Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-dk4vv Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-27T09:35:32.376Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Genetic parameters for thermoregulation and production traits in lactating sows reared in tropical climate

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 July 2016

J-L. Gourdine*
Affiliation:
INRA, UR143, Unité de Recherches Zootechniques (URZ), F-97170 Petit-Bourg, Guadeloupe, France
N. Mandonnet
Affiliation:
INRA, UR143, Unité de Recherches Zootechniques (URZ), F-97170 Petit-Bourg, Guadeloupe, France
M. Giorgi
Affiliation:
INRA, UE1294, Plateforme Tropicale d’Expérimentation sur l’Animal (PTEA), F-97170 Petit-Bourg, Guadeloupe, France
D. Renaudeau
Affiliation:
INRA, UMR1348, Physiologie, Environnement et Génétique pour l’Animal et les Systèmes d'Élevage (PEGASE), F-35590 St Gilles, France
Get access

Abstract

The objective of this study was to estimate the genetic parameters for thermoregulation traits and the relationships with performance of Large White lactating sows reared in a tropical humid climate. The thermoregulation traits were rectal temperature (RT), cutaneous temperature (CT) and respiratory rate (RR) during lactation measured in the afternoon (1200 h) and in the morning (0700 h). The production traits were sow’s average daily feed intake (ADFI), litter BW gain (LBWg) and sow’s proportion of BW change between farrowing and weaning (BWc). Complete data included 931 lactating performance on 329 Large White sows from the INRA experimental unit in Guadeloupe (French West Indies). Random regression models using linear spline functions were used for longitudinal data (RT, CT, RR and daily feed intake). Results showed that when ignoring values at the beginning and the end of lactation, the traits studied can be treated as the same trait throughout days of lactation, with fairly constant heritability and variance. However, largest heritabilities and genetic variances were estimated in mid-lactation. Heritability estimates on average performance during lactation were low to moderate for thermoregulation traits (0.35±0.09 for RT, 0.34±0.12 for CT and 0.39±0.13 for RR). Heritability estimates for production traits were 0.26±0.08 for ADFI, 0.20±0.07 for BWc and 0.31±0.09 for LBWg. Significant genetic correlations between thermoregulation traits and production traits were only obtained for ADFI and RR (0.35±0.12). From this study it can be concluded that thermoregulation traits are heritable, indicating that there are genetic differences in heat stress tolerance in lactating Large White sows.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
© The Animal Consortium 2016 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Akanno, EC, Schenkel, FS, Quinton, VM, Friendship, RM and Robinson, JAB 2013. Meta-analysis of genetic parameter estimates for reproduction, growth and carcass traits of pigs in the tropics. Livestock Science 152, 101113.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bergsma, R and Hermesch, S 2012. Exploring breeding opportunities for reduced thermal sensitivity of feed intake in the lactating sow. Journal of Animal Science 90, 8598.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bergsma, R, Kanis, E, Verstegen, MWA and Knol, EF 2008. Genetic parameters and predicted selection results for maternal traits related to lactation efficiency in sows. Journal of Animal Science 86, 10671080.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Black, JL, Mullan, BP, Lorschy, ML and Giles, LR 1993. Lactation in the sow during heat stress. Livestock Production Science 35, 153170.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bloemhof, S, Mathur, PK, Knol, EF and van der Waaij, EH 2013. Effect of daily environmental temperature on farrowing rate and total born in dam line sows. Journal of Animal Science 91, 26672679.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Burrow, HM 2001. Variances and covariances between productive and adaptative traits and temperament in composite breed of tropical beef cattle. Livestock Production Science 70, 213233.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Da Silva, RG 1973. Improving tropical beef cattle by simultaneous selection for weight and heat tolerance. Heritability and correlation of the traits. Journal of Animal Science 37, 637642.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Delannoy, S 2007. Influence of climatic variations and breed on physiological responses of sows in a humid tropical climate. MSc, Montpellier University II, Montpellier, France.Google Scholar
Dikmen, S, Cole, JB, Null, DJ and Hansen, PJ 2012. Heritability of rectal temperature and genetic correlations with production and reproduction traits in dairy cattle. Journal of Dairy Science 95, 34013405.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Dourmad, JY 1988. Ingestion spontanée d’aliment chez la truie en lactation: de nombreux facteurs de variation. INRA Productions Animales 1, 141146.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dourmad, JY, Etienne, M, Noblet, J and Causeur, D 1997. Prediction of the chemical composition of reproductive sows from their body weight and backfat depth – utilization for determining the energy recordance. Journée de la Recherche Porcine en France 29, 255262.Google Scholar
Dourmad, JY, Le Velly, V, Lechartier, C, Gourdine, JL and Renaudeau, D 2015. Effect of ambient temperature on lactating sows, a meta-analysis and modeling approach. Journée de la Recherche Porcine en France 47, 105110.Google Scholar
Fischer, TM, Gilmour, AR and van der Werf, JHJ 2004. Computing approximate standard errors for genetic parameters derived from random regression models fitted by average information REML. Genetic Selection Evolution 36, 363369.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gilbert, H, Bidanel, JP, Billon, Y, Lagant, H, Guillouet, P, Sellier, P, Noblet, J and Hermesch, S 2012. Correlated responses in sow appetite, residual feed intake, body composition, and reproduction after divergent selection for residual feed intake in the growing pig. Journal of Animal Science 90, 10971108.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gilmour, AR, Gogel, BJ, Cullis, BR and Thompson, R 2009. ASReml user guide release 3.0. VSN International Ltd, Hemel Hempstead, UK. Retrieved January 13, 2015, from www.vsni.co.uk.Google Scholar
Granier, R, Massabie, P and Bouby, A 1998. Effect of humidity level of ambient air (temperature 28°C) on the growth performance of growing-finishing pigs. Journée de la Recherche Porcine en France 30, 331336.Google Scholar
Hermesch, S 2007. Genetic analysis of feed intake in lactating sows. Proceedings of the Seventeenth Conference of the Association for the Advancement of Animal Breeding and Genetics, 23–26 September, Armidale, NSW, Australia 17, 61–64.Google Scholar
Huynh, TTT, Aarnink, AJA, Verstegen, MWA, Gerrits, WJJ, Heetkamp, MJW, Kemp, B and Canh, TT 2005. Effects of increasing temperatures on physiological changes in pigs at different relative humidities. Journal of Animal Science 83, 13851396.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Knap, PW 2005. Breeding robust pigs. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 45, 763773.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Koga, A, Sugiyama, M, Del Barrio, AN, Lapitan, RM, Arenda, BR, Robles, AY, Cruz, LC and Kanai, Y 2004. Comparison of the thermoregulatory response of buffaloes and tropical cattle, using fluctuations in rectal temperature, skin temperature and haematocrit as an index. Journal of Agricultural Science 142, 351355.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lewis, CRG and Bunter, KL 2011. Effects of seasonality and ambient temperature on genetic parameters for production and reproductive traits in pigs. Animal Production Science 51, 615626.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mackinnon, MJ, Meyer, K and Hetzel, DJS 1991. Genetic variation and covariation for growth, parasite resistance and heat tolerance in tropical cattle. Livestock Production Science 27, 105122.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Martins, TDD, Costa, AN and Silva, JHVD 2008. Thermoregulator answers of hybrid female swine in lactation, maintained in hot environment. Ciênca e Agrotecnologia 32, 961968.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Merks, JWM, Mathur, PK and Knol, EF 2012. New phenotypes for new breeding goals in pigs. Animal 6, 535543.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Morris, CA, Jones, KR and Wilson, JA 1989. Heritability of rectal temperature and relationships with growth in young cattle in a temperate climate. New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research 32, 375378.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Prayaga, KC and Henshall, JM 2005. Adaptability in tropical beef cattle: genetic parameters of growth, adaptive and temperament traits in a crossbred population. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 45, 971983.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Renaudeau, D, Anais, C, Billon, Y, Gourdine, JL, Noblet, J and Gilbert, H 2014. Selection for residual feed intake in growing pigs: effect on sow performance in a tropical climate. Journal of Animal Science 92, 35683579.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Renaudeau, D, Gourdine, JL and St-Pierre, NR 2011. A meta-analysis of the effects of high ambient temperature on growth performance of growing-finishing pigs. Journal of Animal Science 89, 22202230.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Renaudeau, D, Kerdoncuff, M, Anais, C and Gourdine, JL 2008. Effect of temperature level on thermal acclimation in Large White growing pigs. Animal 2, 16191626.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Renaudeau, D, Mandonnet, N, Tixier-Boichard, M, Noblet, J and Bidanel, JP 2004. Atténuer les effets de la chaleur sur les performances des porcs: la voie génétique. INRA Productions Animales 17, 93108.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rydhmer, L 2000. Genetics of sow reproduction, including puberty, oestrus, pregnancy, farrowing and lactation. Livestock Production Science 66, 112.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
St-Pierre, NR, Cobanov, B and Schnitkey, G 2003. Economic losses from heat stress by US livestock industries. Journal of Dairy Science 86, E52E77.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Taouis, M, De Basilio, V, Mignon-Gastreau, S, Crochet, S, Bouchot, C, Bigot, K, Collin, A and Picard, M 2002. Early age thermal conditioning reduces uncoupling protein messenger RNA expression in pectoral muscle of broiler chicks at seven days of age. Poultry Science 81, 16401643.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Turner, HG 1982. Genetic variation of rectal temperature in cows and its relationship to fertility. Animal Production 35, 401412.Google Scholar
Turner, HG 1984. Variation in rectal temperature of cattle in a tropical environment and its relation to growth rate. Animal Production 38, 417427.Google Scholar
Williams, AM, Safranski, TJ, Spiers, DE, Eichen, PA, Coate, EA and Lucy, MC 2013. Effects of a controlled heat stress during late gestation, lactation, and after weaning on thermoregulation, metabolism, and reproduction of primiparous sows. Journal of Animal Science 91, 27002714.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Zumbach, B, Misztal, I, Tsuruta, S, Sanchez, JP, Azain, M, Herring, W, Holl, J, Long, T and Culbertson, M 2008. Genetic components of heat stress in finishing pigs: parameter estimation. Journal of Animal Science 86, 20762081.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed