The present investigation comprised 2041 gilts (Swedish Landrase + Swedish Yorkshire) selected for breeding purposes at 10 weeks of age belonging to one large herd in Sweden. Of all selected gilts 54.5% were culled without farrowing any litter. The reproductive disturbances represented 21.7% of the cullings and together with slow growth rate, high backfat thickness and inverted teats, constituted the main reason for culling. In gilts above 9 months of age 66.9% of the cullings were caused by reproductive disturbances, anoestrus being the dominating reason. Only 2.8% of gilts born during July-September were culled because of oestrous failure, while the corresponding figure for gilts born during January-March was 9.6% (p less than 0.001). Furthermore a highly significant annual variation was found among gilts culled because of anoestrus (p less than 0.001). Among expected pregnant gilts 6.6% were culled because of failure to farrow.

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inverted teats reproductive disturbances anoestrus backfat thickness slow growth cullings

R, Ehnvall A, Blomqvist S, Einarsson K, Karlberg,.Culling of gilts with special reference to reproductive failure.. 33 (4-5),167-71.

R, Ehnvall A, Blomqvist S, Einarsson K, Karlberg,"Culling of gilts with special reference to reproductive failure." 33

R, Ehnvall A, Blomqvist S, Einarsson K, Karlberg,"Culling of gilts with special reference to reproductive failure."