Studies in sow reproduction 1. The effect of nutrition between weaning and remating on the reproductive performance of primiparous sows

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Abstract
SUMMARY: Following weaning of their first litter at 42 days post partum, 36 Landrace × (Landrace × Large White) sows were fasted for 24 hr then allocated to one of three feed levels, 1·8, 2·7 and 3·6 kg food/day, until the day after mating. During pregnancy all the sows received 1·8 kg food/day.The incidence of infertility and anoestrus was greatest for sows fed 1·8 kg/day and least for sows fed 3·6 kg·day. Sows fed 1·8 kg/day took significantly (P < 0·01) longer (21·6 + 3·0 days) to return to oestrus than sows fed 3·6 kg/day (9·2 ± 2·2 days). The mean litter size for sows fed 1·8, 2·7 and 3·6 kg food/day was 9·4 ± 0·9, 10·1 ± 0·8 and 11·5 ± 0·6 piglets respectively, but these differences were not significant.