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Sow removal in a commercial pig herd in Zimbabwe

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Abstract

A study was carried out at a 2,200 sow farrow-finisher facility in Zimbabwe to determine the main reasons for sow removal and the season when removal was most common. Data on the number of sows culled and the reasons for culling as well as mortalities was recorded weekly for a 12-month period. The culling frequency was 52.8 % (n = 1 162). Descriptive statistics indicated that reproductive problems accounted for 70.8 % (n = 823) of sow removals, death (15.6 %, n = 181), lameness (4.6 %, n = 53), miscellaneous (2.5 %, n = 29), production (2.2 %, n = 26), peripartum (2.2 %, n = 25) and age (2.2 %, n = 25). The results also showed that culling was highest in gilts and primiparous sows (41.3 %, n = 480) with the least culling being observed in sows in parity 7 (5.3 %, n = 61). The hot wet season was observed to be the one when culling was most common (33.5 %, n = 389) with the least being in the cold dry season (17 %, n = 198). It was concluded that most of the sow removal was unplanned. There is a need to improve replacement gilt selection, reproductive efficiency, health and nutrition management to increase productivity in a sow unit.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Miss C. Odentaal, Mr W. Kazingizi and the staff at Triple C Pigs for their invaluable input towards this study.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Livestock and Wildlife Management, Midlands State University, P. Bag 9055, Gweru, Zimbabwe

    Lawrence Masaka, Marvelous Sungirai, Casper Nyamukanza & Chido Bhondai

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  1. Lawrence Masaka
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  2. Marvelous Sungirai
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  3. Casper Nyamukanza
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  4. Chido Bhondai
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Correspondence to Lawrence Masaka.

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Masaka, L., Sungirai, M., Nyamukanza, C. et al. Sow removal in a commercial pig herd in Zimbabwe. Trop Anim Health Prod 46, 725–731 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-014-0554-0

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