Alice C. Weaver , Karen L. Kind , Paul J. Herde , William H.E.J. van Wettere
{"title":"Split weaning improves pregnancy rate and embryo survival in sows mated in lactation","authors":"Alice C. Weaver , Karen L. Kind , Paul J. Herde , William H.E.J. van Wettere","doi":"10.1016/j.anireprosci.2024.107440","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Increasing piglet weaning age while maintaining the reproductive efficiency of the breeding herd depends on the ability to stimulate sows to ovulate during lactation without reducing subsequent pregnancy rates and litter sizes. The aim of this study was to determine if a reduction in piglet suckling load, either prior to or immediately after mating in lactation, altered ovarian follicle development and increased embryo survival to day 30 of gestation. Fifty-nine multiparous Large White x Landrace sows were allocated to one of three treatments; litter size maintained at 11 piglets (control); litter size reduced to seven piglets on day 18 of lactation (split wean (SW)); or litter size reduced to seven piglets at expression of lactation oestrus (oestrus split wean (OES SW)). The percentage of sows that expressed lactation oestrus did not differ between treatments (79.7 %; <em>P</em> > 0.05) and split weaning had minimal effects on ovarian follicle development. Pregnancy rates were higher for SW and OES SW sows, compared to control sows. Embryo survival to day 30 of gestation was higher for SW sows (73.7 %) compared with control (56.4 %) and OES SW sows (49.5 %; <em>P</em> < 0.05). In summary, weaning a portion of the litter prior to mating in lactation improved pregnancy rates and embryo survival.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":7880,"journal":{"name":"Animal Reproduction Science","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.2000,"publicationDate":"2024-02-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Animal Reproduction Science","FirstCategoryId":"97","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378432024000319","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"AGRICULTURE, DAIRY & ANIMAL SCIENCE","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Increasing piglet weaning age while maintaining the reproductive efficiency of the breeding herd depends on the ability to stimulate sows to ovulate during lactation without reducing subsequent pregnancy rates and litter sizes. The aim of this study was to determine if a reduction in piglet suckling load, either prior to or immediately after mating in lactation, altered ovarian follicle development and increased embryo survival to day 30 of gestation. Fifty-nine multiparous Large White x Landrace sows were allocated to one of three treatments; litter size maintained at 11 piglets (control); litter size reduced to seven piglets on day 18 of lactation (split wean (SW)); or litter size reduced to seven piglets at expression of lactation oestrus (oestrus split wean (OES SW)). The percentage of sows that expressed lactation oestrus did not differ between treatments (79.7 %; P > 0.05) and split weaning had minimal effects on ovarian follicle development. Pregnancy rates were higher for SW and OES SW sows, compared to control sows. Embryo survival to day 30 of gestation was higher for SW sows (73.7 %) compared with control (56.4 %) and OES SW sows (49.5 %; P < 0.05). In summary, weaning a portion of the litter prior to mating in lactation improved pregnancy rates and embryo survival.
期刊介绍:
Animal Reproduction Science publishes results from studies relating to reproduction and fertility in animals. This includes both fundamental research and applied studies, including management practices that increase our understanding of the biology and manipulation of reproduction. Manuscripts should go into depth in the mechanisms involved in the research reported, rather than a give a mere description of findings. The focus is on animals that are useful to humans including food- and fibre-producing; companion/recreational; captive; and endangered species including zoo animals, but excluding laboratory animals unless the results of the study provide new information that impacts the basic understanding of the biology or manipulation of reproduction.
The journal''s scope includes the study of reproductive physiology and endocrinology, reproductive cycles, natural and artificial control of reproduction, preservation and use of gametes and embryos, pregnancy and parturition, infertility and sterility, diagnostic and therapeutic techniques.
The Editorial Board of Animal Reproduction Science has decided not to publish papers in which there is an exclusive examination of the in vitro development of oocytes and embryos; however, there will be consideration of papers that include in vitro studies where the source of the oocytes and/or development of the embryos beyond the blastocyst stage is part of the experimental design.