Gestational Mortality Rate

[jennawing]

For the sake of trying to get an accurate count on the number of guinea pigs that die due to pregnancy or birthing complications, I woud appreciate any and all input. There is a lot of outrageous information out there- unbelievable statistics with no backing. Sadly, misinformation gets passed around the internet and eventually accepted as fact. What we would like to do is create a basis of fact in which a true statistic can be derived.

So, we want to gather as much information on GP pregnancies as possible- successful and unsuccessful.

Whether it was an intentional breeding or otherwise, the following information will be most helpful:

FOR EACH SEPERATE PREGNANCY--
* * * * * *

(SURVIVING: )
Your name: (first name only acceptable)
Country of origin:
Age of sow:
Number of offspring:
Number of surviving offspring to age of weaning:
* * * * * *

(UNSURVIVING: ) Only for sows whose death was pregnancy or birhting related:
Your name: (first name only acceptable)
Country of origin:
Age of sow:
Believed/Known cause of death:
Other possible health issues:
Surving offspring if any:
Surviving offspring to weaning if any:
Other important information:

NOTE: This data is not intended to be used to condone irresponsible breeding in any way.

 

[Access]

"What we would like to do is create a basis of fact in which a true statistic can be derived."
Unfortunately you will not get a good statistic this way, posting here is too unscientific. The best we can do is relate our own personal 'horror stories'. Most breeding is performed by breeders, who are not welcome to post here to begin with. And if you go on a breeder forum and ask, data you get will be tainted by breeders bias. The only way to get accurate, scientific data is by performing unbiased and scientifically sound experimentation in a controlled setting, which should not even be considered in this case. We don't need to prove that which we already know.

"NOTE: This data is not intended to be used to condone irresponsible breeding in any way." Suffice it to say, all breeding is irresponsible breeding. We don't need to confirm that with science, we already know it. Even if were to assume that breeding was a 100% safe process and that no mother pigs ever died in pregnancy, and no babies ever died, the act of intentional breeding itself would still be irresponsible because of overpopulation (caused by breeders) and the fact that pigs are sitting in shelters nationwide waiting to be adopted into good, loving homes.

 

[jennawing]

Yes, Access- thank you for sharing your opinion. It may not be possible to get 100% accurate information- and never claimed that it would be- but IS intended to be more fact-based information than is available at the moment. I refrain from versing my own views on breeding, for being judgemental is not going to encourage people to share.

 

[Sabriel]

How do you know the current info is not correct? What has led you to this suspicion and to the conclusion that a new study is required? If we kept redoing studies for no reason we as a species would be wasting alot of time.

If intent to use this info to convince breeders not to breed why bother? If a 20% chance of losing a sow isn't enough to scare the pants off of them then nothing will. I get quesy at the though of the fact that through an accident I now have an 2 intact sows and one intact boar in the same house. I will never truly trust the precautions I've taken until I get the little guy neutered and he is completly sterile. I have 7 velcro zipties keeping the lid to his cage secure.

 

[Slap Maxwell]

I know kleenmama had a 10% mortality rate with her pups.

 

[jennawing]

Your participation is optional, by all means.

 

[Sabriel]

I'm just curious as to the basis of your study. I was wondering what you were basing your disatifaction of the current statistic on?

I've never had a pregnant sow so I can't really participate. I'm just curious.

 

[Access]

I did see a piece on the history channel the other day. The documentary said a typical breeder guideline is the 10%/90% rule. In any given generation, 10% of the population is deemed 'optimal' for re-breeding, while 90% of the population is deemed 'terminal' and disposed of by the breeder (in the case of cattle, 'terminal' animals are set aside, fattened up, and destined for the slaughterhouse). In the case of cavies, it varies breeders to breeder, some will kill their unwanted offspring, some will try to sell to pet stores or dupe others into adopting them, some just go down the local park and release them, etc.

 

[jennawing]

I have never seen any statistics with fact-based information behind them. A number is stated, it is repeated widely throughout the internet and either believed as true or accepted as true for the purpose of backing a person's opinion OR moe inmportantly DOUBTED as true because of the lack of background information. I am not satisfied with misinformation or rumor as fact. That is the point, and thought that was made quite clear from my opening post.

 

[rabbitsncavyluv]

The 20% stat came from the President of a breeding association, a cavy show judge and a breeder himself. Why wouldn't he be correct? He is a breeder and surrounded by them. He of all people should know I would think.

 

[Sabriel]

From the breeders themselves:

Spring 2002, Journal of the American Cavy Breeders Association:
"To Show or Not to Show . . .* An Age Old Question" by Lysa Grant, Pennsylvania. Page 41. The author is quoting Tracy Iverson about his breeding and showing opinions. Referring to one of his champion cavies, he says, "She is the most beautiful REO (Red-Eyed Orange) that I have ever produced. Why on earth would I stop showing her? I would never risk her life in the breeding pen, since breeding a sow means a 20% chance she will die..."

The ACBA is all about cavy breeding. I'm sure they have done a very similar survey amougnst thier members who breed much much more then the people on a rescue based forum do.

I got that tidbit from CavySpirit's site Here's the rest of it. If you want to know more informtion why don't you ask Cavy Spirit her self or call the ACBA. They can tell you how they got thier number. Besides wouldn't a breeding association downplay thier number not make more of a fuss about it? They want people to breed. To the majority of people any % is not an acceptible risk for thier beloved pet.