Efficiency of obtaining and raising weaned piglets using sows of Danish and English origin

The aim of the article is to compare the main reproductive characteristics of sows of Danish and English origin under industrial pig production conditions in Ukraine. It was found that, at the time of the study, sows of English origin had, on average, a 3.2 % higher herd age, a 1.5 % longer gestation period, and a 7.8 % longer lactation period. This resulted in a 3.8 % shorter reproductive cycle, 0.9 % more farrowings per sow per year, and a 15.93 % lower use of “foster sows”. At the same time, they had a 2.3 % lower average culling age, a 4.19 % higher annual mortality rate of sows, a 1.50% higher fertilization rate, a 6.3 % higher farrowing rate, 15.4 % more live–born piglets per sow per year, and 17.6 % more piglets per animal at weaning. Additionally, they had an 18.1 % higher total number of piglets born, a 15.6 % higher litter size, a 7.9 % higher litter weight at birth, a 2.65 % higher piglet survival rate until weaning, and an 18.9 % higher number of weaned piglets compared to sows of English origin. However, Danish–origin sows exhibited 9.3 % poorer large piglet viability, 1.35 % higher stillbirth rates, and a 0.61 % higher percentage of mummified piglets per farrowing. Their piglet growth intensity during the suckling period was 47.4 % lower, leading to a 35.9 % lower absolute weight gain per piglet, a 30.4 % lower individual piglet weight, and a 5.6 % lower weaning weight. They also showed a 3.36 % higher rate of replacement gilt introduction into the main herd, a 7.3 % older age at introduction, an 8.1 % higher total number of piglets born, a 6.8% higher litter size, a 0.75 % better offspring survival rate, and a 7.6 % higher number of piglets per litter at weaning compared to English–origin counterparts. At the same time, first–litter sows of Danish origin had 9.7 % lower large piglet viability, 2.2 % lower litter weight at birth, 1.04 % more stillborn piglets, and a 0.63 % higher share of mummified piglets per farrowing. Their suckling period was 4.7 % longer, but piglet growth intensity during this period was 31.9 % lower, absolute weight gains were 25.7 % lower, and weaning weight per piglet was 13.1 % lower. It was determined that English–origin sows had a 22.1 % higher cost per piglet at birth, a 14.9 % higher cost of rearing until weaning, and a 17.3 % higher cost per animal at the end of the suckling period. However, they had a 10.0 % lower cost per kilogram of live piglet weight at weaning compared to Danish–origin counterparts. At the same time, they exhibited a 30.4 % higher market value per piglet, a 38.7 % higher profit from raising a single piglet during the suckling period, an 18.2% higher profitability of piglet rearing, a 6.4 % higher revenue per kilogram of live piglet weight, and a 28.40 % higher profitability per kilogram of live weight. Additionally, they demonstrated a 52.2 % higher profitability of raising a single litter of piglets and a 69.6 % higher profitability of the litter as a whole.