%0 Journal Article
%T The Use of Vagina¨CCervix Length Measurement in Evaluation of Future Reproductive Performance of Sows: A Preliminary Study under Commercial Conditions
%A Jacek Nowicki
%A Martyna Ma£¿opolska
%A Tomasz Schwarz
%J Archive of "Animals : an Open Access Journal from MDPI".
%D 2019
%R 10.3390/ani9040158
%X Animal production is focused on maximizing profits with simultaneous animal welfare protection. Thus, discovery of a simple, stress-free method for gilt selection would be an indispensable element for production improvement and would give necessary knowledge for producers. Our data showed that vagina¨Ccervix length measurements could be a good, additional tool to predict a sow¡¯s likely future reproduction efficiency. The advantages for this method are simplicity, speed, and no cost; the measurement is made as an element of the standard insemination procedure without additional stress and in a relatively early stage of life. Consequently, immediately obtained information gives high reliability and effectiveness in gilt selection
%K gilt
%K litter size
%K reproductive performance
%K swine
%K vagina¨Ccervix length
%U https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6523857/