A study of the prolificacy of Piau's breed swine

Abstract

This paper deals with data of the swine breed Piau raised at the Estação Experimental de Criação de Sao Carlos (Fazenda Canchim), now UEPAE de Sao Carlos, State of São Paulo, Brasil. This is a Brazilian breed which was selected by the DVM Antonio Teixeira Vianna. Data referring to 227 sows collected in the period of 1940 through 1970 were used. The numbers of piglets born alive and of piglets farrowed dead in successive litters by eachsowwere studied. Analises of variance were performed after use of the square root transformation. Tukey f s test for the comparison of means was used when advisable. Regression of the variables on the litter order was used for sows with three or more litters. Average numbers of pigs born alive were 7,69; 7,41; 7,50; 6,51; 6,67 from 1st up to 5th litter while the numbers of farrowed dead were 1,35; 1,42; 1,89; 2,17; 1,33, respectivelly. Results also indicate that sows of this breed should only up to the thid farrowing. On the other hand, there are significant differences among sows for the traits studied.