Selection for Litter Size by Using the Ratio of Piglet Weight: Placental Weight as a Measure of Placental Efficiency

The Chinese have been selectively breeding pigs for 7,000 to 10,000 years for increased numbers of pigs born, regardless of birth weight, indirectly resulting in the optimization of placental size and vascularity. In the United States, pig producers have generally selected for larger piglets at birth, resulting in a marked variation in placental size and vascularity. This tremendous variation in placental size and vascularity present within a litter may be ultimately limiting litter size. Therefore, by selecting against the large relatively avascular placentae, the potential for dramatically increasing litter size exists