Can the litter size a gilt was raised in affect her lifetime productivity as a sow? And, does age at first boar exposure limit her potential parities? These were questions addressed in a Pork Checkoff-funded study led by Dr. William Flowers at North Carolina State University.

At the end of six parities, the research showed that significantly more sows that were raised in small litters (less than 7 piglets) were still in production compared with those raised in large litters (greater than10 piglets), regardless of age of puberty induction. Similarly, regardless of the size of the litter in which they nursed, significantly more sows exposed to boars at 140 days of age remained in the herd after six parities compared with their counterparts given boar exposure at 170 days of age. Collectively, the total number of pigs produced through 6 parities per gilt bred in each management system was determined and these estimates are as follows:

• Small neonatal litter + Boar exposure @ 140 days = 43.2 pigs
• Small neonatal litter + Boar exposure @ 170 days = 29.8 pigs
• Large neonatal litter + Boar exposure @ 140 days = 29.7 pigs
• Large neonatal litter + Boar exposure @ 170 days = 21.9 pigs

“These findings represent changes commercial producers can make in their herds today that can increase profitability. By strategic cross-fostering and/or earlier puberty stimulation, there is potential for increased sow lifetime productivity,” said Mark Knauer, Pork Checkoff's Director of Animal Science.

For more information on this project please contact Mark Knauer, MKnauer@pork.org.  

The recently completed Checkoff Consumer Pork Preference Study identified product tenderness as the most important characteristic describing consumer preference for fresh pork. Tenderness is influenced in meat primarily through a proteolytic enzyme called calpain. Increased calpain activity means a more tender meat product. Calpastatin is another enzyme in meat that has many roles in the living animal, but unfortunately inhibits the activity of calpain post mortem. Consequently, lower levels of calpastatin mean better pork tenderness.

A Pork Checkoff study recently completed at the USDA Meat Animal Research Center has identified five highly significant tenderness genes each associated with Calpastatin activity in fresh pork. Up to 80-plus percent of the hogs produced in the pork industry could be carrying these five calpastatin genes— tough pork instead of tenderness! 

Research is now needed to determine the associations of these genes with other economically important traits such as growth and lean meat yield and to devise selection programs to select for a tenderer product.  Research to improve the way tenderness is measured and influenced is also needed to improve the overall consumer acceptability of pork.