Location: Livestock Behavior Research
Project Number: 5020-32000-014-073-R
Project Type: Reimbursable Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Oct 1, 2022
End Date: Jun 30, 2024
Objective:
The study objective is to evaluate the interactions between the genome, microbiome, and metabolome in order to select sows that have improved performance, health, and welfare under heat stress conditions.
Approach:
To achieve our goal we will partner with a commercial sow breeder. Breeding records and litter data will be obtained on parity 1 sows going back up to 5 generations. Data on body temperature, microbiome, metabolome, and genetic information will be collected on lactating sows undergoing heat stress. These data will be analyzed in order to determine the risk factors for heat stress sensitivity. This information will then be used to develop selection techniques for the breeding of sows that are less heat stress sensitive.
