Bioscientifica Proceedings

It is widely accepted that uterine capacity, not ovulation rate, is the greatest restraint on litter size in pigs. Recently, the reproductive strategy(s) of the Chinese Meishan pig, a breed which farrows three to five more piglets per litter than US or European pig breeds, has come under intense scrutiny. It was initially determined that the Meishan female could farrow more viable piglets per litter than US or European pig breeds, with a uterine size and ovulation rate eq...

Variable impacts of in-utero programming stimuli on postnatal offspring development suggest that genotype may play a role in this response. In this study, ewes from two flocks of similar breeding but adapted for 6–8 generations to one of two markedly different production environments were utilized (Baggs ewes - nomadic lifestyle and limited nutrition; UW ewes - sedentary lifestyle and adequate nutrition). Ewes from each flock were fed 50% (nutrient restricted) or 100...