Effect of nutrition on embryonal mortality in gilts: association with progesterone

The effect of the timing of nutritional changes during the immediate period after mating on early embryonal survival and of progesterone as a potential mediator of such changes was studied. A total of 82 gilts were initially fed 2.5 kg.gilt-1.d-1 for one estrous cycle before they were inseminated at 16 and 24 h after the onset of estrus (d 0) using fresh, pooled semen. After AI, gilts were randomly allocated to one of the three feeding regimens, normal NRC allowance of 1.5 x maintenance per day from d 1 (Group N1) or d 3 (Group N3) or an allowance of 2 x maintenance from d 1 (Group H1). All gilts were fed on an individual basis. Single blood samples were collected 72 h after first detection of standing estrus. From d 15 onward, all gilts were fed 1.8 kg/d until they were slaughtered on d 28 +/- 3. Total and viable empryonal survival were affected by dietary treatment (P = .044 and .027, respectively), and viable embryonal survival in group N1 was greater than in group H1 (84.7 +/- 4.5 vs 64.5 +/- 7.6%; P < .05). Plasma progesterone was greater in group N1 than in groups N3 and H1 (10.5 +/- 1.0 vs 3.7 +/- .8 and 4.5 +/- .7 ng/mL, respectively; P < .05). The timing of the change in feed allowance after mating is therefore crucial for demonstrating effects of nutrition on embryonal survival in gilts, and progesterone may mediate these effects.