Differential Effects of Litter Size and Within-Litter Birthweight on Postnatal Traits of Fatty Pigs

Abstract

Fatty pigs are characterized by a thrifty genotype, adapted to harsh environments based on changes in metabolism and energy saving. Thus, we hypothesized that feto-maternal energy partitioning in large litters might have postnatal effects that might be independent of intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) processes. Hence, the current work reported the influence of two effects on postnatal performance and carcass and meat quality of purebred Iberian pigs: (a) the effects of the number of piglets in the litter (high vs. low litter size), and (b) the effects of birthweight (low (LBW) vs. normal (NBW)) in large litters. The results confirmed that NBW piglets born in large litters had differences in developmental patterns of weight, back-fat deposition, and fatty acid (FA) composition when compared to NBW piglets from small litters. These results were different from those found in LBW piglets when compared to their NBW counterparts, which showed an initial asymmetrical growth and altered muscle FA composition at slaughtering. The assessment of FA composition indicated better metabolic status in NBW piglets from large litters than in LBW piglets. These data support the concept that the prenatal environment, even when the individual may cope with it, inescapably affects postnatal life.

MiR-29a Family as a Key Regulator of Skeletal Muscle Dysplasia in a Porcine Model of Intrauterine Growth Retardation

“…In terms of agricultural animals, IUGR is most common among multi-fetal mammals, especially pigs [ 4 ]. IUGR piglets generally have physiological defects such as overall slow growth, poor feed utilization, and poor meat quality [ 5 ]. In fetal blood circulation, blood preferentially supplies vital organs such as the brain and heart; however, the skin and muscles are at the end of the blood circulation and are frequently affected by IUGR [ 6 ].…”

Estimation of Variance Components and Genomic Prediction for Individual Birth Weight Using Three Different Genome-Wide SNP Platforms in Yorkshire Pigs

“…e = residual variance; σ 2 p = phenotype variance. 3 LogL = Log likelihood value. 4 LRT = x 2 test statistic for the likelihood ratio test.…”

“…According to the 2019 Korean pig industry report of the Korea Animal Improvement Association (KAIA), the total number of living piglets per litter has increased from 10.5 to 12.1 in the past 10 years, indicating that sow prolificacy has improved. However, it has led to an increase in the occurrence of intra-uterine growth restriction due to the lack of available capacity, oxygen, and nutrients in the uterus and, in turn, causes the birth weight variation to increase [3,4]. Owing to this association, weaning mortality is a major issue for continuously improving sow prolificacy, as it is known to affect the early growth performance.…”

“…inBreC = the average of inbreeding coefficients within each cluster. 2 a max_within = the average of a max (the maximum of relationships [aij] for each animal) values within each cluster 3. a max_between = the average of a max values between the clustered groups 4.…”