Persistence and recovery of reproductive underperformance across successive parities in commercial sows.
- 1Department of Animal and Pasture Science, Faculty of Science and Agriculture, University of Fort Hare, Alice, Eastern Cape, South Africa.
- 2Division of Agriculture and Food Technology, School of Agriculture, Geography, Environment, Ocean and Natural Sciences, The University of South Pacific, Samoa Campus, Apia, Samoa.
Abstract
Background
Reproductive underperformance is commonly used to inform sow retention and replacement decisions, yet a single poor reproductive cycle may not necessarily indicate persistent reproductive failure. This study evaluated longitudinal patterns of reproductive recovery following low-performing parities and determined whether recovery was associated with previous performance history and reproductive stage.Methods
Historical production data comprising 15,699 farrowing records from 4,498 sows in a commercial breeding herd between 2020 and 2026 were retrospectively analysed. Reproductive underperformance was operationally defined as ≤10 piglets weaned (PW) per litter, corresponding to the 25th percentile of the observed distribution, while recovery was defined as >10 PW at the immediately subsequent consecutive parity.Results
Among 2,948 low-performance episodes with an observed immediately subsequent consecutive parity, 62.4% recovered, whereas 37.6% remained below the threshold; recovery estimates were therefore conditional on observation to the subsequent consecutive parity. Recovery declined from 63.8% following a first observed low-performing parity to 58.0% after two consecutive observed low-performing parities and 46.9% after three or more. After adjustment for reproductive and temporal factors, two consecutive observed low-performing parities were associated with 27% lower odds of recovery (OR = 0.73, 95% CI: 0.58-0.91; P = 0.005), while three or more were associated with 45% lower odds (OR = 0.55, 95% CI: 0.36-0.85; P = 0.007), compared with a first observed low-performing parity. Adjusted recovery probabilities following repeated underperformance were 61.0%, 55.1%, and 41.3% during early (P1-P2), prime (P3-P5), and later (P6-P8) reproductive stages, respectively; however, the overall stage × performance-history interaction was not significant (P = 0.121), and stage-specific patterns were therefore considered exploratory.Discussion/recommendation
These findings indicate that a single observed low-performing parity is frequently transient, whereas repeated underperformance is associated with progressively reduced recovery. Longitudinal reproductive history may therefore provide more informative evidence for sow retention decisions than the most recent litter alone, although external validation across commercial herds is required.
Related
- Causal variant underestimation is a major overlooked driver of sequence-to-function model underperformance
- Rational Design of Diaryl Ether-Based Dual Inhibitors Targeting Successive Essential Enzymes HadAB and InhA in Mycobacterium tuberculosis
- Distinct domains of Oligophrenin-1 regulate successive phases of cortical radial migration via RhoA- and Pacsin2-dependent mechanisms
- Resolution of chromosomal structural variation and vanA plasmid dynamics by nanopore-only sequencing across successive waves of a hospital outbreak of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium
- Genetic determinism and inheritance of differential DNA methylation profiles across three successive generations in quail.
BibTeX
@article{lili2026persistence,
title = {{Persistence and recovery of reproductive underperformance across successive parities in commercial sows.}},
author = {Nandipha Lili and Ziyanda Mpetile and Mthunzi Mndela and Oluwakamisi Festus Akinmoladun},
journal = {Frontiers in veterinary science},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3389/fvets.2026.1980366},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42898731},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Persistence and recovery of reproductive underperformance across successive parities in commercial sows.
AU - Nandipha Lili
AU - Ziyanda Mpetile
AU - Mthunzi Mndela
AU - Oluwakamisi Festus Akinmoladun
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/05
JO - Frontiers in veterinary science
DO - 10.3389/fvets.2026.1980366
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42898731
AB - Background Reproductive underperformance is commonly used to inform sow retention and replacement decisions, yet a single poor reproductive cycle may not necessarily indicate persistent reproductive failure. This study evaluated longitudinal patterns of reproductive recovery following low-performing parities and determined whether recovery was associated with previous performance history and reproductive stage.Methods Historical production data comprising 15,699 farrowing records from 4,498 sows in a commercial breeding herd between 2020 and 2026 were retrospectively analysed. Reproductive underperformance was operationally defined as ≤10 piglets weaned (PW) per litter, corresponding to the 25th percentile of the observed distribution, while recovery was defined as >10 PW at the immediately subsequent consecutive parity.Results Among 2,948 low-performance episodes with an observed immediately subsequent consecutive parity, 62.4% recovered, whereas 37.6% remained below the threshold; recovery estimates were therefore conditional on observation to the subsequent consecutive parity. Recovery declined from 63.8% following a first observed low-performing parity to 58.0% after two consecutive observed low-performing parities and 46.9% after three or more. After adjustment for reproductive and temporal factors, two consecutive observed low-performing parities were associated with 27% lower odds of recovery (OR = 0.73, 95% CI: 0.58-0.91; P = 0.005), while three or more were associated with 45% lower odds (OR = 0.55, 95% CI: 0.36-0.85; P = 0.007), compared with a first observed low-performing parity. Adjusted recovery probabilities following repeated underperformance were 61.0%, 55.1%, and 41.3% during early (P1-P2), prime (P3-P5), and later (P6-P8) reproductive stages, respectively; however, the overall stage × performance-history interaction was not significant (P = 0.121), and stage-specific patterns were therefore considered exploratory.Discussion/recommendation These findings indicate that a single observed low-performing parity is frequently transient, whereas repeated underperformance is associated with progressively reduced recovery. Longitudinal reproductive history may therefore provide more informative evidence for sow retention decisions than the most recent litter alone, although external validation across commercial herds is required.
SN - 2297-1769
ER -