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ABSTRACT
It has been well-established that gilt litter size of swine is controlled in part by a postnatal maternal effect. Strong evidence exists that a prenatal maternal effect generates as well. These maternal effects seem to act additively and not interact.
The most discouraging thing is that we do not have any idea of the mechanism involved. It is known that the pig differs from most other mammals in oogenesis. The primordial pool of oocytes is not completed until around day 30. But our efforts to study oogenesis have not been fruitful. Some swine producers have incorporated the results of these and similar studies into their management plans. They attempt to select for replacements, gilts born into large fraternities but reared in small fraternities.