Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to H E Rodeffer.
Many boar problems result from an insufficient number of boars in relation to the number of sows in the herd, sexually immature boars, inadequately preconditioned or improperly managed boars. The following factors which determine optimum boar efficiency are discussed: (a) sexual development and mating behaviour, (b) selection, (c) preconditioning, (d) mating systems, (e) examination and culling.
Reproductive failure occurred in a swine herd in which the epizootiology of enteroviruses and the porcine parvovirus were being studied. Three virgin boars that were seropositive for the parvovirus were mated to seronegative, previously unmated gilts. The 11 gilts that farrowed had small litters, with high perinatal mortality. The remaining 12 gilts were marketed because of infertility, and the reproductive tracts were examined. Pathologic findings included early embryonal death attributed to viral infection. After the reproductive failure, all gifts and boars were seropositive for the parvovirus, suggesting that the reproductive failure was associated with a parvovirus infection.