{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,5]],"date-time":"2026-10-05T08:53:05Z","timestamp":1791190385800,"version":"4.1.0"},"reference-count":35,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,5]],"date-time":"2026-10-05T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1791158400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Vet. Sci."],"abstract":"\n Background<\/jats:title>\n Reproductive underperformance is commonly used to inform sow retention and replacement decisions, yet a single poor reproductive cycle may not necessarily indicate persistent reproductive failure. This study evaluated longitudinal patterns of reproductive recovery following low-performing parities and determined whether recovery was associated with previous performance history and reproductive stage.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Methods<\/jats:title>\n Historical production data comprising 15,699 farrowing records from 4,498 sows in a commercial breeding herd between 2020 and 2026 were retrospectively analysed. Reproductive underperformance was operationally defined as \u226410 piglets weaned (PW) per litter, corresponding to the 25th percentile of the observed distribution, while recovery was defined as &gt;10 PW at the immediately subsequent consecutive parity.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Results<\/jats:title>\n \n Among 2,948 low-performance episodes with an observed immediately subsequent consecutive parity, 62.4% recovered, whereas 37.6% remained below the threshold; recovery estimates were therefore conditional on observation to the subsequent consecutive parity. Recovery declined from 63.8% following a first observed low-performing parity to 58.0% after two consecutive observed low-performing parities and 46.9% after three or more. After adjustment for reproductive and temporal factors, two consecutive observed low-performing parities were associated with 27% lower odds of recovery (OR = 0.73, 95% CI: 0.58-0.91;\n P<\/jats:italic>\n = 0.005), while three or more were associated with 45% lower odds (OR = 0.55, 95% CI: 0.36-0.85;\n P<\/jats:italic>\n = 0.007), compared with a first observed low-performing parity. Adjusted recovery probabilities following repeated underperformance were 61.0%, 55.1%, and 41.3% during early (P1\u2013P2), prime (P3\u2013P5), and later (P6\u2013P8) reproductive stages, respectively; however, the overall stage \u00d7 performance-history interaction was not significant (\n P<\/jats:italic>\n = 0.121), and stage-specific patterns were therefore considered exploratory.\n <\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Discussion\/recommendation<\/jats:title>\n These findings indicate that a single observed low-performing parity is frequently transient, whereas repeated underperformance is associated with progressively reduced recovery. Longitudinal reproductive history may therefore provide more informative evidence for sow retention decisions than the most recent litter alone, although external validation across commercial herds is required.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fvets.2026.1980366","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,5]],"date-time":"2026-10-05T08:12:32Z","timestamp":1791187952000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Persistence and recovery of reproductive underperformance across successive parities in commercial sows"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"13","author":[{"given":"Nandipha","family":"Lili","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Animal and Pasture Science, Faculty of Science and Agriculture, University of Fort Hare","place":["Alice, Eastern Cape, South Africa"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ziyanda","family":"Mpetile","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Animal and Pasture Science, Faculty of Science and Agriculture, University of Fort Hare","place":["Alice, Eastern Cape, South Africa"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Mthunzi","family":"Mndela","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Animal and Pasture Science, Faculty of Science and Agriculture, University of Fort Hare","place":["Alice, Eastern Cape, South Africa"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Oluwakamisi Festus","family":"Akinmoladun","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Animal and Pasture Science, Faculty of Science and Agriculture, University of Fort Hare","place":["Alice, Eastern Cape, South Africa"]},{"name":"Division of Agriculture and Food Technology, School of Agriculture, Geography, Environment, Ocean and Natural Sciences, The University of South Pacific, Samoa Campus","place":["Apia, Samoa"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,5]]},"reference":[{"key":"B1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1007\/s42770-025-01807-6","article-title":"Characterization of the intestinal microbiota and metabolic pathways in sows with and without stillbirths: a study from a commercial pig farm in southern Brazil","volume":"56","author":"De Souza","year":"2025","journal-title":"Brazil J Microbiol"},{"key":"B2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"101479","DOI":"10.1016\/j.animal.2025.101479","article-title":"Predicting piglet survival until weaning using birth weight and within-litter birth weight variation as easily measured proxy predictors","volume":"19","author":"Mbuthia","year":"2025","journal-title":"Animal."},{"key":"B3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"988","DOI":"10.2527\/jas.2010-3236","article-title":"Whole-genome association analyses for lifetime reproductive traits in the pig","volume":"89","author":"Onteru","year":"2011","journal-title":"J Anim Sci."},{"key":"B4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.56808\/2985-1130.3761","article-title":"Farrowing performance and piglet characteristics of highly prolific sows in a tropical environment","volume":"54","author":"Adi","year":"2024","journal-title":"Thai J Vet Med."},{"key":"B5","first-page":"511","article-title":"Effect of the number of parity on the main reproductive indicators of sows","volume":"20","author":"Ordaz-Ochoa","year":"2013"},{"key":"B6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"213","DOI":"10.1111\/asj.12140","article-title":"An assessment of reproductive and lifetime performances of K agoshima B erkshire gilts and sows","volume":"85","author":"Sasaki","year":"2014","journal-title":"Anim Sci J."},{"key":"B7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"410","DOI":"10.3389\/fgene.2014.00410","article-title":"Genetic trends in maternal and neonatal behaviors and their association with perinatal survival in French large white swine","volume":"5","author":"Canario","year":"2014","journal-title":"Front Genet."},{"key":"B8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"417","DOI":"10.1631\/jzus.B1500010","article-title":"Within-litter variation in birth weight: impact of nutritional status in the sow","volume":"16","author":"Yuan","year":"2015","journal-title":"J Zhejiang University Sci B."},{"key":"B9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1334","DOI":"10.1111\/asj.12569","article-title":"Effects of temperature and temperature-humidity index on the reproductive performance of sows during summer months under a temperate climate","volume":"87","author":"Wegner","year":"2016","journal-title":"Anim Sci J."},{"key":"B10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"411","DOI":"10.1007\/s11250-018-1705-5","article-title":"The effects of breed, season and parity on the reproductive performance of pigs reared under hot and humid environments","volume":"51","author":"Hagan","year":"2019","journal-title":"Trop Anim Health Prod."},{"key":"B11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"434","DOI":"10.4314\/sajas.v50i3.10","article-title":"Effect of parity on reproductive performance sows of different breeds","volume":"50","author":"Klimas","year":"2020","journal-title":"S Afr J Anim Sci."},{"key":"B12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"183","DOI":"10.1016\/j.livsci.2012.01.017","article-title":"Genetic and phenotypic relationships among reproductive and post-weaning traits from a commercial swine breeding company","volume":"145","author":"Abell","year":"2012","journal-title":"Livest Sci."},{"key":"B13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"191","DOI":"10.1016\/j.anireprosci.2015.06.018","article-title":"Analysis of reasons for sow culling and seasonal effects on reproductive disorders in Southern China","volume":"159","author":"Zhao","year":"2015","journal-title":"Anim Reprod Sci."},{"key":"B14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"35","DOI":"10.1186\/s40813-025-00451-8","article-title":"Temporal evolution of Sow herd age structure and its impact on the performance of Spanish commercial farms","volume":"11","author":"Sanz-Fern\u00e1ndez","year":"2025","journal-title":"Porcine Health Manag."},{"key":"B15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"108","DOI":"10.1016\/j.prevetmed.2015.06.012","article-title":"Number of pigs born alive in parity 1 sows associated with lifetime performance and removal hazard in high-or low-performing herds in Japan","volume":"121","author":"Iida","year":"2015","journal-title":"Prev Vet Med."},{"key":"B16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"10","DOI":"10.54846\/jshap\/1254","article-title":"Gilt rearing impacts on sow performance and longevity\u2013a review","volume":"30","author":"Belkova","year":"2022","journal-title":"J Swine Health Prod."},{"key":"B17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1036","DOI":"10.4314\/sajas.v49i6.8","article-title":"Genetic improvement of sow longevity and its economic impact on commercial pork production","volume":"49","author":"Serenius","year":"2019","journal-title":"S Afr J Anim Sci."},{"key":"B18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"30","DOI":"10.5398\/tasj.2022.45.1.30","article-title":"Reasons for culling in relation to longevity and lifetime efficiency of landrace and large white sows in a nucleus breeding farm in the Philippines","volume":"45","author":"Bondoc","year":"2022","journal-title":"Trop Anim Sci J."},{"key":"B19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e20200069","DOI":"10.1590\/0103-8478cr20200069","article-title":"Feeding level and diet type during the wean-to-estrus interval on the reproductive performance of sows","volume":"50","author":"Almeida","year":"2020","journal-title":"Ci\u00eancia Rural."},{"key":"B20","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"100122","DOI":"10.1016\/j.animal.2020.100122","article-title":"Effects of individual versus group housing system during the weaning-to-estrus interval on reproductive performance of sows","volume":"15","author":"Schwarz","year":"2021","journal-title":"Animal."},{"key":"B21","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1653","DOI":"10.11118\/actaun201664051653","article-title":"Influences which affect reproductive characters of sows in studied reproductive breeding","volume":"64","author":"Sl\u00e1dek","year":"2016","journal-title":"Acta Univ Agric Silvic Mendelianae Brun."},{"key":"B22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1023","DOI":"10.1111\/rda.14400","article-title":"A review on the effect of light\u2013thermal\u2013humidity environment in sow houses on sow reproduction and welfare","volume":"58","author":"Ma","year":"2023","journal-title":"Reprod Domestic Anim."},{"key":"B23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2520966","DOI":"10.1080\/23311932.2025.2520966","article-title":"Factors affecting reproductive performance and genetic analysis of American Duroc, Yorkshire, and Landrace sow","volume":"11","author":"Cao","year":"2025","journal-title":"Cogent Food Agriculture."},{"key":"B24","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"skac031","DOI":"10.1093\/jas\/skac031","article-title":"Dam parity structure and body condition during lactation influence piglet growth and gilt sexual maturation through pre-finishing","volume":"100","author":"Rempel","year":"2022","journal-title":"J Anim Sci"},{"key":"B25","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"607","DOI":"10.3390\/vetsci13070607","article-title":"Managing seasonal infertility in sows: parity and farm-specific in-barn environmental predictors of reproductive performance","volume":"13","author":"Bez","year":"2026","journal-title":"Vet Sci."},{"key":"B26","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1535719","DOI":"10.3389\/fvets.2025.1535719","article-title":"Sow reproductive disorders: a key issue affecting the pig industry","volume":"12","author":"Wang","year":"2025","journal-title":"Front Vet Sci."},{"key":"B27","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1186\/s40813-016-0049-7","article-title":"Factors for improving reproductive performance of sows and herd productivity in commercial breeding herds","volume":"3","author":"Koketsu","year":"2017","journal-title":"Porcine Health Manag"},{"key":"B28","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"104463","DOI":"10.1016\/j.livsci.2021.104463","article-title":"Associations between skin lesion counts, hair cortisol concentrations and reproductive performance in group housed sows","volume":"246","author":"Lagoda","year":"2021","journal-title":"Livest Sci."},{"key":"B29","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"336","DOI":"10.1016\/j.aninu.2025.08.012","article-title":"Excess backfat deposition and restricted feeding in gestating sows: an overview of mechanisms compromising their health and performance, and regulatory effects of functional dietary fibers","volume":"25","author":"Cai","year":"2026","journal-title":"Anim Nutr."},{"key":"B30","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1568955","DOI":"10.3389\/fanim.2025.1568955","article-title":"A review: influence of the sow's parity on farrowing and neonate performance","volume":"6","author":"Corrales-Hern\u00e1ndez","year":"2025","journal-title":"Front Anim Sci"},{"key":"B31","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.15232\/S1080-7446(15)30672-0","article-title":"Evaluation of current reasons for removal of sows from commercial farms","volume":"25","author":"Mote","year":"2009","journal-title":"Professional Anim Scientist."},{"key":"B32","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"3753","DOI":"10.3390\/ani13243753","article-title":"The effect of Sow maternal behavior on the growth of piglets and a genome-wide association study","volume":"13","author":"Liu","year":"2023","journal-title":"Animals."},{"key":"B33","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"9","DOI":"10.1186\/s40813-024-00360-2","article-title":"Large litters have a detrimental impact on litter performance and postpartum maternal behaviour in primiparous sows","volume":"10","author":"Lee","year":"2024","journal-title":"Porcine Health Manag."},{"key":"B34","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"skab173","DOI":"10.1093\/jas\/skab173","article-title":"Timing and temperature thresholds of heat stress effects on fertility performance of different parity sows in Spanish herds","volume":"99","author":"Iida","year":"2021","journal-title":"J Anim Sci"},{"key":"B35","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2417","DOI":"10.1007\/s00484-022-02365-4","article-title":"Heat wave exposure impairs reproductive performance in primiparous sows and gilts in a tropical environment","volume":"66","author":"Brito","year":"2022","journal-title":"Int J Biometeorol"}],"container-title":["Frontiers in Veterinary Science"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fvets.2026.1980366\/full","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,5]],"date-time":"2026-10-05T08:12:33Z","timestamp":1791187953000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fvets.2026.1980366\/full"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,5]]},"references-count":35,"alternative-id":["10.3389\/fvets.2026.1980366"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fvets.2026.1980366","relation":{},"ISSN":["2297-1769"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2297-1769","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,5]]},"article-number":"1980366"}}