Effect of exogenous progesterone and oestrone on litter size in swine

Three hundred sows and gilts on a large commercial unit were divided into four groups according to parity and either injected with corn oil on days 16 and 17 after service, injected with 25 mg progesterone and 12.5 micrograms oestrone on days 16 and 17 after service, or injected with these two hormones on either day 16 or day 17 after service. Animals injected with progesterone and oestrone on both the 16th and 17th days after mating had significantly (P less than 0.05) bigger litters at farrowing. Animals injected on the 17th day or on both the 16th and 17th days after mating had significantly shorter gestation periods (P less than 0.05). The treatments had no effect on the weaning to service interval or on the size of the subsequent litter.