Location: Livestock Behavior Research
Project Number: 5020-32000-014-071-A
Project Type: Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Jul 1, 2021
End Date: May 31, 2025
Objective:
The study objective is to identify, using functional genomics, which sows are most susceptible to producing offspring that suffer from the negative effects of in utero heat stress and then evaluate the subsequent effects of in utero heat stress susceptibility on the health and behavior of pigs.
Approach:
Commercial breeding records and litter data will be obtained on parity 1 sows going back up to 5 generations. We will compare sows by breeding times when historical ambient temperature data indicates that sows were under heat stress or thermoneutral conditions. These data will allow us to determine the risk factors for producing piglets suffering from the negative influences of in utero heat stress by comparing performance and health information. We will then select replacement gilts derived from either high or low risk sows, breed them, and then evaluate the effects of in utero heat stress on subsequent health and behavioral measures associated with positive welfare in their offspring to validate our selection criteria.
