Effect of Oxytocin, Cloprostenol or Buserelin in Semen Doses on Sow Fertility

Abstract

Simple SummaryEfficient pork production relies on a consistent supply of market pigs. However, many sows experience a seasonal infertility during the hotter months, resulting in fewer pigs produced and a seasonally constrained pork supply. The present study examined the impact of supplementing boar semen with different hormones in order to combat sow seasonal infertility. The results confirmed a seasonal infertility, in that litter sizes were reduced for sows bred during May to August, but that this adverse effect could be reversed by adding hormones to the semen doses used to inseminate sows.AbstractDuring the periods January to April, May to August, and September to December in two consecutive years, sows were assigned at breeding to receive semen doses supplemented with 87 µg cloprostenol (PG; n = 158), 5 IU oxytocin (OT; n = 154), 2 µg buserelin (GN; n = 93), or served as non-supplemented controls (CON; n = 605). Sows were inseminated at the detection of estrus, and again 24 h later, but only the first inseminations were supplemented. Compared to CON, only buserelin increased pregnancy and farrowing rates (p ≤ 0.05); there was no effect of a period or a treatment × period interaction. Litter size was larger (p ≤ 0.001) for all seminal additive groups during the first two periods and tended to increase in GN compared to CON (p ≤ 0.1) during the third period, resulting in a tendency (p < 0.1) for a period × treatment interaction. The addition of cloprostenol, oxytocin or buserelin to semen doses at first insemination increases litter size in multiparous sows.

Oxytocin increases pregnancy rates after fixed time artificial insemination in Kazak ewes

“…The effects of supplementation of semen extender with oxytocin on sperm motility have been determined in previous studies (Duziński et al, 2014;Fuchs et al, 1989;Manjarín et al, 2019). In the present study, the oxytocin concentration of 0.5 U/ml did not significantly decrease sperm motility and vigour, but the concentrations of 1.0 U/ml and 2.0 U/ml significantly decreased sperm motility.…”

“…The treated gilts were superior to the controls by 6.3 per cent in pregnancy rate and by 56 born piglets to each 100 first inseminations (Hühn et al, 1977). In another study, the same addition of 5 IU oxytocin to pooled semen doses containing 3 × 10 9 sperm in 80 ml extender at first insemination, increased litter size in 154 multiparous Landrace ×Large White sows (Manjarín et al, 2019). The addition of oxytocin in boar fresh or frozen-thawed semen did not affect the sperm motility or acrosomal integrity (Fuchs et al, 1989;Okazaki et al, 2014).…”

“…Recently, the same oxytocin addition to the seminal dose was again conducted in almost one thousand Hu ewes and Mongolian ewes, and an increased pregnancy rate was observed as in the present study (data not shown). On the basis of some previous studies in swine, it was noted that oxytocin addition in insemination doses improves the farrowing rate and other parameters of the reproductive performance of sows (Duziński et al, 2014;Hühn et al, 1977;Manjarín et al, 2019;Okazaki et al, 2014;Peña et al, 1998). It was reported that 5 IU of oxytocin added immediately before insemination to the semen applied to 315 gilts and 377 old sows and clearly gave better fertility results.…”

Oxytocin in pig seminal plasma is positively related with in vivo fertility of inseminated sows

“…In this matter, the role of SP-OXT could be to stimulate the secretion of prostaglandin E2 by the endometrium of sows [ 49 ], which has immunosuppressive activity and, therefore, contributes to creating a tolerogenic environment in the uterus [ 29 ]. Some of the above empirical studies found that the supplementation of AI-doses with OXT also improved litter size in addition to farrowing rates [ 31 , 33 , 34 ]. This increase in litter size was not found in the present study, perhaps because the SP-OXT concentrations measured in the present study were significantly lower than those used in the aforementioned studies, which ranged from 0.04 to 0.1 IU/mL.…”

Effect of Season and Parity on Reproduction Performance of Iberian Sows Bred with Duroc Semen

“…However, the seasonal effect is more important when using breeds with a lower level of genetic selection or in latitudes with a higher thermal or humidity variation [ 11 , 19 , 20 ]. Indeed, we detected a seasonal effect in studies using commercial breeds (Landrace, Large White, and their crosses) [ 21 , 22 , 23 ]. However, when studying the sperm cryopreservation of the autochthonous breed, Gochu Asturcelta (Northern Spain), the seasonal effect was small and, interestingly, it reflected on a lower freezability in winter [ 19 ].…”