Sexual development and performance in boars exposed prenatally to triamcinolone

The objectives of this study were 1) to investigate the effects of triamcinolone exposure prenatally upon the gonadotropin-gonadal system and 2) to determine whether prenatal exposure affects the onset of puberty and postpuberal development in boars. Two or four litter-mate Yorkshire boars were randomly selected from five litters from sows fed unsupplemented diets and from seven litters from sows fed triamcinolone-supplemented diets. The boars were studied from birth through 30 wk of age. During this 30-wk period, the boars were bled once every 4 wk and testicular and body weight measurements were taken every 2 wk. From weeks 20 to 30 the boars were exposed weekly to an estrous gilt. During this time, the onset and frequency of mounting and ejaculation were recorded and the quality of the semen collected was evaluated. At slaughter, additional data on the male reproductive tract were collected. The prepartal feeding of triamcinolone to sows did not affect either the boars' weight gain or testicular volume during the 30-wk experimental period. Plasma concentrations of testosterone or cortisol also did not differ (P > 0.10) between the groups of boars. However, mounting and ejaculation occurred earlier in triamcinolone-exposed boars, suggesting that prepartal treatment of sows with triamcinolone may have enhanced the development of sexual behavior and onset of puberty in their offspring.