Sow functional teat number (FTEAT) is positively associated with piglet preweaning survival and litter throughput. The objective was to estimate the value of FTEAT in relationship to litter size to optimize the number of pigs weaned. Number of pigs born alive (NBA) and total teat number (TTEAT) were counted at farrowing on 836 multiparous purebred sows between March and September, 2020. Teats were evaluated by trained staff at farrowing and considered functional based on visual appraisal of teat morphology. Litter size at weaning (LSW) was recorded after a 26.5 d lactation length (LL). Sow was the experimental unit and all data were analyzed as a function of the biological sow. Number born alive was categorized by quartile: Q1 ≤ 10 NBA (n=185; µ=8.2); Q2 = 11 to 12 NBA (n=194; µ=11.6); Q3 = 13 to 14 NBA (n=238; µ=13.5); Q4 ≥ 15 NBA (n=219; µ=16.3). Data were analyzed in PROC GLM of SAS with farm, breed, and NBA quartile as categorical effects and LL and FTEAT as linear terms. The interaction of NBA quartile and FTEAT was also included. Mean TTEAT, FTEAT, LSW and preweaning survival were 15.4, 14.5, 11.3 and 89.4%, respectively. As a linear term, a one teat increase in FTEAT improved (P< 0.01) LSW by 0.3±0.1 pigs. Yet the value of an additional functional teat increased with increasing NBA. A one teat increase in FTEAT improved (P< 0.01) LSW in Q1, Q2, Q3, and Q4 by 0.12, 0.27, 0.33, and 0.38 pigs, respectively. The analysis demonstrates the impact of FTEAT on sow performance increases with increasing litter size, and highlights the importance of functional teats to optimize litter throughput and maximize the genetic potential of a maternal line.

中文翻译：

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PSI-10 产仔数与断奶时产仔数与功能性乳头数之间的关系

母猪功能性奶头数 (FTEAT) 与仔猪断奶前存活率和产仔数呈正相关。目的是估计 FTEAT 与窝产仔数相关的值，以优化断奶猪的数量。在 2020 年 3 月至 9 月期间，对 836 头经产纯种母猪的分娩时活产猪数 (NBA) 和总乳头数 (TTEAT) 进行了计数。在分娩时由训练有素的工作人员评估乳头，并根据对乳头形态的视觉评估来考虑其功能。在 26.5 天的哺乳期 (LL) 后记录断奶时的产仔数 (LSW)。母猪是实验单位，所有数据都作为生物母猪的函数进行分析。活产人数按四分位数分类：Q1 ≤ 10 NBA (n=185; µ=8.2)；Q2 = 11 到 12 NBA (n=194; µ=11.6)；Q3 = 13 到 14 NBA (n=238; µ=13.5); Q4 ≥ 15 NBA (n=219; µ=16.3)。在 SAS 的 PROC GLM 中分析数据，农场、品种和 NBA 四分位数作为分类效应，LL 和 FTEAT 作为线性项。NBA四分位数和FTEAT的相互作用也被包括在内。平均 TTEAT、FTEAT、LSW 和断奶前存活率分别为 15.4、14.5、11.3 和 89.4%。作为线性项，FTEAT 增加一个乳头可使 (P<0.01) LSW 提高 0.3±0.1 头猪。然而，随着 NBA 的增加，附加功能奶嘴的价值也在增加。FTEAT 增加一个乳头使第一季度、第二季度、第三季度和第四季度的 LSW 分别提高了 (P<0.01) 0.12、0.27、0.33 和 0.38 头猪。分析表明 FTEAT 对母猪生产性能的影响随着窝产仔数的增加而增加，并强调了功能性乳头对优化窝产仔数和最大化母系遗传潜力的重要性。