litter. The statistical analysis was based on the Kruskal-Wallis test. For group I and group III litter size at birth, piglet mortality rate to day 21 of life was 15.0 and 18.2%, respectively, which is higher by 2.7 and 5.9 percentage points (p.p.) than in group II. Piglet deaths were mainly due to low birth weight. A problem was also mortality due to genetic defects, which increased with an increasing litter size. Analysis of the results shows that particular attention should be given to eliminating reasons contributing to lower birth weight of piglets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of the study was to show the breeding and production importance of the number of teats, their growth and development, morphology and function in pigs Domestication gave rise to efforts to improve performance traits, including a moderate heritable number of teats. This polygenic trait can be improved using both classical methodology (the BLUP under an animal model) and a molecular approach. It was shown that the main QTL affecting teat number in pigs is found on chromosome 7. This trait is also influenced by the dam, fetal number and the sex ratio. The present study characterises the trait of teat quality and its determinants, indicating that some abnormalities may be genetically determined. A normally developing and functioning mammary gland provides piglets with colostrum and milk, which offer immune protection, provide nutrients and maintain the dam-offspring bond. No definitive relationships were observed between teat number and fertility. From the genetic point of view the relationship between teat number and weight of weaned piglets appears low, but position along the milk line and fostering of piglets may well contribute to rearing performance. The use of teats by piglets depends on teat position in the upper and lower rows. Their accessibility is determined by teat pair distance (TPD), a trait that is still not being selected for. It should be stated that at present morphological characteristics (including TPD) appear to be of equal importance in breeding programmes as the number of functional teats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An experiment conducted on 56 fatteners was aimed at determining the effect of compensatory growth and addition of linseed oil in the II period of fattening on their slaughter value and meat quality. On termination of the I fattening period (23-60 kg b.w.) carcasses of animals fed in that period with a restrictive diet (-25% of diet), as compared to those of animals fed semi ad libitum, were characterised by greater meatiness (p≤0.05), lower fat content of longissimus thoracis, smaller free drip as well as higher values of chewiness and hardness. After the re-alimentation period, in which the animals were fed semi ad libitum with mixtures containing 0 or 4% of linseed oil, the greatest meatiness was observed in the pigs fed with a restrictive diet in the I fattening period and with a mixture containing 0% of linseed oil in the II fattening period. The restrictive-compensatory feeding strategy was found to exert a positive effect on contents of dry matter and total protein in longissimus thoracis and to have a negative impact on texture parameters of longissimus lumborum. The addition of linseed oil to feed mixtures caused a decrease in carcass meatiness (p≤0.05) and an increase in meat springiness (p≤0.05). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In individual, single-phase feeding animals were fed extensively (group E--7 animals) or intensively (group I--7 animals) in semi ad libitum system. The mixtures differed in composition as well as energy and nutritional value, with constant ratio of protein to energy of 13.12:1 in intensive feeding and 13.04:1 in extensive feeding. Fibre content per 1 kg mixture was 3.43% in group I and 12.3% in group E. For microbiological studies samples were taken from the duodenum, ileum, jejunum and large intestine and both quantitative and qualitative differences in the microflora of the differently fed groups was found.