Volume: 57 Issue: 3
Year: 2026, Page: 437-422, Doi: https://doi.org/10.51966/jvas.2026.57.3.437-442
Received: June 10, 2026 Accepted: Sept. 7, 2026 Published: Sept. 30, 2026
This study evaluated the effects of different durations of intermittent suckling on weight loss, reproductive hormone profiles, and post-weaning reproductive performance of sows. Sixteen lactating Large White × Landrace sows were randomly allotted to four treatments using a Completely Randomized Design, with four replicates in each treatment. The treatments included continuous suckling (T1), separation of piglets for 4 h/day (T2), 8 h/day (T3), and 12 h/day (T4) for 14 days during the fifth and sixth weeks of lactation. Data collected included feed intake, body weight changes, serum oestrogen, luteinising hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) concentrations, and reproductive performance parameters. Data obtained were analysed using descriptive statistics and one-way ANOVA. Average weight loss was significantly (P<0.05) reduced in T3 (-3.58±0.51 kg) and T4 (-3.21±0.60 kg) compared with T1 (-5.07±0.70 kg) and T2 (-4.86±0.46 kg). Sows subjected to longer separation periods showed earlier peaks of LH, FSH, and oestrogen concentrations, suggesting earlier resumption of ovarian activity. Weaning-to-oestrus interval was significantly (P<0.05) shorter in T3 (4.00±0.71 days) and T4 (4.00±0.00 days) than in T1 (7.00±1.00 days) and T2 (6.00±0.71 days). In conclusion, intermittent suckling for 8–12 hours daily reduced lactational weight loss and shortened the weaning-to oestrus interval without compromising subsequent reproductive performance.
Keywords: Intermittent suckling, lactating sows, sow productivity, weight loss
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© 2026 Alaba et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Alaba, O., Bankole, T.O., Adebiyi, O.A., Ewuola, E.O., Adebiyi, F.G., Oluyemi, A.A., & Ogunwumiju, B. (2026). Effects of intermittent suckling duration on sow lactation weight loss, hormonal profiles and post-weaning reproductive performance. Journal of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, 57(3), 437-442