Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 8, 2026
11:59
In Vivo Real-Time Study of Drug Effects on Carotid Blood Flow in the Ovine Fetus
Published on: April 28, 2023
Farrowing induction with cloprostenol-xylazine combination
1Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences and Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011 USA.
Theriogenology
|April 1, 1989
Summary
The cloprostenol-xylazine combination effectively synchronizes farrowing in sows, significantly reducing the time to onset and variation compared to individual treatments. This method offers a reliable alternative for inducing parturition in swine production.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Medicine
- Animal Reproduction
- Swine Production
Background:
- Inducing farrowing in sows is crucial for managing parturition and optimizing piglet survival.
- Current methods for farrowing induction may have variable efficacy and onset times.
- Evaluating novel drug combinations can improve reproductive efficiency in swine.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the efficacy of a cloprostenol-xylazine combination for inducing farrowing in multiparous sows.
- To compare the farrowing interval and associated parameters with saline-saline, cloprostenol-saline, and saline-xylazine treatments.
- To determine if the combination treatment affects farrowing outcomes such as stillbirths and piglet survival.
Main Methods:
- Eighty crossbred sows were randomly assigned to four treatment groups: saline-saline, cloprostenol-saline, saline-xylazine, and cloprostenol-xylazine.
- Cloprostenol (250 ug/sow) or saline was administered 3 days before the calculated due date.
- Xylazine (2 mg/kg) or saline was administered 20 hours after the initial treatment.
- Farrowing interval, stillbirths, birth weights, and postbirth weights were recorded and analyzed.
Main Results:
- The cloprostenol-xylazine group exhibited the shortest mean farrowing interval (1.5 +/- 0.3 h).
- This was significantly shorter than the saline-saline (66.0 +/- 8.1 h), cloprostenol-saline (10.5 +/- 1.9 h), and saline-xylazine (60.6 +/- 5.6 h) groups.
- No significant differences were observed among groups for farrowing time, stillbirths, birth weights, or piglet survival rates at 5 and 21 days.
Conclusions:
- The combination of cloprostenol and xylazine effectively reduces the time to farrowing onset in sows with less variability.
- This treatment offers a more predictable and efficient method for inducing farrowing compared to using cloprostenol or xylazine alone.
- The cloprostenol-xylazine combination is a viable alternative for synchronizing parturition in swine production systems.
