sekäarvo

Sikäarvo is a term used in veterinary medicine and animal husbandry to refer to the reproductive potential or fertility of a female pig, also known as a sow. It encompasses a range of factors that contribute to a sow's ability to conceive, carry a pregnancy to term, and farrow healthy piglets. These factors include her age, body condition, genetic background, and overall health. A sow with high sikäarvo is expected to have a high conception rate, a good number of piglets born alive, and a low mortality rate among those piglets.

Assessing sikäarvo involves monitoring various reproductive parameters. These include the age at which a sow first reaches puberty, the regularity of her estrus cycles, and her response to artificial insemination or natural mating. The number of piglets farrowed, weaning weights, and the interval between litters are also critical indicators. Veterinarians and producers use these metrics to evaluate the reproductive efficiency of individual sows and the overall breeding herd. Maintaining good sikäarvo is crucial for the economic viability of pig farming, as it directly impacts the number of market-ready pigs produced. Nutritional management, disease prevention, and genetic selection are key strategies employed to optimize sikäarvo in commercial pig operations.