The impact of functional teat number on reproductive throughput in swine.

The objective was to evaluate the impact of functional teat number on reproductive throughput in swine. Data included 735 multiparous Landrace × Large White F1 females. Sow underlined traits consisted of total teat number (), functional teat number (), nonfunctional teat number (), and number of functional mammary glands ().

Genetic Parameter Estimates for Teat and Mammary Traits in Commercial Sows.

The objective was to evaluate the genetics of sow teat and mammary traits at farrowing and at weaning. Data were recorded on 3099 Landrace × Large White F1 sows. Underline traits included the total teat number (TT), the functional teat number (FT), the non-functional teat number (NFT), the damaged teat number (DT), and the number of functional mammary glands (FMG).

Evidence that pubertal status impacts kisspeptin/neurokinin B/dynorphin neurons in the gilt†.

Puberty onset is a complex physiological process, which enables the capacity for reproduction through increased gonadotropin-releasing hormone and subsequently luteinizing hormone secretion. While cells that coexpress kisspeptin, neurokinin B (NKB), and dynorphin in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus are believed to govern the timing of puberty, the degree to which kisspeptin/NKB/dynorphin (KNDy) neurons exist and are regulated by pubertal status remains to be determined in the gilt. Hypothalamic tissue from prepubertal and postpubertal, early follicular phase gilts was used to determine the expression of kisspeptin, NKB, and dynorphin within the arcuate nucleus.

Associations with four generations of divergent selection for age at puberty in swine.

The objective was to evaluate 4 generations of divergent selection for age at puberty (young age at puberty = YOUNG; old age at puberty = OLD) in swine. Composite Landrace × Large White animals (n = 4,941) were reared at the North Carolina Department of Agriculture Tidewater Research Station. At 130 d of age, gilts were exposed to mature boars for 7 min daily.