Abstract
The object of this investigation was to determine the relationships between clinical findings and hormonal patterns in primiparous sows with different lactation length and litter size during lactation, weaning and to the first oestrus. Seven pairs of primiparous full sib sows were used to determine the effect of lactation length with normal litter size. One sow of each pair was assigned to nurse the piglets for 3 weeks (group A) while the other nusred for 5 weeks (group B). Another 8 primiparous sows (group C) were assigned to nurse 2–4 piglets during a 5-week lactation period. Oestrus detection was performed twice daily and laparoscopic examination every 2 weeks. If the sows did not come in oestrus within 3 weeks after weaning they were slaughtered. Peripheral plasma levels of progesterone, oestradiol-17β and LH were estimated by radioimmunoassays throughout the experimental period.
Keywords: post weaning oestrus, progesterone, oestradiol-17β, luteinizing hormone
Sammanfattning
Ändamalet med föreliggande undersökning var att fastställa sambandet mellan kliniska observationer och hormonella mönstret hos ungsuggor, med olika diperiod och kullstorlek, under diperioden, avvänjningen och efter avvänjningen till första brunsten. Sju helsysterpar med normal kullstorlek användes för att studera effektken av diperiodens längd. En sugga per par hade en diperiod av 3 veckor (grupp A) och den andra suggan en diperiod av 5 veckor (grupp B). ætta ungsuggor (grupp C) diade 2–4 smågrisar under 5 veckor. Brunstkontrollen utfördes 2 ganger dagligen och lnspektion av äggstockarna med hjälp av laparoskopiinstrument varannan vecka. Suggor som inte visat brunst inom 3 veckor efter avvänjningen slaktades. Perifera blodplasmanivåerna av östradiol-17β, progesteron och LH bestämdes under hela försöksperioden.
Ingen av suggorna i grupperna A och Β visade brunst under diperioden. En av suggorna i grupp G visade brunst och ovulerade dag 19 under diperioden. Intervallet mellan avvänjning och brunst för de suggor som visade brunst efter avvänjningen var i medeltal 11,7, 7,8 och 6,3 dagar i grupperna Α, Β respektive G. Blodplasmanivåerna av progesteron, östradiol-17β och LH var låga under diperioden hos suggorna i samtliga grupper. En svag stegring observerades emellertid av LH-nivån. Medelnivån av LH var något högre hos suggorna i grupp G än i grupp B. Inga skillnader påvisades i hormonmönstret under avvänjningen mellan de olika grupperna. Blodplasmanivåerna av progesteron och östradiol-17β var låga under hela perioden efter avvänjningen hos de suggor som inte ovulerade. LH-nivån steg något under första veckan efter avvänjningen och lag sedan på oförändrad nivå. Blodplasmanivåerna av LH under de första 14 dagarna efter avvänjningen var högre hos de suggor somvisade brunst och ovulerade under vecka 3 jämfört med de anöstrala suggorna. Skillnaden var emellertid inte statistiskt säker.
Sammanfattningsvis påvisade denna studie inga påtagliga skillnader i perifera blodplasmanivåerna av progesaeron, östradiol-17β och LH mellan suggor med 3 och 5 veckors diperiod och med liten eller normal kullstorlek under diperioden.
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