Metabolic and reproductive hormones during lactation and the post-weaning period in sows

There is a great variation in body weight loss during lactation among primiparous sows fed a standard diet that is adjusted based on the number of piglets nursed and the maintenance requirements. Energy and protein catabolism is more pronounced during the first 1 to 3 weeks of lactation and sows with low weight loss recover earlier from their negative energy balance during lactation than sows with high weight loss. Using continuous blood collection a decrease in plasma levels of oxytocin, prolactin, and insulin, and an increase in plasma levels and no of LH pulses during lactation were demonstrated. Prolactin levels gradually increased in response to each suckling while only 40-50% of recorded sucklings induced a significant rise in plasma oxytocin. Following a 24-h fast during lactation, levels of prolactin were very low but increased rapidly after refeeding. Even plasma levels of insulin and glucose decreased to very low levels during fasting, but the release of LH was similar before and after refeeding. Weaning resulted in decrease in plasma levels of prolactin and increase in plasma levels and no. of LH pulses. Plasma levels of cortisol showed a diurnal pattern of change which disappeared on the day of weaning. In response to weaning plasma levels of glucagon and gastrin decreased, whereas insulin and somatostatin increased. At weaning sows with low weight loss during lactation had higher plasma insulin and lower plasma cortisol levels than sows with high weight loss, but no differences in levels or no. of LH pulses were observed between the two groups of sows.