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Lactational estrus induction in the Mexican hairless sow
Daniel Mota1, María Alonso-Spilsbury, Lilian Mayagoitia
1Animal and Agriculture Department, Metropolitan Autonomous University-Xochimilco (UAM-X), Calzada del Hueso 1100, Colonia Villa Quietud, Mexico city, DF 04960, Mexico.
Animal Reproduction Science
|July 11, 2002
Summary
Combining boar presence and litter withdrawal effectively induces fertile lactational estrus in Mexican hairless pigs (MHP). This strategy enhances reproductive performance, leading to shorter cycles and larger litters without compromising lactation.
Area of Science:
- Animal Science
- Reproductive Biology
- Swine Production
Background:
- Lactational estrus induction is crucial for improving swine reproductive efficiency.
- The Mexican hairless pig (MHP) is a unique breed with specific reproductive considerations.
- Optimizing the interval between parturitions is key to maximizing sow productivity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of combined stimuli (boar presence and litter withdrawal) in inducing fertile lactational estrus in primiparous Mexican hairless sows.
- To assess the impact of induced lactational estrus on reproductive performance, including pregnancy rates and litter characteristics.
- To determine if pregnancy during lactation affects the overall reproductive cycle length and sow productivity.
Main Methods:
- Twenty primiparous Mexican hairless sows were subjected to two consecutive reproductive cycles.
- Lactational estrus was induced on day 8 postpartum using boar presence (15 min) and/or litter withdrawal (4 h).
- Estrus detection involved sow behavior, exfoliative vaginal cytology, and hormonal analysis (17 beta-estradiol, progesterone).
Main Results:
- Individual stimuli failed to induce fertile lactational estrus.
- The combined stimuli (boar presence + litter withdrawal) resulted in 100% estrus induction and 80% pregnancy during lactation.
- Partial litter withdrawal positively influenced the number of live-born piglets.
- Sows pregnant during lactation exhibited shorter reproductive cycles and larger litter sizes.
Conclusions:
- Combined boar presence and litter withdrawal is a highly effective method for inducing fertile lactational estrus in Mexican hairless pigs.
- Inducing pregnancy during lactation significantly improves reproductive efficiency by reducing non-productive days.
- This strategy allows for reduced inter-parturition intervals without negatively impacting lactation length or litter performance in Mexican hairless sows.